Revelation 10 11

Revelation 10:11 kjv

And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

Revelation 10:11 nkjv

And he said to me, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings."

Revelation 10:11 niv

Then I was told, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings."

Revelation 10:11 esv

And I was told, "You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings."

Revelation 10:11 nlt

Then I was told, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings."

Revelation 10 verses

Revelation 10 11 Meaning

Revelation 10:11 describes a direct divine command to John after he consumes the prophetic scroll. Having ingested the sweet but bitter message, John is told that he must prophesy again. This recommissioning emphasizes a renewed and intensified prophetic ministry, one directed at an exhaustive range of humanity: diverse peoples, distinct nations, all linguistic groups, and every level of governmental authority, signaling a universal and unavoidable proclamation of God's word concerning future events and His kingdom.

Revelation 10 11 Context

Revelation chapter 10 falls between the sixth and seventh trumpet judgments, serving as an interlude. John sees a mighty angel with a little open scroll. He is instructed by a voice from heaven to take and eat this scroll. This act is central to the immediate context, symbolizing John's internalizing God's word. Eating the scroll first tasted sweet in his mouth but became bitter in his stomach (Rev 10:9-10). This bitter-sweet experience encapsulates the dual nature of God's truth: the joy of receiving revelation and understanding His sovereign plan (sweetness), but also the hardship and pain associated with proclaiming His judgments and warnings of suffering (bitterness). Verse 11 directly follows this experience, revealing the purpose of John's ingestion of the scroll: a renewed and expanded commission to prophesy to the entire world before the final trumpet and God's full reign commence. It highlights that the consumption of divine truth is not for private knowledge but for public declaration.

Historically, prophets in Israel (like Ezekiel and Jeremiah) also received a divine mandate to speak to "nations," but John's commission expands to global proportions, indicating the cosmic scope of God's final revelation and the universal reach of Christ's dominion and judgment.

Revelation 10 11 Word analysis

• And he said to me (Καὶ λέγει μοι - Kai legei moi):
  • And (Καὶ - Kai): Connects this command directly to the preceding events of eating the scroll.
  • he said (λέγει - legei): Present tense, though translating to past perfect, emphasizes the immediate, direct, and authoritative nature of the utterance from the heavenly voice (presumably Christ or God through an angel). This is a definitive, ongoing command.
  • to me (μοι - moi): John is the direct recipient, highlighting his role as the conduit of revelation.
• You must prophesy (Δεῖ σε προφητεῦσαι - Dei se prophēteusai):
  • must (Δεῖ - Dei): This is a powerful, impersonal verb indicating divine necessity or imperative. It's not a suggestion or a choice for John; it is God's fixed, inevitable will. It conveys a strong sense of divine compulsion.
  • you (σε - se): The direct address to John.
  • prophesy (προφητεῦσαι - prophēteusai): Infinitive, meaning "to speak for God" or "to declare God's message." While it includes foretelling future events, its primary sense is forth-telling divine truth and will. It signifies the ongoing act of proclamation.
• again (πάλιν - palin):
  • This adverb is crucial. John is already prophesying by writing the Book of Revelation. "Again" implies a renewed, intensified, or different phase of his prophetic work, distinct from simply recording what he has seen so far. It signals a resumption or recommissioning for a particular and significant phase of his ministry related to the consumed scroll, moving into more direct proclamation of the future. It links John's individual calling to the broader church's ongoing prophetic witness.
• about many peoples and nations and tongues and kings (ἐπὶ λαοῖς καὶ ἔθνεσι καὶ γλωσσαις καὶ βασιλεῦσι πολλοῖς - epi laois kai ethnesin kai glōssais kai basileusin pollois):
  • about (ἐπὶ - epi): Here it signifies "over" or "concerning," indicating the broad scope and subject of John's renewed prophecy.
  • many (πολλοῖς - pollois): Placed at the end in Greek for emphasis, highlighting the extensive nature of the recipients.
  • peoples (λαοῖς - laois): Refers to ethnic or national groups, sometimes distinct from Israel, sometimes broader humanity. Denotes groups sharing common descent or identity.
  • and nations (καὶ ἔθνεσι - kai ethnesin): Signifies political or national entities, Gentile groups in general. This points to governmental structures and geopolitical realities.
  • and tongues (καὶ γλωσσαις - kai glōssais): Refers to linguistic groups, highlighting that the prophecy is universal and transcends language barriers. It encompasses communication reaching everyone regardless of their speech.
  • and kings (καὶ βασιλεῦσι - kai basileusin): Denotes rulers, monarchs, or political authorities. This emphasizes that the prophetic message includes and impacts those in power, often bringing judgment against them in Revelation.

Words-Group analysis:

• "And he said to me, 'You must prophesy again'": This group emphasizes the divine initiative and John's essential, compulsory role as God's spokesperson. The word "again" elevates this prophetic commission beyond merely documenting the visions.
• "about many peoples and nations and tongues and kings": This ubiquitous phrase, a recurring theme in Revelation (e.g., Rev 5:9; 7:9; 11:9; 13:7; 14:6; 17:15), underlines the global, universal, and comprehensive scope of the prophetic message. It means the message of Revelation—with its sweet promises and bitter judgments—is intended for every segment of humanity, from ordinary citizens to the highest powers.

Revelation 10 11 Bonus section

• The "little scroll" often symbolizes a specific phase of God's prophetic program for the end times, particularly concerning future judgments that lead up to Christ's full reign. John eating it signifies his complete assimilation of this specific divine plan, making him the mouthpiece for its announcement.
• This verse applies to the Church as a whole. Just as John was recommissioned to "prophesy again," the church has an enduring and necessary mandate to proclaim the complete word of God, including both its comforting promises (sweet) and its challenging truths and warnings of judgment (bitter), to all of humanity until Christ returns. This prophetic role involves both forth-telling God's eternal truth and, at times, foretelling aspects of His future plan.
• The placement of this verse, between the sixth and seventh trumpets, indicates that a significant, global prophetic witness is required before the final culmination of God's wrath and the establishment of His kingdom.

Revelation 10 11 Commentary

Revelation 10:11 marks a critical turning point in John's commission. Having internalized God's Word through the eating of the scroll—a bitter-sweet experience signifying the dual nature of prophecy (the joy of understanding and the pain of its proclamation, especially of coming judgments)—John is given an imperative: "You must prophesy again." This is not a personal choice but a divine necessity, reflecting God's sovereign will for the revelation of future events. The word "again" is significant, indicating a recommissioning or intensification of his prophetic task, moving from perhaps merely receiving visions to an active proclamation that encapsulates the essence of the now-internalized scroll. This prophecy is for an explicitly global audience: "many peoples and nations and tongues and kings." This comprehensive quartet emphasizes the universal reach of God's end-time message and judgments, which apply to all humanity, transcending geographical, cultural, linguistic, and political boundaries. The sweet and bitter message—Christ's victory and the judgment upon the world—must be proclaimed to all, including those in authority, underscoring the universal demand for repentance and the final triumph of God's kingdom.