He held in his hand a small scroll, which lay open. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land.
Parallel translations
- WEB He had in his hand a little open book. He set his right foot on the sea, and his left on the land.
- KJV And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
- NKJV He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,
- NASB and he had in his hand a little scroll, which was open. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land;
- NLT And in his hand was a small scroll that had been opened. He stood with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land.
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 angel holds a small open scroll and plants his feet on sea and land. His stance claims authority over the whole earth.
Overview
The "little open book" contrasts with the sealed scroll of Revelation 5; its openness signals revelation now being disclosed. By standing on both sea and land, the angel symbolizes God's universal dominion and the worldwide reach of the message. This sets the stage for John's prophetic commission in the verses to follow. It affirms that God's word and rule extend over all creation, leaving no realm outside His authority.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Rev 10:5Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven.
- Ezek 2:9–10Then I looked and saw a hand reaching out to me, and in it was a scroll,
- Rev 10:8–10Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the small scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel standing on the sea and on the land.”
- Rev 5:1–5Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the One seated on the throne. It had writing on both sides and was sealed with seven seals.
- Matt 28:18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
- Ps 65:5With awesome deeds of righteousness You answer us, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas.
- Rev 6:3And when the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!”
- Ps 2:8Ask Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance, the ends of the earth Your possession.
- Prov 8:15–16By me kings reign, and rulers enact just laws;
- Isa 59:19So shall they fear the name of the LORD where the sun sets, and His glory where it rises. For He will come like a raging flood, driven by the breath of the LORD.
- Rev 6:1Then I watched as the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say in a thunderous voice, “Come!”
- Eph 1:20–22which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms,
- Phil 2:10–11that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
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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 10:2 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
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