REV 7:14 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) “Sir, you are the one who knows,” I answered.[ref]
¶ And then he told me, “Those are the ones who’ve come through the terrible tribulation, and they’ve washed their robes in the blood of the lamb and made them white.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object, magenta:vocative.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT And I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming from the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

UST I answered him, “Sir, I need you to tell me who they are.” He then told me: “These are the people who remained faithful to Jesus during a time of great persecution. This showed that they have become pure from sin by trusting in Jesus, who shed his blood for them when he died on the cross.

BSB “Sir,” I answered, “you know.”
§ [So] he replied, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

MSB “Sir,” I answered, “you know.”
§ [So] he replied, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

BLB And I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

AICNT And I said to him, “{My lord},[fn] you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones {who come}[fn] out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made [them][fn] white in the blood of the Lamb.

7:14, my lord: Some manuscripts read “Lord.” A(02) TR

7:14, who come: Or “are coming.”

7:14, them: Absent from some manuscripts. BYZ ‖ TR reads “their garments.”

OEB “My Lord,” I answered, “it is you who know.”
¶ “These,” he said, “are they who come through the Great Persecution; they washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb.

2DT I have said to him, “My lord, you know.” He said to me, “These are the ones coming from the Great Trouble, they rinsed their stoles, they whitened them in the Lamb’s blood.

WEBBE I told him, “My lord, you know.”
¶ He said to me, “These are those who came out of the great suffering.[fn] They washed their robes and made them white in the Lamb’s blood.

7:14 or, oppression

WMBB (Same as above including footnotes)

NET So I said to him, “My lord, you know the answer.” Then he said to me, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb!

LSV And I have said to him, “Lord, you have known”; and he said to me, “These are those who are coming out of the Great Tribulation, and they washed their robes, and they made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb;

FBV I replied, “My Lord, you know the answer.” He told me, “These are the ones who have passed through great persecution. They washed their robes, making them white through the blood of the Lamb.

TCNT I said to him, “Sir, yoʋ know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have [fn]broadened their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

7:14 broadened 𝔐^K+ [30.1%] ¦ washed 𝔐^A,C,K− ANT CT HF PCK RP TR [69.4%]

T4T I answered him, “Sir, I do not know. Surely you know who they are!” He said to me, “These are the people ◄whom others have caused to suffer greatly/who have been persecuted►. Because they believed that Jesus, the one who is like a sacrificial lamb, atoned for our sin when his blood flowed from his body when he died, it is as though [MET] they have washed their robes and have made them clean and white.

LEB And I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me,
• “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation,
• and have washed their robes
• and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

BBE And I said to him, My lord, you have knowledge. And he said to me, These are they who came through the great testing, and their robes have been washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb.

Moff I said to him, "You know, my lord." So he told me, "These are the people who have come out of the great Distress, who washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Wymth "My lord, you know," I replied. "They are those," he said, "who have just passed through the great distress, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

ASV And I say unto him, My lord, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they that come out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

DRA And I said to him: My Lord, thou knowest. And he said to me: These are they who are come out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

YLT and I have said to him, 'Sir, thou hast known;' and he said to me, 'These are those who are coming out of the great tribulation, and they did wash their robes, and they made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb;

Drby And I said to him, My lord, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they who come out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

RV And I say unto him, My lord, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which come out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
(And I say unto him, My lord, thou/you knowest/know. And he said to me, These are they which come out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. )

SLT And I said to him, Lord, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they coming out of great pressure, and they washed their robes, and whitened their robes in the blood of the Lamb.

Wbstr And I said to him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they who came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

KJB-1769 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
(And I said unto him, Sir, thou/you knowest/know. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. )

KJB-1611 And I said vnto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and haue washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lambe.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps And he sayde vnto hym, Lorde thou wotest. And he sayde to me: These are they which came out of great tribulation, and haue wasshed their long robes, and made them whyte by the blood of the lambe.
(And he said unto him, Lord thou/you wotest. And he said to me: These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their long robes, and made them white by the blood of the lamb.)

Gnva And I saide vnto him, Lord, thou knowest. And he saide to me, These are they, which came out of great tribulation, and haue washed their long robes, and haue made their long robes white in the blood of the Lambe.
(And I said unto him, Lord, thou/you knowest/know. And he said to me, These are they, which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their long robes, and have made their long robes white in the blood of the Lamb. )

Cvdl And I sayde vnto him: LORDE thou wotest. And he sayde vnto me: these are they which cam out of gret tribulacion, and made their garmentes large, and made the whyte in the bloude of the lambe:
(And I said unto him: LORD thou/you wotest. And he said unto me: these are they which came out of great tribulation, and made their garments large, and made the white in the blood of the lamb:)

TNT And I sayde vnto him: lorde thou wottest. And he sayde vnto me: these are they which cam oute of gret tribulacion and made their garmetes large and made them whyte in the bloud of the lambe:
(And I said unto him: lord thou/you wottest. And he said unto me: these are they which came out of great tribulation and made their garments large and made them white in the blood of the lamb: )

Wycl And Y seide to hym, My lord, thou woost. And he seide to me, These ben thei, that camen fro greet tribulacioun, and waischiden her stoolis, and maden hem white in the blood of the lomb.
(And I said to him, My lord, thou/you know. And he said to me, These been they, that came from great tribulation, and washed her stoolis, and made hem white in the blood of the lamb.)

Luth Und ich sprach zu ihm: Herr, du weißt es. Und er sprach zu mir: Diese sind‘s, die kommen sind aus großer Trübsal und haben ihre Kleider gewaschen und haben ihre Kleider hell gemacht im Blut des Lammes.
(And I spoke to/for him: Lord, you(sg) you_know it. And he spoke to/for to_me: This/These are, the coming are out_of large gloom/sorrow/afflictions and have their/her clothes washed and have their/her clothes hell made in_the blood the lamb.)

ClVg Et dixi illi: Domine mi, tu scis. Et dixit mihi: Hi sunt, qui venerunt de tribulatione magna, et laverunt stolas suas, et dealbaverunt eas in sanguine Agni.[fn]
(And I_said them: Master my, you(sg) scis. And he/she_said to_me: They are, who/which they_came from/about tribulation big, and washunt robe/gowns their_own, and dealbaverunt them in/into/on blood Agni. )

7.14 Stolas suas, etc. Innocentiam in baptismo acceptam, vel corpora sua.

7.14 Stolas their_own, etc. Innocentiam in/into/on baptism acceptam, or bodies his_own.

UGNT καὶ εἴρηκα αὐτῷ, κύριέ μου, σὺ οἶδας. καὶ εἶπέν μοι, οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ ἐρχόμενοι ἐκ τῆς θλίψεως τῆς μεγάλης, καὶ ἔπλυναν τὰς στολὰς αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐλεύκαναν αὐτὰς ἐν τῷ αἵματι τοῦ Ἀρνίου.
(kai eiraʸka autōi, kurie mou, su oidas. kai eipen moi, houtoi eisin hoi erⱪomenoi ek taʸs thlipseōs taʸs megalaʸs, kai eplunan tas stolas autōn, kai eleukanan autas en tōi haimati tou Arniou.)

SBL-GNT καὶ ⸀εἴρηκα αὐτῷ· Κύριέ μου, σὺ οἶδας. καὶ εἶπέν μοι· Οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ ἐρχόμενοι ἐκ τῆς θλίψεως τῆς μεγάλης, καὶ ἔπλυναν τὰς στολὰς αὐτῶν καὶ ἐλεύκαναν ⸀αὐτὰς ἐν τῷ αἵματι τοῦ ἀρνίου.
(kai ⸀eiraʸka autōi; Kurie mou, su oidas. kai eipen moi; Houtoi eisin hoi erⱪomenoi ek taʸs thlipseōs taʸs megalaʸs, kai eplunan tas stolas autōn kai eleukanan ⸀autas en tōi haimati tou arniou.)

RP-GNT Καὶ εἶπον αὐτῷ, Κύριέ μου, σὺ οἶδας. Καὶ εἶπέν μοι, Οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ ἐρχόμενοι ἐκ τῆς θλίψεως τῆς μεγάλης, καὶ ἔπλυναν τὰς στολὰς αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐλεύκαναν ἐν τῷ αἵματι τοῦ ἀρνίου.
(Kai eipon autōi, Kurie mou, su oidas. Kai eipen moi, Houtoi eisin hoi erⱪomenoi ek taʸs thlipseōs taʸs megalaʸs, kai eplunan tas stolas autōn, kai eleukanan en tōi haimati tou arniou.)

TC-GNT Καὶ [fn]εἶπον αὐτῷ, Κύριέ [fn]μου, σὺ οἶδας. Καὶ εἶπέ μοι, Οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ ἐρχόμενοι ἐκ τῆς θλίψεως τῆς μεγάλης, καὶ [fn]ἐπλάτυναν τὰς στολὰς αὐτῶν καὶ [fn]ἐλεύκαναν ἐν τῷ αἵματι τοῦ ἀρνίου.
(Kai eipon autōi, Kurie mou, su oidas. Kai eipe moi, Houtoi eisin hoi erⱪomenoi ek taʸs thlipseōs taʸs megalaʸs, kai eplatunan tas stolas autōn kai eleukanan en tōi haimati tou arniou. )

7:14 ειπον 𝔐^C,K [70.4%] ¦ ειρηκα 𝔐^A ANT CT TR [29.6%]

7:14 μου 𝔐^A,C,K [91.7%] ¦ — TR [8.3%]

7:14 επλατυναν 𝔐^K+ [30.1%] ¦ επλυναν 𝔐^A,C,K− ANT CT HF PCK RP TR [69.4%]

7:14 ελευκαναν 𝔐^K [51.9%] ¦ ελευκαναν αυτας 𝔐^A,C ANT CT PCK SCR [46.1%] ¦ ελευκαναν στολας αυτων ST [0.9%]

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 7:9–17: A great multitude praised God and the Lamb

In this section, John saw a new part of this vision. He saw believers rejoicing, praising, and worshiping in heaven. One of the elders around the throne (4:4) explained the vision to John.

Other examples of headings for this section are:

The vision of a huge crowd of believers and its explanation

The Great Multitude in White Robes (NIV)

God’s People Around His Throne in Heaven (GW)

7:14a

“Sir,” I answered, “you know.”

I replied, “My lord, you yourself know.”
I answered, “Sir, you know who they are, not I. Please tell me.”

Sir: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as Sir is literally “my lord.” The phrase is used to show honor to someone of higher status. The BSB and many other English versions use the more general word Sir. But in English “my” is not natural before Sir.

you know: This phrase indicates that John expected the elder to tell him what he knew. This rhetorical statement is a polite request that the elder tell him who they are. John probably did not know or did not want to guess. The pronoun you is emphasized in the Greek. You may need to include some implied information to indicate that John expected a reply. For example:

it is you who knows, so would you please tell me?

I do not know but you do. Please tell me.

7:14b

So he replied, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation;

And he said, “These people are the ones who have passed through the great ordeal.
And he replied to me, “These people are the believers who have ended/finished enduring the terrible distress.

the ones who have come out of the great tribulation: Here, the phrase come out indicates that earlier these people were in the great tribulation. They experienced all or part of the suffering of that time. The phrase come out also indicates that the great tribulation no longer affects them. They now stand before God and Jesus (7:9). Other ways to translate these words are:

They are those who have passed through the great ordeal (REB)

people who have ended their time in the great tribulation

believers who have finished experiencing/enduring the great tribulation

people who have been through the great trial (NJB)

the great tribulation: The Greek word that the BSB translates as tribulation means “distress,” “trouble,” or “oppression.” This phrase probably refers to the time just before Jesus returns. At that time God will send severe troubles upon the people of the earth. People will also severely persecute believers during that time. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

the great ordeal (NRSV)

the terrible suffering (GW)

the great distress (NCV)

In some languages it is necessary to translate the noun tribulation using a verb. For example:

the time when people suffer terribly

If you have translated Matthew 24:21 (“great tribulation”), see how you translated this meaning there.

7:14c–d

have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb: These words refer figuratively to the believers becoming clean with respect to sin.Beale (page 436) says that the metaphor means that, “the saints have been cleansed from their sin by their persevering faith in Christ’s death.” Mounce, Hughes, Swete, Lenski, Osbourne, and Beckwith also refer to cleansing here. Jesus’ blood cleans them.

In some languages a literal translation would not indicate the figurative meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

Translate literally and explain its meaning in a footnote. An example footnote is:
These words refer figuratively to Jesus cleaning the believers from their sin.
Explain the meaning in your translation. For example:
have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, that is, he has made them clean from sin.
Translate the meaning without the metaphor. For example:
they have become clean from sin by means of the blood of the Lamb You may also want a footnote to explain the literal words. An example footnote is:
Literally: “they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

7:14c

they have washed their robes

They have washed their robes/clothes

robes: A robe is a one-piece, long, loose garment that the people of that time wore. See how you translated this word in 7:9.

7:14d

and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

and whitened them in the blood of the Lamb.
in the blood of the Lamb and completely whitened them, showing they were now holy before God.

made them white in the blood of the Lamb: The Greek word that the BSB translates as made them white refers to removing stains from white cloth. The cloth becomes pure white again. These words refer figuratively to being made pure.Aune (page 474) refers to this as a “purifying process.” Osbourne and Smalley also refer to purifying here.

in the blood of the Lamb: This phrase belongs with both verb phrases (“have washed their robes” and “made them white”). Place this phrase where it is natural in your language. For example:

in the blood of the Lamb they have washed their robes and made them white

General Comment on 7:14c–d

The word “washed” and the phrase “made them white” probably refer to the same event. The robes are made white by being washed.