Then I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them.
Parallel translations
- WEB I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found no place for them.
- KJV And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
- NKJV Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.
- NASB Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled, and no place was found for them.
- NLT And I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide.
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
John sees God on a great white throne, before whom heaven and earth flee away. The final judgment of all creation is at hand.
Overview
The 'great white throne' signals purity, majesty, and unassailable authority as God prepares to judge. Heaven and earth fleeing pictures the old order passing away before the Creator (cf. 21:1; 2 Peter 3:10). The scene presents God as the final Judge of all, a role Scripture also assigns to the exalted Christ (John 5:22; Acts 17:31).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 22
- Rev 21:1Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
- 2 Pet 3:7And by that same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
- Matt 25:31When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne.
- Dan 2:35Then the iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold were shattered and became like chaff on the threshing floor in summer. The wind carried them away, and not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that had struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
- 2 Pet 3:10–12But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare.
- Rom 2:5But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
- Acts 17:30–31Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.
- Jer 4:23–26I looked at the earth, and it was formless and void; I looked to the heavens, and they had no light.
- Ps 9:7–8But the LORD abides forever; He has established His throne for judgment.
- Rev 16:20Then every island fled, and no mountain could be found.
- Matt 24:35Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.
- Rev 6:14The sky receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place.
- Ps 47:8God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne.
- Rev 12:8But the dragon was not strong enough, and no longer was any place found in heaven for him and his angels.
- Ps 89:14Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; loving devotion and faithfulness go before You.
- Ps 97:2Clouds and darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are His throne’s foundation.
- Rev 20:2He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.
- Rev 19:11Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war.
- Job 9:6He shakes the earth from its place, so that its foundations tremble.
- Rev 4:2At once I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne standing in heaven, with someone seated on it.
- Ps 14:6–7You sinners frustrate the plans of the oppressed, yet the LORD is their shelter.
- Gen 18:25Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”
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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 20:11 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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