Revelation / Chapter 15

Revelation 15

8 verses • SBL Greek New Testament

Translator's Introduction

What This Chapter Is About

Revelation 15 is the shortest chapter in the book and serves as the prelude to the seven bowl judgments. John sees those who have conquered the beast standing on a sea of glass mixed with fire, singing the Song of Moses and of the Lamb. Then the heavenly temple opens and seven angels emerge with seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, while smoke from God's glory fills the temple so that no one can enter.

What Makes This Chapter Remarkable

The Song of Moses and of the Lamb (vv. 3-4) merges exodus and new covenant in a single hymn. It draws almost entirely from Old Testament scripture — every line echoes Exodus 15, Deuteronomy 32, Psalm 86, Psalm 111, Jeremiah 10, and Malachi 1. The sea of glass mixed with fire recalls the Red Sea crossing, where Israel stood on the far shore and sang (Exodus 15:1-21). The smoke filling the temple so that no one can enter parallels the dedication of Solomon's temple (1 Kings 8:10-11) and the Sinai theophany (Exodus 19:18) — God's glory is so intense that even the heavenly temple becomes inaccessible.

Translation Friction

The 'Song of Moses and of the Lamb' combines two great deliverances — from Egypt and from sin — in a single composition. Whether 'of Moses and of the Lamb' means one combined song or two songs is debated; the singular 'song' (ōdēn) in Greek favors a single unified hymn.

Connections

The chapter connects to Exodus 15 (the Song of the Sea), 1 Kings 8:10-11 (glory filling the temple), Isaiah 6:4 (smoke in the temple), and Leviticus 26:21 (plagues multiplied sevenfold). The phrase 'King of the nations' echoes Jeremiah 10:7. The seven bowls parallel the seven trumpets (chs. 8-11) but with intensified scope.

Revelation 15:1

Καὶ εἶδον ἄλλο σημεῖον ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ μέγα καὶ θαυμαστόν, ἀγγέλους ἑπτὰ ἔχοντας πληγὰς ἑπτὰ τὰς ἐσχάτας, ὅτι ἐν αὐταῖς ἐτελέσθη ὁ θυμὸς τοῦ θεοῦ.

Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels with seven plagues — the last ones — because with them the wrath of God is completed.

KJV And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. This is the third 'sign' (semeion) in heaven, following the woman (12:1) and the dragon (12:3). The word eschatas ('last') indicates these bowl plagues bring God's judgments to their final expression. The verb etelesthē ('is completed, is finished') from teleō shares the root of Jesus's cry tetelestai ('It is finished,' John 19:30) — God's wrath, like his salvation, reaches its telos (goal/end).
Revelation 15:2

Καὶ εἶδον ὡς θάλασσαν ὑαλίνην μεμιγμένην πυρί, καὶ τοὺς νικῶντας ἐκ τοῦ θηρίου καὶ ἐκ τῆς εἰκόνος αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ ἑστῶτας ἐπὶ τὴν θάλασσαν τὴν ὑαλίνην, ἔχοντας κιθάρας τοῦ θεοῦ.

I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name were standing beside the sea of glass, holding harps of God.

KJV And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The sea of glass first appeared in 4:6 before God's throne. Here it is mixed with fire — possibly reflecting the trials through which the victors have passed, or the judgment about to be poured out. The Greek epi tēn thalassan ('on/beside the sea') recalls Israel standing on the far shore of the Red Sea. The conquerors are defined by three victories: over the beast, its image, and its number. The 'harps of God' (kitharas tou theou) are instruments belonging to God, given for worship.
Revelation 15:3

καὶ ᾄδουσιν τὴν ᾠδὴν Μωϋσέως τοῦ δούλου τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τὴν ᾠδὴν τοῦ ἀρνίου λέγοντες· Μεγάλα καὶ θαυμαστὰ τὰ ἔργα σου, κύριε ὁ θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ· δίκαιαι καὶ ἀληθιναὶ αἱ ὁδοί σου, ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν ἐθνῶν·

They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: "Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God Almighty! Righteous and true are your ways, King of the nations!

KJV And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

παντοκράτωρ pantokratōr
"Almighty" — almighty, all-powerful, ruler of all

The Septuagint's standard rendering of the Hebrew YHWH Tsevaot ('LORD of Hosts'). Used nine times in Revelation, more than in any other New Testament book, emphasizing God's sovereign power over all competing claims to authority.

Translator Notes

  1. Moses is called 'servant of God' (doulou tou theou), the same title given him in Joshua 1:1 (LXX). The SBLGNT reads 'King of the nations' (basileus tōn ethnōn), following Jeremiah 10:7, rather than the KJV's 'King of saints' (a variant reading). The hymn's content draws entirely from Old Testament praise: 'great and marvelous works' from Psalm 111:2, 'righteous and true ways' from Deuteronomy 32:4, and 'King of the nations' from Jeremiah 10:7.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Exodus 15:1-18 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
  3. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Joshua 1:1 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
  4. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Jeremiah 10:7 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
  5. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Psalm 111:2 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
  6. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Deuteronomy 32:4 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
Revelation 15:4

τίς οὐ μὴ φοβηθῇ, κύριε, καὶ δοξάσει τὸ ὄνομά σου; ὅτι μόνος ὅσιος, ὅτι πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ἥξουσιν καὶ προσκυνήσουσιν ἐνώπιόν σου, ὅτι τὰ δικαιώματά σου ἐφανερώθησαν.

Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, because your righteous acts have been revealed."

KJV Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The rhetorical question 'Who will not fear?' echoes Jeremiah 10:7. The declaration 'you alone are holy' (monos hosios) uses hosios rather than hagios — hosios emphasizes moral purity and faithfulness to covenant obligations, while hagios emphasizes separation and consecration. The prophecy that 'all nations will come and worship' draws on Psalm 86:9 and anticipates the universal worship described in the New Jerusalem (21:24-26). The word dikaiōmata ('righteous acts, just decrees') can refer to both God's judgments and his saving acts.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Psalms 86:9. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.
  3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Jeremiah 10:7. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.
Revelation 15:5

Καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα εἶδον, καὶ ἠνοίγη ὁ ναὸς τῆς σκηνῆς τοῦ μαρτυρίου ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ,

After this I looked, and the sanctuary of the tent of testimony in heaven was opened,

KJV And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The unusual phrase 'sanctuary of the tent of testimony' (naos tēs skēnēs tou martyriou) combines temple and tabernacle language, echoing the wilderness tabernacle of Numbers 17:7 (LXX) — the 'tent of testimony' where God's covenant law was kept. The opening of this heavenly sanctuary signals that what follows comes directly from God's covenant faithfulness and justice.
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes Numbers 17:7 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.
Revelation 15:6

καὶ ἐξῆλθον οἱ ἑπτὰ ἄγγελοι οἱ ἔχοντες τὰς ἑπτὰ πληγὰς ἐκ τοῦ ναοῦ, ἐνδεδυμένοι λίνον καθαρὸν λαμπρὸν καὶ περιεζωσμένοι περὶ τὰ στήθη ζώνας χρυσᾶς.

The seven angels arrived out of the temple, after the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and after their breasts girded with golden girdles.

KJV And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The angels' attire — clean linen (linon katharon lampron) and golden sashes — matches the description of Christ in 1:13 and of the heavenly armies in 19:14. Some manuscripts read lithon ('stone') instead of linon ('linen'), which would suggest gemstone-like brilliance, but the SBLGNT follows the linen reading. The priestly vestments indicate that the bowl judgments are a liturgical act — God's justice administered as sacred duty.
Revelation 15:7

καὶ ἓν ἐκ τῶν τεσσάρων ζῴων ἔδωκεν τοῖς ἑπτὰ ἀγγέλοις ἑπτὰ φιάλας χρυσᾶς γεμούσας τοῦ θυμοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων.

Then one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever.

KJV And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

  1. The Greek phialē ('bowl') is a broad, shallow bowl used for libations in temple worship — the KJV's 'vials' is misleading. The bowls are golden, matching the heavenly furnishings (5:8, golden bowls of incense). That a living creature distributes them connects the judgments to the worship of the throne room. The title 'God who lives forever and ever' (tou theou tou zōntos eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn) contrasts sharply with the beast whose life is derivative and temporary.
Revelation 15:8

καὶ ἐγεμίσθη ὁ ναὸς καπνοῦ ἐκ τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐκ τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐδύνατο εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸν ναὸν ἄχρι τελεσθῶσιν αἱ ἑπτὰ πληγαὶ τῶν ἑπτὰ ἀγγέλων.

The sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

KJV And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

Notes & Key Terms 1 term

Key Terms

δόξα doxa
"glory" — glory, splendor, radiance, honor, weight, divine presence

The Greek equivalent of the Hebrew kavod. Here it refers to the visible, overwhelming manifestation of God's presence — so intense that it renders the sanctuary unapproachable.

Translator Notes

  1. The smoke (kapnos) from God's glory recalls Isaiah 6:4, where the temple fills with smoke during Isaiah's throne vision. The inability to enter the temple means that intercession is suspended — the time for mercy has passed and judgment must run its full course. The verb telesthōsin ('are completed') echoes verse 1's etelesthē — the plagues must reach their telos (completion/goal).
  2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Isaiah 6:4 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
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