And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;
Parallel translations
- WEB I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. Having turned, I saw seven golden lamp stands.
- BSB Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands,
- NKJV Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands,
- NASB Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And after turning I saw seven golden lampstands;
- NLT When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands.
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
Turning toward the voice, John sees seven golden lampstands. It matters because these lampstands picture the churches among whom Christ is present.
Overview
John turns and beholds seven golden lampstands, later identified as the seven churches. The imagery recalls the lampstand of the tabernacle and Zechariah's vision, signifying God's people as light-bearers. The vision prepares for the central figure who walks among them.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Zech 4:2And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:
- Exod 25:37And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it.
- Rev 1:20The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.
- Rev 1:13And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
- Ezek 43:5–6So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the LORD filled the house.
- Mic 6:9The LORD’s voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 1:12 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.