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Friday, August 15th, 2025
the Week of Proper 14 / Ordinary 19
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Read the Bible

Contemporary English Version

Revelation 19:17

I then saw an angel standing on the sun, and he shouted to all the birds flying in the sky, "Come and join in God's great feast!

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Feasts;   Horse;   Lamb of God;   Meteorology and Celestial Phenomena;   Sun;   Vision;   War;   Wicked (People);   Scofield Reference Index - Armageddon;   Day (of Christ);   Day (of Jehovah);   Summary;   The Topic Concordance - War/weapons;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Angel;   Birds;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - War;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Armageddon;   Dead Sea Scrolls;   Funeral;   Nahum, Theology of;   War, Holy War;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Antichrist;   Armageddon;   Fowl;   War;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Armageddon;   Army;   Birds;   Flesh;   Revelation, the Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Antichrist;   Bird;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Ascension of Isaiah;   God and Magog;   Suffering;   Supper ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Fowl;   Horse;   Prophets, the;   Supper;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Angel;   Antichrist;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Supper;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Angel;   Birds;   Fowl;   Peter, Simon;   Revelation of John:;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he called out in a loud voice, saying to all the birds flying high overhead, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God,
King James Version (1611)
And I saw an Angel standing in the Sunne, and hee cried with a lowd voyce, saying to all the foules that flie in the midst of heauen, Come and gather your selues together vnto the supper of the great God:
King James Version
And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;
New American Standard Bible
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in midheaven, "Come, assemble for the great feast of God,
New Century Version
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he called with a loud voice to all the birds flying in the sky: "Come and gather together for the great feast of God
THE MESSAGE
I saw an Angel standing in the sun, shouting to all flying birds in Middle-Heaven, "Come to the Great Supper of God! Feast on the flesh of kings and captains and champions, horses and their riders. Eat your fill of them all—free and slave, small and great!"
English Standard Version
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, "Come, gather for the great supper of God,
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in midheaven, "Come, assemble for the great supper of God,
Berean Standard Bible
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying overhead, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God,
Complete Jewish Bible
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice to all the birds that fly about in mid-heaven, "Come, gather together for the great feast God is giving,
Darby Translation
And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid-heaven, Come, gather yourselves to the great supper of God,
Easy-to-Read Version
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun. In a loud voice the angel said to all the birds flying in the sky, "Come together for the great supper of God.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And I sawe an Angel stand in the sunne, who cryed with a loude voyce, saying to all the foules that did flie by the middes of heauen, Come, and gather your selues together vnto the supper of ye great God,
George Lamsa Translation
And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together for the great supper of God;
Good News Translation
Then I saw an angel standing on the sun. He shouted in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair: "Come and gather together for God's great feast!
Lexham English Bible
And I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly directly overhead, "Come! Assemble for the great banquet of God,
Literal Translation
And I saw one angel standing in the sun. And he cried with a great voice, saying to all the birds flying in mid-heaven, Come and gather together to the supper of the great God,
Amplified Bible
Then I saw a single angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he shouted to all the birds that fly in midheaven, saying, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God,
American Standard Version
And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid heaven, Come and be gathered together unto the great supper of God;
Bible in Basic English
And I saw an angel taking his place in the sun; and he was crying with a loud voice, saying to all the birds in flight in the heavens, Come together to the great feast of God;
Hebrew Names Version
I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the sky, "Come! Be gathered together to the great supper of God,
International Standard Version
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying overhead, "Come! Gather for the great supper of God.Ezekiel 39:17; Revelation 19:21;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
And I saw an angel standing in the sun. And he cried with a great voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come, gather to the great supper of Aloha;
Murdock Translation
And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven: Come ye, assemble unto this great supper of God;
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And I sawe an angell stande in the sunne, and he cryed with a loude voyce, saying to all the fowles that flee by the myddes of heauen: Come, and gather your selues together vnto the supper of the great God:
English Revised Version
And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid heaven, Come and be gathered together unto the great supper of God;
World English Bible
I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the sky, "Come! Be gathered together to the great supper of God,
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, Come, and gather yourselves together to the great supper of God,
Weymouth's New Testament
And I saw a single angel standing in the full light of the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds that flew across the sky, "Come and be present at God's great supper,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y say an aungel, stondynge in the sunne; and he criede with greet vois, and seide to alle briddis that flowen bi the myddil of heuene, Come ye, and be ye gaderid to the greet soper of God,
Update Bible Version
And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid heaven, Come [and] be gathered together to the great supper of God;
Webster's Bible Translation
And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come, and assemble yourselves to the supper of the great God;
New English Translation
Then I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he shouted in a loud voice to all the birds flying high in the sky: "Come, gather around for the great banquet of God,
New King James Version
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, "Come and gather together for the supper of the great God, [fn]
New Living Translation
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, shouting to the vultures flying high in the sky: "Come! Gather together for the great banquet God has prepared.
New Life Bible
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried out with a loud voice to all the birds flying in the sky, "Come and gather together for the great supper of God!
New Revised Standard
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly in midheaven, "Come, gather for the great supper of God,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And I saw one messenger, standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying, unto all the birds that fly in mid-heaven, - Hither! be gathered together unto the great supper of God, -
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I saw an angel standing in the sun: and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that did fly through the midst of heaven: Come, gather yourselves together to the great supper of God:
Revised Standard Version
Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly in midheaven, "Come, gather for the great supper of God,
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And I sawe an angell stonde in the sunne and he cryed with a lowde voyce sayinge to all the fowles that flye by ye myddes of heve come and gaddre youre selves to gedder vnto the supper of the gret god
Young's Literal Translation
And I saw one messenger standing in the sun, and he cried, a great voice, saying to all the birds that are flying in mid-heaven, `Come and be gathered together to the supper of the great God,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And I sawe an angell stonde in the Sonne, and he cryed with a lowde voyce, sayenge to all the fowles that flye by the myddes vnder the heauen: Come and gaddre youre selues togedder vnto the supper of the gret God,
Mace New Testament (1729)
I saw likewise an angel standing upon the sun; and he cryed with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, "come and gather your selves together to the supper of the great God;
Simplified Cowboy Version
Then I saw an angel standing on top of the sun. He called out to the all the birds of the air and said, "Come, for a great feast awaits you!

Contextual Overview

11 I looked and saw that heaven was open, and a white horse was there. Its rider was called Faithful and True, and he is always fair when he judges or goes to war. 12 He had eyes like flames of fire, and he was wearing a lot of crowns. His name was written on him, but he was the only one who knew what the name meant. 13 The rider wore a robe that was covered with blood, and he was known as "The Word of God." 14 He was followed by armies from heaven that rode on horses and were dressed in pure white linen. 15 From his mouth a sharp sword went out to attack the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod and will show the fierce anger of God All-Powerful by trampling the grapes in the pit where wine is made. 16 On the part of the robe that covered his thigh was written, "KING OF KINGS AND Lord OF LORDS." 17 I then saw an angel standing on the sun, and he shouted to all the birds flying in the sky, "Come and join in God's great feast! 18 You can eat the flesh of kings, rulers, leaders, horses, riders, free people, slaves, important people, and everyone else." 19 I also saw the beast and all kings of the earth come together. They fought against the rider on the white horse and against his army. 20 But the beast was captured and so was the false prophet. This is the same prophet who had worked miracles for the beast, so that he could fool everyone who had the mark of the beast and worshiped the idol. The beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into a lake of burning sulfur.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

an angel: Revelation 8:13, Revelation 14:6, Isaiah 34:1-8

saying: Revelation 19:21, Isaiah 56:9, Jeremiah 12:9, Ezekiel 39:17-20

Reciprocal: Joshua 8:29 - the king 1 Samuel 17:46 - carcases 1 Kings 14:11 - that dieth 2 Chronicles 32:21 - the leaders Psalms 45:4 - right Psalms 63:10 - a portion Psalms 68:12 - Kings Psalms 68:23 - the tongue Psalms 76:12 - terrible Isaiah 13:9 - cruel Isaiah 18:6 - General Isaiah 29:2 - and it shall Isaiah 34:6 - the Lord hath Isaiah 43:17 - they shall Isaiah 66:24 - and look Jeremiah 7:33 - General Jeremiah 15:3 - I will Jeremiah 16:4 - meat Jeremiah 25:33 - the slain Jeremiah 34:20 - and their Jeremiah 46:10 - the sword Jeremiah 50:27 - bullocks Ezekiel 29:5 - I have Ezekiel 31:13 - General Ezekiel 32:4 - General Ezekiel 39:4 - I will Ezekiel 39:18 - eat Daniel 2:45 - the great Micah 4:3 - and rebuke Zephaniah 1:7 - for the Lord Zephaniah 3:8 - to gather Zephaniah 3:19 - I will undo Zechariah 10:5 - and the riders on horses shall be confounded Zechariah 14:12 - the plague wherewith Luke 17:37 - wheresoever James 5:5 - as in Revelation 11:9 - and shall not Revelation 16:16 - he

Cross-References

Genesis 13:10
This happened before the Lord had destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. And when Lot looked around, he saw there was plenty of water in the Jordan Valley. All the way to Zoar the valley was as green as the garden of the Lord or the land of Egypt.
Genesis 18:22
The men turned and started toward Sodom. But the Lord stayed with Abraham,
Genesis 19:14
Lot went to the men who were engaged to his daughters and said, "Hurry and get out of here! The Lord is going to destroy this city." But they thought he was joking, and they laughed at him.
Genesis 19:15
Early the next morning the two angels tried to make Lot hurry and leave. They said, "Take your wife and your two daughters and get out of here as fast as you can! If you don't, every one of you will be killed when the Lord destroys the city."
Genesis 19:16
At first, Lot just stood there. But the Lord wanted to save him. So the angels took Lot, his wife, and his two daughters by the hand and led them out of the city.
Genesis 19:18
Lot answered, "You have done us a great favor, sir. You have saved our lives, but please don't make us go to the hills. That's too far away. The city will be destroyed before we can get there, and we will be killed when it happens.
Genesis 19:22
Hurry! Run! I can't do anything until you are safely there." The town was later called Zoar because Lot had said it was small.
Genesis 19:26
On the way, Lot's wife looked back and was turned into a block of salt.
Genesis 19:31
One day his older daughter said to her sister, "Our father is old, and there are no men anywhere for us to marry.
Genesis 19:32
Let's get our father drunk! Then we can sleep with him and have children."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I saw an angel standing in the sun,.... By whom is meant, not the angel of the fourth vial, who poured it on the sun, taken in another sense than here, and therefore could not stand in it; nor the archangel with the last trumpet, for as yet the dead rise not, nor does the judgment come on; nor one of the ministering spirits; nor Christ himself, for he is the great God, to whose supper this angel invites, but a minister of the Gospel; or rather a set of Gospel ministers, such as in Revelation 14:1 who may be said to stand in the sun, in like manner as the woman, the church, was seen clothed with it, Revelation 12:1 and may denote the conspicuousness of Gospel preachers; for, as the church now will be established upon the top of the mountains, so her teachers shall not be removed into corners any more, but her eyes shall behold her teachers; and also the clear sight they shall have of the doctrines and mysteries of the Gospel, who shall now see eye to eye; and particularly the further breakings forth of the glory of the latter day, and the ensuing victory of Christ over all his enemies; and also shows the great strength of their sight, who, far from being like moles and bats, will be able both to look upon the sun, and to stand in it: and it may likewise signify the glory and majesty of Christ's kingdom; the comfortable influence of him, the sun of righteousness, who will now arise upon his people with healing in his wings; and the steadfastness of Christ's ministers to him, and his pure Gospel, and the glorious truths of it.

And he cried with a loud voice; that he might be heard far and near, having something of moment and importance to publish:

saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven; meaning not the barbarous nations, the Goths, and Vandals, and Saracens, which overrun and destroyed the western and eastern empires; these times are too late for them, they rose up under the six first trumpets; nor devils and unclean spirits, which will prey upon and torment antichrist, and his followers, in hell; nor military and avaricious men among Protestants, but Christian princes, and their people, are designed; they are such as are in heaven, the church, and of note there, who will share the spoils of the antichristian people, and possess their kingdoms, substance, and estates: these are invited by the angel, saying,

come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God. The Alexandrian copy, the Vulgate Latin, and Syriac versions, read, "to the great supper of God"; and so the Complutensian edition; not the Lord's supper, where not the flesh of men, but the flesh of Christ is eat, by faith; nor the marriage supper of the Lamb, which will be of another kind than this; nor is any spiritual repast intended, such as living by faith on Christ, and supping with him, being entertained with his promises, presence, and the discoveries of his love; but the slaughter of Christ's enemies, and his victory over them, which is his sacrifice; and these are the guests he bids, see Zephaniah 1:7 and whom he calls to share in the conquest and spoils, and to express their joy on this occasion: "the great God" is no other than Christ, the general of the armies in heaven, called before the Word of God, and King of kings, and Lord of lords; who will gain this victory, and will be known to be the great God by the judgment he will execute. This is a proof of our Lord's divinity; see Titus 2:13.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And I saw an angel standing in the sun - A different angel evidently from the one which had before appeared to him. The number of angels that appeared to John, as referred to in this book, was very great, and each one came on a new errand, or with a new message. Everyone must be struck with the image here. The description is as simple as it can be; and yet as sublime. The fewest words possible are used; and yet the image is distinct and clear. A heavenly being stands in the blaze of the brightest of the orbs that God permits us here to see - yet not consumed, and himself so bright that he can be distinctly seen amidst the dazzling splendors of that luminary. It is difficult to conceive of an image more sublime than this. Why he has his place in the sun is not stated, for there does not appear to be anything more intended by this than to give grandeur and impressiveness to the scene.

And he cried with a loud voice - So that all the fowls of heaven could hear.

Saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven - That is, to all the birds of prey - all that feed on flesh - such as hover over a battlefield. Compare the notes on Isaiah 18:6; Isaiah 56:9. See also Jeremiah 7:33; Jeremiah 12:9; Ezekiel 39:4-20.

Come and gather yourselves together - All this imagery is taken from the idea that there would be a great slaughter, and that the bodies of the dead would be left unburied to the birds of prey.

Unto the supper of the great God - As if the great God were about to give you a feast - to wit, the carcasses of those slain. It is called “his supper” because he gives it; and the image is merely that there would be a great slaughter of his foes, as is specified in the following verse.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Revelation 19:17. An angel standing in the sun — Exceedingly luminous; every part of him emitting rays of light. From this representation, Milton has taken his description of Uriel, the angel of the sun. Paradise Lost, b. iii. l. 648:-

"The Archangel Uriel, one of the seven

Who, in God's presence, nearest to his throne

Stands ready at command and are his eyes

That run through all the heavens, or down to the earth

Bears his swift errands over moist and dry,

Over sea and land."


All the fowls that fly — The carcasses of God's enemies shall be food for all the fowls of heaven. This is according to a Jewish tradition, Synopsis Sohar, p. 114, n. 25: "In the time when God shall execute vengeance for the people of Israel, he shall feed all the beasts of the earth for twelve months with their flesh and all the fowls for seven years." It is well known that both beasts and birds of prey are accustomed to frequent fields of battle, and live upon the slain.


 
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