His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
Parallel translations
- WEB His eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has names written and a name written which no one knows but he himself.
- BSB He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows.
- NKJV His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself.
- NASB His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many crowns; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself.
- NLT His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself.
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
His eyes blaze like fire, He wears many crowns, and bears a name known only to Himself. Christ's authority and mystery are supreme.
Overview
The flaming eyes signify penetrating judgment, and the many diadems declare His sovereign rule over all kingdoms, surpassing the limited crowns of the dragon and beast. The secret name points to the depths of His being that exceed full human comprehension. He is the glorious, unrivaled King whom no creature can fully fathom.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 20
- Rev 19:16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
- Luke 10:22All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
- Matt 11:27All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
- Rev 1:14His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
- Rev 2:17–18He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
- Matt 28:18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
- Rev 3:12Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
- Isa 9:6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
- Ps 8:5For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
- Heb 2:9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
- Zech 9:16And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land.
- Rev 12:3And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
- Exod 23:21Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.
- Gen 32:29And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there.
- Isa 62:3Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.
- Judg 13:18And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?
- Rev 6:2And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
- Matt 21:5Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
- Song 3:11Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold king Solomon with the crown wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his espousals, and in the day of the gladness of his heart.
- Rev 13:1And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
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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 19:12 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
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