And the smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, rose up before God from the hand of the angel.
Parallel translations
- WEB The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.
- KJV And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.
- NKJV And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.
- NASB And the smoke of the incense ascended from the angel’s hand with the prayers of the saints before God.
- NLT The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of God’s holy people, ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out.
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 smoke of the incense and the prayers of the saints ascend before God. God receives and is moved by the prayers of His people.
Overview
The rising smoke pictures the prayers of the saints reaching God's presence and being acceptable to Him. This affirms that the cries of God's people are neither ignored nor forgotten in heaven. Their prayers become the prelude to the judgments that follow, showing God answers His people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Ps 141:2May my prayer be set before You like incense, my uplifted hands like the evening offering.
- Luke 1:10And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside.
- Rev 8:3Then another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne.
- Rev 15:8And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
- Exod 30:1“You are also to make an altar of acacia wood for the burning of incense.
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 8:4 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
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