And I began to weep bitterly, because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or look inside it.
Parallel translations
- WEB And I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look in it.
- KJV And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
- NKJV So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.
- NASB Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.
- NLT Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it.
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 weeps bitterly because no one is found worthy to open the scroll. His grief reflects the apparent stalling of God's purposes if no redeemer can be found.
Overview
John's tears voice the longing of God's suffering people for history to be set right and for redemption to come. If the scroll stays sealed, God's saving purposes seem to remain unaccomplished. The verse deepens the reader's yearning for a worthy one and makes the coming revelation of Christ all the more glorious.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- Dan 12:8–9I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these things?”
- Rev 4:1After this I looked and saw a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had previously heard speak to me like a trumpet was saying, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after these things.”
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 5:4 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.