Skip to main content
Bible Q

Revelation 1:6 “kingdom of priests” and 5:10 “kings” or “kingdom” and priests?

The question is a textual one.

Revelation 1:6 reads:

καὶ ἐποίησεν ἡμᾶς βασιλείαν, ἱερεῖς τῷ θεῷ καὶ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ— αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων· ἀμήν.
“and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (NRSV)

Revelation 5:10 has textual variation:

καὶ ἐποίησας αὐτοὺς τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν βασιλείαν καὶ ἱερεῖς, καὶ βασιλεύσουσιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. (Nestle Aland 1904, and latest editions)
you have made them to our God a kingdom and priests, and they will reign on earth.”

καὶ ἐποίησας αὐτοὺς τῷ θεῷ ἡμῶν βασιλεῖς καὶ ἱερεῖς, καὶ βασιλεύσουσιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. (Textus Receptus, majority text)
you have made them to our God kings and priests, and they will reign on earth.”

The KJV follows the received majority text, with “kings and priests”, while most modern versions follow the earlier preserved minority text “kingdom and priests”.

Exodus 19:6 in Greek has this:

19:6 ὑμεῖς δὲ ἔσεσθέ μοι βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα καὶ ἔθνος ἅγιον ταῦτα τὰ ῥήματα ἐρεῖς τοῖς υἱοῖς Ισραηλ
but you shall be for me a kingly priesthood and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites.”

And similarly in parallel Old Testament verses. The idea a kingdom of priests has more Old Testament support than kings and priests.

 

 

 

 

No Comments yet!