Revelation 10:1

Translations

Modern

Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head. His face was like the sun, and his legs were like pillars of fire.

Traditional

And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:

Literal

And I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud, and a rainbow upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire,

Latin

Et vidi alium angelum fortem descendentem de cælo amictum nube, et iris in capite ejus, et facies ejus erat ut sol, et pedes ejus tamquam columnæ ignis:

Original

Greek

English

Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head. His face was like the sun, and his legs were like pillars of fire.

Notes

Revelation 10:1

another mighty angel (see Revelation 5:2; 7:2; compare 1:12–16): This angel looks like the large bronze Colossus that stood as a symbol of human power in the harbor of Rhodes for several decades before an earthquake toppled it in the late 200s BC. The statue was still broken when John wrote Revelation. It was about 100 feet tall and represented the sun god, Helios.

The angel was surrounded by a cloud, suggesting he was larger than the Rhodes statue and, by implication, all idols.

The rainbow over his head reminds us that the enthroned God is encircled by a rainbow (Revelation 4:3), a biblical symbol of God’s covenant with humanity (Genesis 9:8–17).

Revelation 10:1–11:14

This interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets has two parts:

the seven thunders and the small scroll (Revelation 10:1–11), and
the two witnesses (Revelation 11:1–13).

The interlude ends with the announcement that the second terror is over (Revelation 11:14).

Theme notes and profiles

Visions

Related verses

Ezekiel 1:28
The appearance of the brilliant light all around Him was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking.
Matthew 17:2
There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
Revelation 1:15–16
His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the roar of many waters.
Daniel 10:6
His body was like beryl, his face like the brilliance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of polished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.
Revelation 5:2
And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”
Revelation 4:3
The One seated there looked like jasper and carnelian, and a rainbow that gleamed like an emerald encircled the throne.
Revelation 9:13–14
Then the sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God
Revelation 8:13
And as I observed, I heard an eagle flying overhead, calling in a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the remaining three angels!”
Revelation 8:2–5
And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and they were given seven trumpets.
Revelation 7:1–2
After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back its four winds so that no wind would blow on land or sea or on any tree.
Revelation 14:14–15
And I looked and saw a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was One like the Son of Man, with a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand.
Psalm 97:2
Clouds and darkness surround Him; righteousness and justice are His throne’s foundation.

Revelation 10:1

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