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So I looked and saw a white horse, and its rider held a bow. And he was given a crown, and he rode out to overcome and conquer.
Revelation 6:2 · Berean Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB And 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.
  • KJV And 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.
  • NKJV And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
  • NASB I looked, and behold, a white horse, and the one who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
  • NLT I looked up and saw a white horse standing there. Its rider carried a bow, and a crown was placed on his head. He rode out to win many battles and gain the victory.

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 first seal reveals a white horse whose rider, given a crown and bow, goes out conquering. It pictures a force of conquest let loose in the world.

Overview

Interpreters differ: some see this rider as the victorious advance of the gospel (white and crowned like Christ in 19:11), while others see a symbol of military conquest and aggression among the four horsemen of judgment. In either reading, the rider acts only because the Lamb opened the seal, so all unfolds under Christ's control. The four horsemen together portray the suffering and upheaval that mark the age before the end.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 21

  • Zech 6:3–8the third white horses, and the fourth dappled horses—all of them strong.
  • Zech 1:8I looked out into the night and saw a man riding on a red horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in the hollow, and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses.
  • Rev 19:11–12Then 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.
  • Ps 45:3–5Strap your sword at your side, O mighty warrior; appear in your majesty and splendor.
  • Rev 14:14And I looked and saw a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was One like the Son of Man, with a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand.
  • Rev 3:21To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
  • 2 Cor 10:3–5For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.
  • Isa 25:8He will swallow up death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face and remove the disgrace of His people from the whole earth. For the LORD has spoken.
  • Ps 110:2The LORD extends Your mighty scepter from Zion: “Rule in the midst of Your enemies.”
  • Rev 11:15Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.”
  • Ps 98:1A Psalm. Sing to the LORD a new song, for He has done wonders; His right hand and holy arm have gained Him the victory.
  • 1 Cor 15:55–57“Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?”
  • Rom 15:18–19I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed,
  • 1 Cor 15:25For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.
  • Rev 15:2And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, beside which stood those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name. They were holding harps from God,
  • Rev 11:18The nations were enraged, and Your wrath has come. The time has come to judge the dead and to reward Your servants the prophets, as well as the saints and those who fear Your name, both small and great—and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
  • Rev 17:14They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones.”
  • Rev 19:14The armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, white and pure, follow Him on white horses.
  • Zech 6:11–13Take silver and gold, make an ornate crown, and set it on the head of the high priest, Joshua son of Jehozadak.
  • Matt 28:18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
  • Ps 76:7You alone are to be feared. When You are angry, who can stand before You?

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (6)

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 6:2YouTube · 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 6:2 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.