Revelation 5:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it,

NIV: But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.

NASB: And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it.

CSB: But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or even to look in it.

NLT: But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it.

KJV: And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

NKJV: And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.

In the prior verse, a mighty angel asked who was worthy to open the scroll (Revelation 5:1) by breaking its seals. According to this verse, the angel's question resulted in no answer. John observes that no one claimed to be worthy to open the scroll and break its seals. No one in heaven qualified for the task. No one on earth was qualified to accept the challenge. Nor was anyone under the earth, in Hades, morally and legally qualified to take on the assignment. No one was found anywhere who could open the scroll or look into it.

Revelation 6—16 describes judgments that would fall later on those who dwell on earth, but John reports that no one had the right to initiate them by opening the scroll. The lack of response to the mighty angel's challenge makes us keenly aware that we do not have the moral or legal right to take vengeance on evildoers. "Vengeance is mine," the Lord exclaims in Deuteronomy 32:35. In the tribulation period, He will execute his vengeance on the wicked.

Revelation 5:1–5 continues John's description of what he saw, while in the Spirit, in heaven. John saw a scroll in God's right hand. It was sealed shut with seven seals. A mighty angel shouted ''Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?'' We learn from chapters 6—8 that when the scroll's seals are opened, judgment falls on the earth. John wept loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll, but one of the elders comforted him because Jesus was worthy to open it.

Revelation 5 tells us John saw a scroll in God's right hand. The scroll had writing in it and on its back. Also, the scroll was sealed with seven seals. A search uncovered no one who was worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. However, one of the elders told John that Jesus could open the scroll, as the only one with the legal and moral right to do so. When Jesus accepted the scroll, universal praise in heaven and on earth rose to Jesus. He alone was found worthy to open the scroll because, as God's Lamb, He had shed His blood for all mankind.

Jesus commanded John to write ''the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.'' The first three chapters of Revelation contained those things which ''were'' and ''are,'' at the time John wrote. Chapters 2 and 3 provided the contents of Jesus' letters to seven churches. Chapter 4 begins the largest and last section of Revelation, regarding events yet to take place when John wrote (Revelation 1:19). John introduced God seated upon His throne, with twenty-four elders and four angelic creatures nearby. Chapter 5 focuses on a scroll containing God's judgments on sin, and a search for someone to open it. Only Jesus is worthy to open it. When Jesus receives the scroll from God, He receives praise from every creature in heaven and on earth.

The word ''revelation'' means ''an unveiling or disclosure.'' This writing unveils future events such as the rapture, three series of judgments that will fall on the earth during the tribulation, the emergence of the Antichrist, the persecution of Israel and her amazing revival, as well as Jesus' second coming with His saints to the earth, the judgment of Satan and his followers, and finally, the eternal state. This content, combined with the original Greek term apokalypsis, is why we now refer to an end-of-the-world scenario as ''an apocalypse.''

Accessed 11/21/2024 1:32:10 PM