Then I looked and saw that the Temple in heaven, God’s Tabernacle, was thrown wide open.
Parallel translations
- WEB After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened.
- KJV And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:
- BSB After this I looked, and the temple—the tabernacle of the Testimony—was opened in heaven.
- NKJV After these things I looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened.
- NASB After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened,
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 heavenly temple of the testimony is opened. Judgment proceeds from God's holy presence and faithfulness to his covenant.
Overview
John sees the opening of 'the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony,' recalling the tabernacle housing the ark and the covenant law. From this sanctuary the agents of judgment emerge, showing that the coming wrath flows from God's holiness and covenant righteousness. Judgment is no arbitrary act but rooted in God's just and faithful character.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Rev 11:19God’s temple that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant was seen in his temple. Lightnings, sounds, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail followed.
- Num 1:50but appoint the Levites over the Tabernacle of the Testimony, and over all its furnishings, and over all that belongs to it. They shall carry the tabernacle, and all its furnishings; and they shall take care of it, and shall encamp around it.
- Matt 27:51Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.
- Num 1:53But the Levites shall encamp around the Tabernacle of the Testimony, that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the children of Israel: and the Levites shall be responsible for the Tabernacle of the Testimony.”
- Exod 38:21This is the amount of material used for the tabernacle, even the Tabernacle of the Testimony, as they were counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.
- Exod 25:21You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I will give you.
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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 15:5 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.