Revelation 14:2

Praise and worship

¹ Then I looked and saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 who had His name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads.

And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of many waters and the loud rumbling of thunder. And the sound I heard was like harpists strumming their harps.

³ And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. And no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.

⁴ These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They have been redeemed from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of many waters and the loud rumbling of thunder. And the sound I heard was like harpists strumming their harps.
KJV: And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
WEB: I heard a sound from heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of a great thunder. The sound which I heard was like that of harpists playing on their harps.
ASV: And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and the voice which I heard [was] as [the voice] of harpers harping with their harps:
DARBY: And I heard a voice out of the heaven as a voice of many waters, and as a voice of great thunder. And the voice which I heard [was] as of harp-singers harping with their harps;
BLB: And I heard a voice out of heaven like a voice of many waters, and like a voice of great thunder. And the voice that I heard [was] as of harpists harping with their harps.

ÅB: Og jeg hørte en røst fra himmelen som lyden av mange vann og som lyden av en sterk torden, og røsten jeg hørte, var som av harpespillere som spilte på sine harper.
OTB: Og jeg hørte en lyd fra himmelen, som bruset av mange vann og som lyden av sterk torden. Lyden jeg hørte var som harpespillere som spiller på sine harper.
B1930: Og jeg hørte en røst fra himmelen som lyden av mange vann og som lyden av en sterk torden, og røsten jeg hørte, var som av harpespillere som spilte på sine harper.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Revelation 5:8
When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Read in context
Ezekiel 43:2
and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of many waters, and the earth shone with His glory.
Read in context
Revelation 1:15
His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and His voice was like the roar of many waters.
Read in context
Revelation 11:15
Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.”
Read in context
Revelation 15:2
And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, beside which stood those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name. They were holding harps from God,
Read in context
Psalms 93:4
Above the roar of many waters— the mighty breakers of the sea— the LORD on high is majestic.
Read in context
Psalms 33:2
Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to Him with ten strings.
Read in context
Revelation 1:10
On the Lord’s day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,
Read in context