Revelation 5:12
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The text emphasizes that the Lamb is worthy to receive all these magnificent qualities, not just possess them. This isn't a simple statement of his inherent greatness, but a declaration that his sacrificial act earned him the rightful claim and recognition of this immense power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing from all of creation. It’s about acknowledgment and cosmic justice being served through his sacrifice.
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)
Right before this verse, a scroll with seven seals is presented, and no one in heaven or on earth is found worthy to open it. Then, a Lamb appears, looking as though it had been slain, and it alone is able to take the scroll. This leads to an immediate outpouring of worship from the four living creatures and the elders, recognizing the Lamb's unique worthiness because of its sacrifice.
Why seven specific qualities? This isn't just any praise; it's a complete declaration of worth. What makes this specific list so significant?
The seven qualities listed – power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing – represent a complete and perfect acknowledgment of the Lamb's worthiness. The number seven in Scripture often symbolizes completeness or perfection.
This comprehensive praise isn't random. It flows directly from the Lamb's sacrificial act. Because He was slain, He is declared worthy of all these attributes. This isn't just about His divine nature, but about the cosmic significance of His atoning work. He receives these accolades not just as God, but as the Redeemer who conquered sin and death through His sacrifice.
The praise isn't whispered; it's proclaimed with a 'loud voice.' What does this tell us about the nature of true worship and the beings offering it?
The command to praise is amplified by the description 'saying with a loud voice.' This signifies unreserved, enthusiastic, and public adoration. It's a stark contrast to hesitant or half-hearted devotion.
This powerful proclamation comes from the heavenly host – likely the angels and perhaps the redeemed elders, acting as representatives of all creation. Their unhindered worship underscores the magnitude of the Lamb's work and the utter certainty of His victory. There's no reservation, no doubt, only a full-throated declaration of His absolute worthiness.
Understand the original words
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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
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.
This passage echoes Revelation 5:12 by describing how God exalted Jesus and gave Him a name above all names, leading to universal worship and acknowledgment of His worthiness, mirroring the acclamation of the Lamb.
Isaiah 53:12This prophecy directly foreshadows the Lamb's sacrifice and its ultimate outcome, stating He would 'pour out his soul to death' and 'bear the sin of many,' which is the very reason for His exalted status and worthiness proclaimed in Revelation 5:12.
1 Timothy 6:15-16This verse speaks of Christ as the 'blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light,' which aligns with the 'power, glory, and honor' attributed to the Lamb in Revelation 5:12 as the ultimate ruler.
Hebrews 1:3This passage describes Jesus as 'the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his powerful word,' directly connecting His worthiness to His divine nature and His role in sustaining creation, as celebrated in Revelation 5:12.
Psalm 2:6-8This ancient psalm prophesies God setting His King on Zion, to whom the nations will be given as an inheritance, which is a clear precursor to the Lamb's ultimate reign and worthiness to 'receive power' and rule over all things, as declared 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…
The text emphasizes that the Lamb is worthy to receive all these magnificent qualities, not just possess them. This isn't a simple statement of his inherent greatness, but a declaration that his sacrificial act earned him the rightful claim and recognition of this immense power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing from all of creation. It’s about acknowledgment and cosmic justice being served through his sacrifice.
Right before this verse, a scroll with seven seals is presented, and no one in heaven or on earth is found worthy to open it. Then, a Lamb appears, looking as though it had been slain, and it alone is able to take the scroll. This leads to an immediate outpouring of worship from the four living creatures and the elders, recognizing the Lamb's unique worthiness because of its sacrifice.
Right before this verse, a scroll with seven seals is presented, and no one in heaven or on earth is found worthy to open it. Then, a Lamb appears, looking as though it had been slain, and it alone is able to take the scroll. This leads to an immediate outpouring of worship from the four living creatures and the elders, recognizing the Lamb's unique worthiness because of its sacrifice.
"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!”" — The text emphasizes that the Lamb is worthy to *receive* all these magnificent qualities, not just possess them. This isn't a simple statement of his inherent greatness, but a declaration that his sa…
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Last reviewed October 2026