Revelation 5:12
saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse highlights that the Lamb's worthiness to receive all power and honor stems directly from his sacrifice. The careful wording, with a single article before "power," suggests that all the subsequent praises—riches, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing—flow from this singular, foundational act of receiving power through his suffering. It’s not just what he receives, but why he's worthy to receive it, connecting his reign to his redemption.
The scene is set for a massive cosmic worship service. Just moments before, a Lamb who was slain was found worthy to open a scroll, and now a heavenly chorus, likely of angels, erupts in praise. This declaration is the immediate response to the Lamb's worthiness, directly following the elders' and living creatures' praise and anticipation.
Why is the Lamb, Jesus Christ, declared 'worthy' of all this praise? It's not just about his divine nature, but something profound he did.
The core of this heavenly worship centers on the Lamb's sacrificial act. The text emphasizes that he is worthy because he was slain. His willingness to endure the cross for humanity is the ultimate demonstration of love and the ultimate reason for his supreme honor.
The list of praises – power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing – isn't random. It's a complete picture of Christ's supreme attributes.
This seven-fold declaration is a profound doxology, a complete expression of adoration for the Lamb. The number seven in Scripture often signifies completeness or perfection. Each attribute highlights a facet of Christ's unmatched nature and authority:
Understand the original words
arnion · Greek Noun
A title for Jesus Christ, emphasizing His sacrificial death as the fulfillment of the Old Testament sacrificial system. It denotes His innocence, humility, and role as the substitute who takes away the sin of the world.
axios · Greek Adjective
To be worthy means to possess the inherent excellence, character, and authority that merits worship, praise, and honor. It acknowledges that God and the Lamb alone possess the attributes necessary to accomplish the divine redemptive plan.
sphazō · Greek Verb
The act of suffering death, particularly through violence or sacrifice. In the context of Christ, it refers specifically to the voluntary surrender of His life on the cross.
doxa · Greek Noun
This passage echoes Revelation 5:12 by describing God exalting Jesus to the highest name, so that every knee would bow and every tongue confess Jesus as Lord, mirroring the universal adoration of the Lamb.
Isaiah 53:12This prophecy foretells the Suffering Servant 'pouring out his soul to death' and being 'numbered with the transgressors,' directly foreshadowing the Lamb 'who was slain' and its subsequent reception of divine authority and honor.
1 Corinthians 1:24This verse highlights Jesus as 'the power of God and the wisdom of God,' directly aligning with the pronouncement in Revelation 5:12 that the Lamb is worthy to receive 'power' and 'wisdom.'
Hebrews 1:3This passage describes Jesus as the one 'sustaining all things by his word of power' and having 'made purification for sins,' linking the Lamb's sacrificial death to his present authority and worthiness to receive glory.
Psalm 110:1This Messianic psalm declares God saying to his Lord, 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool,' a prophecy of the Lamb's ultimate authority and victory, which is celebrated in Revelation 5:12.
ellicottRevelation 5:12: "Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing."
(12) Saying with a loud voice . . .—The second chorus: the chorus of angels— “Worthy is the Lamb, That hath been slain, To receive the power. And riches, and wisdom, and might, And honour, and glory, and blessing.” The doxology is seven-fold. We have noticed (Revelation 1:6) the increasing strength of the doxologies in which…
barnesRevelation 5:12: "Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing."
Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain - See the notes on Revelation 5:2 , Revelation 5:9 . The idea here is, that the fact that he was slain, or was made a sacrifice for sin, was the ground or reason for what is here ascribed to him. Compare the notes on Revelation 5:5 . To receive power - Power or autho…
This verse highlights that the Lamb's worthiness to receive all power and honor stems directly from his sacrifice. The careful wording, with a single article before "power," suggests that all the subsequent praises—riches, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing—flow from this singular, foundational act of receiving power through his suffering. It’s not just what he receives, but why he's worthy to receive it, connecting his reign to his redemption.
The scene is set for a massive cosmic worship service. Just moments before, a Lamb who was slain was found worthy to open a scroll, and now a heavenly chorus, likely of angels, erupts in praise. This declaration is the immediate response to the Lamb's worthiness, directly following the elders' and living creatures' praise and anticipation.
The scene is set for a massive cosmic worship service. Just moments before, a Lamb who was slain was found worthy to open a scroll, and now a heavenly chorus, likely of angels, erupts in praise. This declaration is the immediate response to the Lamb's worthiness, directly following the elders' and living creatures' praise and anticipation.
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This isn't a quiet whisper; it's a 'loud voice.' Who is singing, and why does the volume matter?
The declaration is made 'with a loud voice,' signifying unreserved, overwhelming praise. While the redeemed (in chapter 4) and elders join in worship, this specific chorus is attributed to the angelic hosts. Their unhindled, powerful adoration underscores the magnitude of Christ's worthiness.
A term used in Scripture to denote supreme majesty, splendor, and the visible manifestation of God’s divine presence and character. It is the weightiness of God’s reputation that calls for human and angelic recognition.
"saying with a loud voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”" — This verse highlights that the Lamb's worthiness to receive all power and honor stems directly from his sacrifice. The careful wording, with a single article before "power," suggests that all the sub…