KJV: And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
YLT: and the twenty and four elders, who before God are sitting upon their thrones, did fall upon their faces, and did bow before God,
Darby: And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
ASV: And the four and twenty elders, who sit before God on their thrones, fell upon their faces and worshipped God,
| εἴκοσι | twenty |
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Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural Root: εἴκοσι Sense: twenty. |
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| τέσσαρες | four |
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Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural Root: τέσσαρες Sense: four. |
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| πρεσβύτεροι | elders |
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Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Plural Root: πρεσβύτερος Sense: elder, of age,. |
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| οἱ | - |
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Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Plural Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| ἐνώπιον | before |
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Parse: Preposition Root: ἐνώπιον Sense: in the presence of, before. |
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| τοῦ | - |
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Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| Θεοῦ | God |
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Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular Root: θεός Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities. |
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| καθήμενοι | sitting |
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Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Plural Root: κάθημαι Sense: to sit down, seat one’s self. |
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| θρόνους | thrones |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural Root: θρόνος Sense: a throne seat. |
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| αὐτῶν | of them |
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Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural Root: αὐτός Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself. |
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| ἔπεσαν | fell |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural Root: πίπτω Sense: to descend from a higher place to a lower. |
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| ἐπὶ | upon |
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Parse: Preposition Root: ἐπί Sense: upon, on, at, by, before. |
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| πρόσωπα | faces |
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Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural Root: πρόσωπον Sense: the face. |
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| προσεκύνησαν | worshiped |
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Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural Root: προσκυνέω Sense: to kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence. |
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| τῷ | - |
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Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
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| Θεῷ | God |
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Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular Root: θεός Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities. |
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Greek Commentary for Revelation 11:16
They follow the living creatures (Revelation 11:15, if correctly interpreted) in their adoration, as in Revelation 4:9. Though seated on thrones of their own (Revelation 4:4), yet they fall upon their faces in every act of worship to God and Christ (Revelation 4:10; Revelation 5:8, Revelation 5:14; Revelation 19:4). Here επι τα προσωπα αυτων epi ta prosōpa autōn (upon their faces) is added as in Revelation 7:11 about the angels. The elders here again represent the redeemed, as the four living creatures the forces of nature, in the great thanksgiving here (ευχαριστουμεν eucharistoumen present active indicative of ευχαριστεω eucharisteō). [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Revelation 11:16
Rev., rightly, throne, which is a transcript of the Greek word. Better than seat, because it is intended to represent Satan as exercising dominion there. The word is used in the New Testament of a kingly throne (Luke 1:32, Luke 1:52; Acts 2:30): of the judicial tribunal or bench (Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30): of the seats of the elders (Revelation 4:4; Revelation 11:16). Also, by metonymy, of one who exercises authority, so, in the plural, of angels (Colossians 1:16), thrones belonging to the highest grade of angelic beings whose place is in the immediate presence of God. [source]
Imperfect middle of κειμαι keimai old verb, used as passive of τιτημι tithēmi As the vision opens John sees the throne already in place as the first thing in heaven. This bold imagery comes chiefly from 1 Kings 22:19; Isaiah 6:1.; Ezekiel 1:26-28; Daniel 7:9. One should not forget that this language is glorious imagery, not actual objects in heaven. God is spirit. The picture of God on the throne is common in the O.T. and the N.T. (Matthew 5:34.; Matthew 23:22; Hebrews 1:3 and in nearly every chapter in the Revelation, Revelation 1:4, etc.). The use of κατημενος kathēmenos (sitting) for the name of God is like the Hebrew avoidance of the name επι τον τρονον Jahweh and is distinguished from the Son in Revelation 6:16; Revelation 7:10.Upon the throne (Επι epi ton thronon). επι του τρονου Epi with the accusative, as in Revelation 4:4; Revelation 6:2, Revelation 6:4.; Revelation 11:16; Revelation 20:4, but in Revelation 4:9, Revelation 4:10; Revelation 5:1, Revelation 5:7; Revelation 6:16; Revelation 7:15 we have επι τωι τρονωι epi tou thronou (genitive), while in Revelation 7:10; Revelation 19:4; Revelation 21:5 we have epi tōi thronōi (locative) with no great distinction in the resultant idea. [source]
επι του τρονου Epi with the accusative, as in Revelation 4:4; Revelation 6:2, Revelation 6:4.; Revelation 11:16; Revelation 20:4, but in Revelation 4:9, Revelation 4:10; Revelation 5:1, Revelation 5:7; Revelation 6:16; Revelation 7:15 we have επι τωι τρονωι epi tou thronou (genitive), while in Revelation 7:10; Revelation 19:4; Revelation 21:5 we have epi tōi thronōi (locative) with no great distinction in the resultant idea. [source]
So P Q, but Aleph A have accusative τρονους thronous (supply ειδον eidon from Revelation 4:1) and τεσσαρες tessares (late accusative in ες ̇es). This further circle of thrones beyond the great throne.I saw four and twenty elders (εικοσι τεσσαρας πρεσβυτερους eikosi tessaras presbuterous). No ειδον eidon in the text, but the accusative case calls for it. Twenty-four as a symbolic number occurs only in this book and only for these elders (Revelation 4:4, Revelation 4:10; Revelation 5:8; Revelation 11:16; Revelation 19:4). We do not really know why this number is chosen, perhaps two elders for each tribe, perhaps the twelve tribes and the twelve apostles (Judaism and Christianity), perhaps the twenty-four courses of the sons of Aaron (1 Chron 24:1-19), perhaps some angelic rank (Colossians 1:16) of which we know nothing. Cf. Ephesians 2:6.Sitting Upon their thrones.Arrayed (περιβεβλημενους peribeblēmenous). Perfect passive participle of περιβαλλω periballō (to throw around).In white garments Locative case here as in Revelation 3:5 (with εν en), though accusative in Revelation 7:9, Revelation 7:13.Crowns of gold (στεπανους χρυσους stephanous chrusous). Accusative case again like πρεσβυτερους presbuterous after ειδον eidon (Revelation 4:1), not ιδου idou In Revelation 19:14 εχων echōn (having) is added. John uses διαδημα diadēma (diadem) for the kingly crown in Revelation 12:3; Revelation 13:1; Revelation 19:12, but it is not certain that the old distinction between διαδεμ diadem as the kingly crown and στεπανος stephanos as the victor‘s wreath is always observed in late Greek. [source]
No ειδον eidon in the text, but the accusative case calls for it. Twenty-four as a symbolic number occurs only in this book and only for these elders (Revelation 4:4, Revelation 4:10; Revelation 5:8; Revelation 11:16; Revelation 19:4). We do not really know why this number is chosen, perhaps two elders for each tribe, perhaps the twelve tribes and the twelve apostles (Judaism and Christianity), perhaps the twenty-four courses of the sons of Aaron (1 Chron 24:1-19), perhaps some angelic rank (Colossians 1:16) of which we know nothing. Cf. Ephesians 2:6. [source]
In reverential worship of God as in Revelation 11:16. For this worship (fell and worshipped) see also Revelation 4:10; Revelation 5:14; Revelation 11:16; Revelation 19:4, Revelation 19:10; Revelation 22:8. The dative τωι τεωι tōi theōi (God) with προσκυνεω proskuneō (to worship) is the usual construction for that meaning. When it means merely to do homage the accusative case is usual in this book (Charles). But in the Fourth Gospel the reverse order is true as to the cases with προσκυνεω proskuneō (Abbott, Joh. Vocab. pp. 138-142). [source]
Preposition (in a circle) with genitive as in Revelation 4:6; Revelation 5:11. The angels here rejoice in the salvation of men (Luke 15:7, Luke 15:10; 1 Peter 1:12).Upon their faces (επι τα προσωπα αυτων epi ta prosōpa autōn). In reverential worship of God as in Revelation 11:16. For this worship (fell and worshipped) see also Revelation 4:10; Revelation 5:14; Revelation 11:16; Revelation 19:4, Revelation 19:10; Revelation 22:8. The dative τωι τεωι tōi theōi (God) with προσκυνεω proskuneō (to worship) is the usual construction for that meaning. When it means merely to do homage the accusative case is usual in this book (Charles). But in the Fourth Gospel the reverse order is true as to the cases with προσκυνεω proskuneō (Abbott, Joh. Vocab. pp. 138-142). [source]