Revelation 6:17 Meaning and Explanation
“For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The hiding crowd declares that the great day of wrath has come, asking who can stand before it.
What Does Revelation 6:17 Mean?
The sixth seal closes on a question that hangs in the air: 'The great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?' It is the cry of those who have fled, confessing in their terror that no one has the strength to stand before God in that hour. The chapter ends not with an answer but with this trembling question.
Yet the question is exactly the door to the gospel. Of ourselves, none can stand; the honest heart knows it. But the chapters ahead will show a great multitude standing before the throne, robed in white, washed clean by the blood of the Lamb. The one who shelters in Christ now is the one who will stand then. The terrible day for the rebel is the day of vindication for the redeemed.
Revelation 6:17 in the Original Language
histemi (ἵστημι), 'to stand' -- to remain upright and hold one's ground, here before the throne of God.
Frequently Asked Questions About Revelation 6:17
What does Revelation 6:17 mean?
The hiding crowd declares that the great day of wrath has come, asking who can stand before it.