Limitless Word

Revelation 19:12

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.
Revelation 19:12 · New King James Version
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.
  • KJV 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.
  • 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.
  • 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 19:16He has on his garment and on his thigh a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”
  • Luke 10:22Turning to the disciples, he said, “All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is, except the Father, and who the Father is, except the Son, and he to whomever the Son desires to reveal him.”
  • Matt 11:27All things have been delivered to me by my Father. No one knows the Son, except the Father; neither does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and he to whom the Son desires to reveal him.
  • Rev 1:14His head and his hair were white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire.
  • Rev 2:17–18He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him who overcomes, to him I will give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows but he who receives it.
  • Matt 28:18Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
  • Rev 3:12He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will go out from there no more. I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my own new name.
  • Isa 9:6For to us a child is born. To us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
  • Ps 8:5For you have made him a little lower than God, and crowned him with glory and honor.
  • Heb 2:9But we see him who has been made a little lower than the angels, Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that by the grace of God he should taste of death for everyone.
  • Zech 9:16Yahweh their God will save them in that day as the flock of his people; for they are like the jewels of a crown, lifted on high over his land.
  • Rev 12:3Another sign was seen in heaven. Behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven crowns.
  • Exod 23:21Pay attention to him, and listen to his voice. Don’t provoke him, for he will not pardon your disobedience, for my name is in him.
  • Gen 32:29Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” He said, “Why is it that you ask what my name is?” He blessed him there.
  • Isa 62:3You will also be a crown of beauty in Yahweh‘s hand, and a royal diadem in your God‘s hand.
  • Judg 13:18Yahweh’s angel said to him, “Why do you ask about my name, since it is incomprehensible?”
  • Rev 6:2And behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow. A crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.
  • Matt 21:5“Tell the daughter of Zion, behold, your King comes to you, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
  • Song 3:11Go out, you daughters of Zion, and see king Solomon, with the crown with which his mother has crowned him, in the day of his weddings, in the day of the gladness of his heart.
  • Rev 13:1Then I stood on the sand of the sea. I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads. On his horns were ten crowns, and on his heads, blasphemous names.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (4)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Revelation videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Revelation 19:12YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on RevelationMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    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 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

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.