For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.
Parallel translations
- WEB “For I know their works and their thoughts. The time comes that I will gather all nations and languages, and they will come, and will see my glory.
- BSB “And I, knowing their deeds and thoughts, am coming to gather all nations and tongues, and they will come and see My glory.
- NKJV “For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory.
- NASB “For I know their works and their thoughts; the time is coming to gather all the nations and tongues. And they shall come and see My glory.
- NLT “I can see what they are doing, and I know what they are thinking. So I will gather all nations and peoples together, and they will see my glory.
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
God, who knows all their works and thoughts, will gather all nations and languages to see his glory. It matters because it announces God's purpose to reveal his glory to the whole world.
Overview
Amid judgment, God declares his wider plan to gather peoples of every tongue to behold his glory. This universal vision moves beyond Israel to the nations, anticipating the worldwide scope of God's saving purpose. It is realized in the gospel of Christ, by which people of every nation and language are gathered to worship (Revelation 7:9).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 28
- Ps 86:9All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.
- Rev 11:15And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
- 2 Cor 4:4–6In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
- John 5:42But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.
- Isa 2:2And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
- Heb 4:12For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
- Rom 16:26But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
- Rom 15:8–12Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:
- 1 Cor 3:20And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.
- Isa 37:28But I know thy abode, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage against me.
- Ezek 39:21And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them.
- Matt 12:25And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
- Ps 72:17His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.
- Matt 9:4And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?
- Amos 5:12For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.
- Ps 72:11Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.
- John 17:24Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
- Isa 66:10Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her:
- Luke 5:22But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, What reason ye in your hearts?
- Deut 31:21And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware.
- Ezek 38:10Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought:
- Ps 67:2That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.
- Joel 3:2I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.
- Ps 82:8Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.
- Job 42:2I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
- Rev 2:9I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
- Rev 2:2I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
- Rev 2:13I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
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Christ at the center
Isaiah sees him most clearly: the virgin's son Immanuel, the child on David's throne, the shoot from Jesse, the light to the nations, and above all the Suffering Servant pierced for our transgressions (ch. 53).
How Isaiah 66:18 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.