The living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
Parallel translations
- KJV And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.
- BSB The creatures were darting back and forth as quickly as flashes of lightning.
- NKJV And the living creatures ran back and forth, in appearance like a flash of lightning.
- NASB And the living beings ran back and forth like bolts of lightning.
- NLT And the living beings darted to and fro like flashes of lightning.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The living creatures dart back and forth like flashing lightning. Their swift movement shows the energy and immediacy of heaven's service.
Overview
The lightning-like motion conveys speed, brilliance, and tireless activity around God's throne. Nothing delays the creatures from carrying out the divine will. This restless energy underscores the dynamic majesty of God's heavenly court. It reminds readers that the unseen realm is alive with reverent, active obedience.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Matt 24:27For as the lightning flashes from the east, and is seen even to the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
- Zech 4:10Indeed, who despises the day of small things? For these seven shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. These are Yahweh’s eyes, which run back and forth through the whole earth.”
- Luke 17:24for as the lightning, when it flashes out of the one part under the sky, shines to the other part under the sky; so will the Son of Man be in his day.
- Ps 147:15He sends out his commandment to the earth. His word runs very swiftly.
- Dan 9:21yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening offering.
- Matt 24:31He will send out his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
- Mark 13:27Then he will send out his angels, and will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the sky.
- Zech 2:3–4Behold, the angel who talked with me went out, and another angel went out to meet him,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
The promise of one Shepherd-King David, a new heart and new Spirit, and the river of life flowing from the temple all stream toward Christ, the good Shepherd who gives the Spirit.
How Ezekiel 1:14 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.