Revelation 7:14 Meaning and Explanation
“And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →John defers to the elder, who explains that these are the ones who came out of great tribulation and washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb.
What Does Revelation 7:14 Mean?
John answers humbly, Sir, thou knowest, leaving the answer to the elder. The elder then reveals it: these are they who came out of great tribulation and have washed their robes, making them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Here is the heart of the chapter. The white robes were not always white; they were washed, and washed in blood, which only the blood of the Lamb could make pure. Suffering did not cleanse these saints; the Lamb did. They passed through tribulation, but their standing before God rests wholly on Him who was slain for them. No one washes their own robe clean; the Lamb's blood does what no effort could.
Revelation 7:14 in the Original Language
thlipsis (θλῖψις), 'tribulation' -- pressing affliction or distress that bears down hard upon a person.
Frequently Asked Questions About Revelation 7:14
What does Revelation 7:14 mean?
John defers to the elder, who explains that these are the ones who came out of great tribulation and washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb.