Revelation 5:4

4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.

Revelation 5:4 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
English Standard Version (ESV)
4 and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.
New Living Translation (NLT)
4 Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it.
The Message Bible (MSG)
4 I wept and wept and wept that no one was found able to open the scroll, able to read it.
American Standard Version (ASV)
4 And I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look thereon:
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
4 I cried bitterly because no one was found who deserved to open the scroll or look inside it.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
4 And I cried and cried because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or even to look in it.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
4 I cried and cried because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.

Revelation 5:4 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 5:4

And I wept much
Not so much on his own account, because he feared his curiosity would not be gratified, and that strong desire answered, which were raised in him upon sight of the book, and increased by the angel's proclamation; but for the sake of the church of God, whose representative he was, and to whom the knowledge of this book, and the things contained in it, he judged must be very useful and profitable. The Ethiopic version reads, "and many wept"; many of those that were about the throne, as well as John:

because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book,
neither to look thereon;
because there was no creature in heaven, earth, or under it, that were of dignity and authority, as well as of ability, to open the book by unsealing it; and read and deliver out the prophecies in it upon the taking off of every seal; and so not to look into it, and foresee and foretell what was hereafter to come to pass, in the church and world: the phrase of being worthy to look on it seems to be Jewish; of the book of the generation of Adam, ( Genesis 5:1 ) , the Jews say F5 that

``it descended to the first man, and by it he knew the wisdom which is above; and this book came to the sons of God, the wise men of the age, (hyb axgval ykzd Nam) , "whoever is worthy to look in it", knows by it the wisdom which is from above.''

The whole verse is left out in the Alexandrian copy; and the phrase, "to read", is neither in the Vulgate Latin, nor in any of the Oriental versions.


FOOTNOTES:

F5 Zohar in Gen. fol. 28. 2.

Revelation 5:4 In-Context

2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”
3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.
4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.
5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
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