Revelation 8:3 BSB — MannaFest

Revelation 8:3

Then another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

And another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should add it unto the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

KJV

And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

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Commentary

5 voices

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

And another angel came - Who this angel was is not mentioned, nor have we any means of determining. Of course a great variety of opinion has been entertained on the subject (see Poole’s Synopsis) - some referring it to angels in general; others to the ministry of the church; others to Constantine; others to Michael; and many others to the Lord Jesus.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

John Wesley

1703–1791

Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament (1755)

And much incense was given-Incense generally signifies prayer: here it signifies the longing desires of the angels, that the holy counsel of God might be fulfilled. And there was much incense; for as the prayers of all the saints in heaven and earth are here joined together: so are the desires of all the angels which are brought by this angel.

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

The prayers of the saints themselves stand in need of the incense and intercession of Christ to make them acceptable and effectual, and there is provision made by Christ for that purpose; he has his incense, his censer, and his altar; he is all himself to his people.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

Charles Spurgeon

1834–1892

The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 3282: “Preparing for the Week of Prayer” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition) (1911)

I SUPPOSE that there will be very little doubt among you that the "Angel" mentioned here was either our Lord Jesus Christ, Himself, or a special angelic messenger sent to represent Him. You remember that under the Mosaic dispensation, there was to be an altar of shittim wood, overlaid with pure gold, and that Aaron was to burn sweet incense thereon every morning and every evening.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

It is not the saints who give the angel the incense; nor are their prayers identified with the incense; nor do they offer their prayers to him. Christ alone is the Mediator through whom, and to whom, prayer is to be offered. offer it with the prayers--rather as Greek, "give it TO the prayers," so rendering them efficacious as a sweet-smelling savor to God.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

33 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
Καὶ	Kai	And	G2532 →
ἄλλος	allos	another	G243 →
ἄγγελος	angelos	angel	G32 →
ἦλθεν	ēlthen	came	G2064 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
ἐστάθη	estathē	he stood	G2476 →
ἐπὶ	epi	at	G1909 →
τοῦ	tou	the	G3588 →
θυσιαστηρίου	thusiastēriou	altar	G2379 →
ἔχων	echōn	having	G2192 →
λιβανωτὸν	libanōton	a censer	G3031 →
χρυσοῦν.	chrusoun	golden.	G5552 →
καὶ	kai	and	G2532 →
ἐδόθη	edothē	was given	G1325 →
αὐτῷ	autō	to him	G846 →
θυμιάματα	thumiamata	incense	G2368 →
πολλὰ	polla	much	G4183 →
ἵνα	ina	that	G2443 →
δώσει	dōsei	he will give [it]	G1325 →
ταῖς	tais	with the	G3588 →
προσευχαῖς	proseuchais	prayers	G4335 →
τῶν	tōn	of the	G3588 →
ἁγίων	hagiōn	saints	G40 →
πάντων	pantōn	all	G3956 →
ἐπὶ	epi	upon	G1909 →
τὸ	to	the	G3588 →
θυσιαστήριον	thusiastērion	altar	G2379 →
τὸ	to	<the>	G3588 →
χρυσοῦν	chrusoun	golden	G5552 →
τὸ	to	<the>	G3588 →
ἐνώπιον	enōpion	before	G1799 →
τοῦ	tou	the	G3588 →
θρόνου.	thronou	throne.	G2362 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
Revelation 5:8
When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which…
leads to
- Psalms 141:2
  May my prayer be set before You like incense, my uplifted hands like the evening offering.
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- Revelation 8:3–4
  Then another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before…
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
- Philippians 2:9–11
  Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names,
- Revelation 4:10
  the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, and they worship Him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
Through
Psalms 141:2
May my prayer be set before You like incense, my uplifted hands like the evening offering.
leads to
- Revelation 5:8
  When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which…
- 1 Timothy 2:8
  Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or dissension.
- Malachi 1:11
  For My name will be great among the nations, from where the sun rises to where it sets. In every place, incense and pure offerings will be presented in My name, because My name…
- Daniel 9:21
  while I was still praying, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.

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Moses and Aaron Appear before Pharaoh — engraving by Gustave Doré

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About Revelation

The Transfiguration — Gustave Doré (engraving, public domain)

Revelation: the study guide →Read chapter 8 →The featured study →

Continue: Revelation 8 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

05Featured studies on this passage

06About Revelation

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

Featured studies on this passage

About Revelation