Revelation 10:4

Verse

When the seven thunders had spoken, I was about to put it in writing. But I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.”

American Standard Version (1901)

And when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying, Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

Bible in Basic English

And when the seven thunders had given out their voices, I was about to put their words down: and a voice from heaven came to my ears, saying, Keep secret the things which the seven thunders said, and do not put them in writing.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying to me: Seal up the things which the seven thunders have spoken; and write them not.

Free Bible Version

When the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write down what they said when I heard a voice from heaven that told me, “Keep under seal what the seven thunders said. Don't write them down.”

Geneva Bible 1599

And whe the seuen thunders had vttered their voyces, I was about to write: but I heard a voice from heauen saying vnto me, Seale vp those things which the seuen thunders haue spoken, and write them not.

King James (Authorized) Version

And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

Translation for Translators

When it thundered like that, I was about to write the words that I heard, but a voice from heaven said to me, “Keep secret what the thunder said! Do not write it down!”

Unlocked Literal Bible

When the seven thunders spoke out, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Keep secret what the seven thunders said. Do not write it down.”

Noah Webster Bible

And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

World English Bible

When the seven thunders sounded, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from the sky saying, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders said, and don’t write them.”

Young's Literal Translation

and when the seven thunders spake their voices, I was about to write, and I heard a voice out of the heaven saying to me, 'Seal the things that the seven thunders spake,' and, 'Thou mayest not write these things.'

Context

The Angel and the Small Scroll

³Then he cried out in a loud voice like the roar of a lion. And when he cried out, the seven thunders sounded their voices.⁴When the seven thunders had spoken, I was about to put it in writing. But I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.”

Sermons

Seeking a Life of Being Not Known

Francis Chan

1.1K

The Feasts of Jehovah 11 the Reign of Christ

John W. Bramhall

370

Day 248, Revelation 10

David Servant

Summary

In Revelation 10:4, John hears the seven thunders speaking, but he is about to write down what they say when a voice from heaven instructs him to seal up what the thunders said and not write it down. This mysterious passage has led to much speculation and debate among scholars, with various interpretations offered. Some suggest that the content of the seven thunders is too profound or potentially disturbing for human understanding at that time, while others view it as a symbolic way of emphasizing the sovereignty and mystery of God's plans. Ultimately, the sealing of the seven thunders highlights the divine wisdom and control over future events, reminding believers to trust in God's perfect timing and purposes.

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

when--Aleph reads, "Whatsoever things." But most manuscripts support English Version. uttered their voices--A, B, C, and Aleph omit "their voices." Then translate, "had spoken." unto me--omitted by A, B, C, Aleph, and Syriac. Seal up--the opposite command to Rev 22:20. Even though at the time of the end the things sealed in Daniel's time were to be revealed, yet not so the voices of these thunders. Though heard by John, they were not to be imparted by him to others in this book of Revelation; so terrible are they that God in mercy withholds them, since "sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." The godly are thus kept from morbid ponderings over the evil to come; and the ungodly are not driven by despair into utter recklessness of life. ALFORD adds another aim in concealing them, namely, "godly fear, seeing that the arrows of God's quiver are not exhausted." Besides the terrors foretold, there are others unutterable and more horrifying lying in the background.

John Gill Bible Commentary

And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices,.... Or declared all they had to denounce upon the enemies of Christ and his church: I was about to write; John taking particular notice of what they said, and believing it might be for the advantage, comfort, and support of the church of Christ under its suffering circumstances, to be informed of what God had in reserve among the treasures of his wrath for their adversaries, was going to put it down in writing, that he might retain it, and the better communicate it, and in obedience to the order given him, Rev 1:19; and I heard a voice from heaven; from God the Father, for the Son of God in a visionary way was come down from heaven, in the form before described; and this voice answers to the Bath Kol of the Jews, and is the same which ordered John to write, Rev 14:13, though it here forbad him: saying unto me, seal up those things; treasure them up in thy mind, keep them within thy breast, hide them from men, for the present, and say nothing of them: which the seven thunders have uttered, and write them not; that they may not be seen and read at present, because the same things were to be exhibited in another form, and at another time, under the seven vials; only it was thought proper that John should have some intimations of them for his own advantage, and to prepare him for the following vision, for the eating of the book, and for his prophesying before people, nations, tongues, and kings. Mr. Daubuz is of opinion, that by these "seven thunders" are meant seven kingdoms which have received the Reformation, and established it by law within their several dominions, whereby the doctrine and worship of the reformers are become the established religion there; and the laws by which it is established are "the voices" uttered by those supreme authorities; and they are these, 1. The German princes, making one republic. 2. The Swiss cantons. 3. Sweden. 4. Denmark, with Norway. 5. England and Ireland. 6. Scotland. 7. The United Provinces of the Netherlands. And whereas John, who represents the first reformers, and other faithful men, was for writing what these thunders uttered, this denotes the zeal and earnest desires of these good men to push the Reformation further, and make a thorough work of it, as well as their expectation that now was the time in which the mystery of God was to be fulfilled, in which they were mistaken; wherefore John is bid to seal up these things, and not write them, which shows that the progress of the Reformation was to be stopped from doing fully what the first reformers were prompted to by the supreme powers which encouraged them, and that by the opposition of other temporal princes; it not being the will of God that the glorious state of the church should arise from these thunders, and be built on their laws and establishments; and suggests, that this is not the time in which, nor these the ways and means by which the mystery of God will be finished, which will not be until the seventh angel has sounded his trumpet, Rev 10:7; whereas this period of time, to which the Reformation belongs, is an event of the sixth trumpet: and this exposition bids very fair to be the right one.

Revelation 10:4

The Angel and the Small Scroll

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

When the seven thunders had spoken, I was about to put it in writing. But I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.”

American Standard Version (1901)

And when the seven thunders uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying, Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

Bible in Basic English

Douay-Rheims 1899

And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying to me: Seal up the things which the seven thunders have spoken; and write them not.

Free Bible Version

When the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write down what they said when I heard a voice from heaven that told me, “Keep under seal what the seven thunders said. Don't write them down.”

Geneva Bible 1599

King James (Authorized) Version

And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

Translation for Translators

When it thundered like that, I was about to write the words that I heard, but a voice from heaven said to me, “Keep secret what the thunder said! Do not write it down!”

Unlocked Literal Bible

When the seven thunders spoke out, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Keep secret what the seven thunders said. Do not write it down.”

Noah Webster Bible

And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

World English Bible

When the seven thunders sounded, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from the sky saying, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders said, and don’t write them.”

Young's Literal Translation

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill
Tyndale

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Revelation 10:4

Verse

Context

The Angel and the Small Scroll

Sermons

Summary

Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Revelation 10:4

The Angel and the Small Scroll

Seeking a Life of Being Not Known

The Feasts of Jehovah 11 the Reign of Christ

Day 248, Revelation 10

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes