Revelation 1:6
What does Revelation 1:6 mean?
A plain-English look at Revelation 1:6 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Revelation 1:6 means
Jesus has made His people into a kingdom and priests to His God and Father. This means believers belong to His reign and serve in worshipful access, representing God to the world and the world to God through prayer and witness. Their identity is corporate and purposeful, bestowed by Christ’s saving work. Therefore, John erupts in praise: to Him be glory and dominion forever. Christ’s honor is the fitting response to His grace. The church’s dignity as royal priests is not self-made; it is a gift from the Redeemer, calling them to live as a worshiping, serving community under His everlasting rule.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000and he made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901and he made us to be a kingdom, to be priests unto his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And has made us to be a kingdom and priests to his God and Father; to him let glory and power be given for ever and ever. So be it.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and did make us kings and priests to his God and Father, to him <FI>is<Fi> the glory and the power to the ages of the ages! Amen.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And hath made us a kingdom, and priests to God and his Father. To him be glory and empire for ever and ever. Amen.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890and made us a kingdom, priests to hisGod and Father: to him [be] the glory and the might to the ages of ages. Amen.
Context
Verses 4–6 form one sweeping greeting: from the eternal God and the Spirit to Jesus’ royal and redemptive titles, culminating in doxology. Having established the churches’ identity and destiny in Christ, the prologue turns in verse 7 to the certainty and visibility of His coming. The praise of verse 6 sets the tone for hopeful expectation, reminding readers that Christ’s dominion is forever, which stands behind the calls to endurance and repentance that are soon to come.
v.5and from Jesus Christ, who isthe faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood;
v.6This passage
v.7Behold, he cometh with the clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they that pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth shall mourn over him. Even so, Amen.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- John 5:23
that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father that sent him.
- 2 Peter 3:18
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and for ever. Amen.
- Romans 15:6
that with one accord ye may with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Jude 1:25
to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and power, before all time, and now, and for evermore. Amen.
- Daniel 4:34
And at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth for ever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation;
- Exodus 19:6
and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
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