Revelation 1:6 kjv

And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Revelation 1:6 nkjv

and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Revelation 1:6 niv

and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father?to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

Revelation 1:6 esv

and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Revelation 1:6 nlt

He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

Revelation 1 verses

Revelation 1 6 Meaning

Through the redeeming work of Jesus Christ, God has fundamentally transformed believers, constituting them as a new spiritual entity—a kingdom—and bestowing upon them a priestly vocation. This exalted status of both royalty and spiritual mediation is granted so that they may serve and offer spiritual sacrifices to God the Father. The verse concludes with an eternal ascription of ultimate glory and sovereign power to Him.

Revelation 1 6 Context

Revelation 1:6 forms part of John's opening salutation and doxology in the Book of Revelation (Rev 1:4-8). After identifying the source of the message (God, the seven spirits, and Jesus Christ), John praises Jesus Christ for His definitive redemptive work: "who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood, and made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father." This verse then flows into an immediate ascription of praise to God, anticipating the unveiling of Christ's return (Rev 1:7) and God's sovereign declaration (Rev 1:8). Historically, this passage speaks to Christians facing persecution in the Roman Empire, where the emperor was revered as divine and earthly power was absolute. Proclaiming believers as a "kingdom" under a different Lord, and as "priests" who offer worship to the true God, was a profound statement challenging imperial authority and pagan cults, while simultaneously reassuring believers of their exalted status in Christ. It also fulfills the Old Testament promise given to Israel to be a "kingdom of priests" (Exod 19:6), now realized through the New Covenant in Christ.

Revelation 1 6 Word analysis

• and has made (καὶ ἐποίησεν, kai epoiēsen): The Greek aorist tense emphasizes a decisive, completed action in the past by Christ with ongoing, transformative effects for believers. It signifies a profound divine act of transformation or creation.

• us (ἡμᾶς, hēmas): Refers to all believers, the universal community of those who have been loved and redeemed by Christ's blood as mentioned in the preceding verse.

• a kingdom (βασιλείαν, basileian): Implies both a realm or domain where Christ reigns and the people who constitute that realm. Believers are not merely subjects but also active participants in Christ's rule, challenging the exclusive claims of earthly empires and rulers. It also means we collectively represent Christ's dominion on earth.

• and priests (ἱερεῖς, hiereis): Connects to the Old Testament concept of a holy nation. This signifies that believers, individually and corporately, have direct access to God through Christ. Their role is to offer spiritual sacrifices such as worship, praise, intercession, and lives of devoted service. It underscores the universal priesthood of all believers, eliminating the need for an exclusive human priestly class (apart from Christ as the Great High Priest).

• to his God and Father (τῷ θεῷ καὶ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ, tō theō kai patri autou): Clarifies the ultimate recipient and purpose of believers' royal and priestly status. Our function is entirely for the glory and service of God, particularly God the Father, to whom Jesus himself submitted. It affirms God's supremacy against all competing deities.

• to him (αὐτῷ, autō): Refers back to God and Father, the singular object of the doxology.

• be glory (ἡ δόξα, hē doxa): Doxa refers to the divine splendor, majesty, inherent worth, and manifest presence of God. It acknowledges His intrinsic, majestic nature.

• and power (τὸ κράτος, to kratos): Denotes mighty strength, effective dominion, and sovereign control. It points to God's active and absolute reign over all creation, an unshakeable authority.

• forever and ever (εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn): A powerful and common Greek phrase (Hebraism) expressing eternal duration, an infinite and unending period of time. It underscores the timeless and unchanging nature of God's attributes.

• Amen (Ἀμήν, Amēn): A transliterated Hebrew word meaning "truly," "so be it," or "let it be affirmed." It functions as a strong concluding affirmation, expressing solemn agreement, assent, and confirmation to the preceding statement of praise.

• "made us a kingdom and priests": This phrase represents the profound spiritual transformation and new identity granted to believers through Christ's redemption. It declares a collective royal identity (a "kingdom" under Christ's rule) and an individual/corporate priestly function, demonstrating the new spiritual vocation of the church.

• "to his God and Father": This identifies the ultimate goal and recipient of this newly bestowed status. Believers' royalty and priesthood are not for self-exaltation but are oriented entirely toward the worship and service of God the Father, reinforcing His supreme position in all things.

• "To Him be glory and power forever and ever! Amen.": This concluding doxology is a burst of adoration. It elevates God as the sole possessor of ultimate glory and absolute dominion for all eternity. It affirms God's majestic sovereignty, celebrating His eternal attributes as the appropriate response to His gracious act of salvation and transformation.

Revelation 1 6 Bonus section

• Continuity and Fulfillment: The declaration of believers as "a kingdom and priests" directly echoes God's covenant promise to ancient Israel in Exod 19:6, which was partially fulfilled but never fully realized. Through the New Covenant in Christ, this promise is definitively fulfilled and expanded to all who believe, encompassing both Jew and Gentile, demonstrating the unified nature of God's redemptive plan throughout history.
• Active and Present Identity: The phrase "has made us" uses the aorist tense, highlighting a completed act by Christ with continuous, active results. Believers are already this kingdom and priesthood; it is not merely a future hope but a present spiritual reality, which ought to shape their present lives of worship and service.
• Challenge to Imperial Authority: In the context of Roman imperial cults where emperors claimed divinity and supreme power (dominion), John's declaration is a radical counter-statement. By affirming God the Father's ultimate "glory and power" and Christ's sovereignty, and by granting believers a "royal" status under Him, the verse implicitly challenges all earthly claims to absolute authority, centering allegiance solely on the divine King.
• Christocentricity: While the doxology is directed "to His God and Father," the entire statement (making us a kingdom and priests) flows directly from the work of Jesus Christ, emphasizing that our status, purpose, and worship are eternally linked to and mediated through Him.
• Worship and Service: Being a priest entails a ministry of worship. Being part of a kingdom implies a life of obedient allegiance. Thus, the verse underpins both the vertical (worship, access to God) and horizontal (living under Christ's reign, serving His purposes) dimensions of the Christian life.

Revelation 1 6 Commentary

Revelation 1:6 encapsulates a pivotal truth about Christian identity and purpose, rooted in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. By Christ's sacrificial love and the shedding of His blood, believers are not merely forgiven, but fundamentally transformed. They are constituted into a "kingdom," signifying that they belong to Christ's sovereign domain, and are destined to participate in His rule. Concurrently, they are designated as "priests," indicating direct and unhindered access to God through Christ. This spiritual priesthood means believers are called to offer "spiritual sacrifices" of worship, prayer, praise, and lives of devoted service. The dual designation of "kingdom" and "priests" fulfils ancient prophecies about God's people. This new status is ultimately "to His God and Father," establishing that all benefits of salvation converge on the glory of God. The emphatic doxology – "to Him be glory and power forever and ever! Amen" – is a crescendo of worship, an unreserved affirmation of God's eternal majesty and sovereign dominion. It proclaims that the purpose of all redemption is the magnification of God's own being and eternal rule, grounding all Christian life and ministry in God's supremacy.