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I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet
Revelation 1:10 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,
  • BSB On the Lord’s day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,
  • NKJV I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,
  • NASB I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet,
  • NLT It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast.

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

On the Lord's day, in the Spirit, John hears a trumpet-like voice behind him. It matters because the vision comes as a divine, Spirit-given encounter, not human invention.

Overview

John is "in the Spirit," a state of prophetic revelation, on "the Lord's day," an early reference to Sunday, the day of resurrection worship. The loud, trumpet-like voice signals an authoritative divine announcement, recalling God's voice at Sinai. The setting roots the visions in worship and the Spirit's work.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 11

  • Rev 21:10He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
  • Rev 4:1–2After these things I looked and saw a door opened in heaven, and the first voice that I heard, like a trumpet speaking with me, was one saying, “Come up here, and I will show you the things which must happen after this.”
  • 2 Cor 12:2–4I know a man in Christ, fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I don’t know, or whether out of the body, I don’t know; God knows), such a one caught up into the third heaven.
  • Rev 17:3He carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet-colored animal, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.
  • Acts 20:7On the first day of the week, when the disciples were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and continued his speech until midnight.
  • Rev 10:3–8He cried with a loud voice, as a lion roars. When he cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices.
  • 1 Cor 16:2On the first day of the week, let each one of you save, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come.
  • Acts 10:10–33He became hungry and desired to eat, but while they were preparing, he fell into a trance.
  • Matt 22:43He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call him Lord, saying,
  • John 20:19When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the middle, and said to them, “Peace be to you.”
  • John 20:26After eight days again his disciples were inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being locked, and stood in the middle, and said, “Peace be to you.”

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (5)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Revelation videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Revelation 1:10YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on RevelationMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Revelation ends the story with the slain-yet-standing Lamb who is worthy, the Lion of Judah, the Alpha and Omega, the returning King who makes all things new and dwells with his people forever.

How Revelation 1:10 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 Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.