Then he cried out in a loud voice like the roar of a lion. And when he cried out, the seven thunders sounded their voices.
Parallel translations
- WEB He cried with a loud voice, as a lion roars. When he cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices.
- KJV And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.
- NKJV and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices.
- NASB and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars; and when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices.
- NLT And he gave a great shout like the roar of a lion. And when he shouted, the seven thunders answered.
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 shouts like a roaring lion, and seven thunders answer. A powerful divine pronouncement is made, full of warning.
Overview
The lion-like cry conveys majesty and judgment (Amos 3:8; Hosea 11:10). The "seven thunders" speak with their own intelligible message, thunder often signaling God's voice (Psalm 29; John 12:28-29). The scene builds anticipation for a further revelation. Yet, as the next verse shows, not everything God knows is given to be disclosed, reminding us that some things remain hidden in His wisdom.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Isa 31:4For this is what the LORD has said to me: “Like a lion roaring or a young lion over its prey—and though a band of shepherds is called out against it, it is not terrified by their shouting or subdued by their clamor—so the LORD of Hosts will come down to do battle on Mount Zion and its heights.
- Joel 3:16The LORD will roar from Zion and raise His voice from Jerusalem; heaven and earth will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.
- Amos 1:2He said: “The LORD roars from Zion and raises His voice from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the summit of Carmel withers.”
- Rev 4:5From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings, and peals of thunder. Before the throne burned seven torches of fire. These are the seven Spirits of God.
- Isa 5:29Their roaring is like that of a lion; they roar like young lions. They growl and seize their prey; they carry it away from deliverance.
- Prov 19:12A king’s rage is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.
- Rev 15:1Then I saw another great and marvelous sign in heaven: seven angels with the seven final plagues, with which the wrath of God is completed.
- Rev 8:5Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it to the earth; and there were peals of thunder, and rumblings, and flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
- Jer 25:30So you are to prophesy all these words against them and say to them: ‘The LORD will roar from on high; He will raise His voice from His holy habitation. He will roar loudly over His pasture; like those who tread the grapes, He will call out with a shout against all the inhabitants of the earth.
- Rev 14:2And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of many waters and the loud rumbling of thunder. And the sound I heard was like harpists strumming their harps.
- Isa 42:13The LORD goes forth like a mighty one; He stirs up His zeal like a warrior. He shouts; yes, He roars in triumph over His enemies:
- Amos 3:8The lion has roared—who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken—who will not prophesy?
- Rev 15:7Then one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever.
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 10:3 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.