What Does Revelation 1:6 Mean in the King James?
And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The same people are named both royal and priestly, joining shared authority with nearness to God.
THE MEANING
You belong to a people made for both a royal calling and priestly nearness to God. All weight and dominion are directed to him through the ages. The verse speaks of this shared identity as already given.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that nearness to God and meaningful authority belong to separate elites: the same people are named kings and priests.
THE ROOT
βασιλεῖς
basileis
GROWS FROM
βασιλεύς (basileus), βασιλ- (basil-)
King; the royal word-family carries kingship, kingdom, and reigning.
The word for “kings” belongs to the same family as βασιλεία (basileia, kingdom) and βασιλεύω (basileuō, to reign). The royal identity here reaches beyond a title: it carries the sense of a shared vocation to reign.
ALSO GROWS
basileia: Kingdom, kingship, royal rule
βασιλεία
This branch links the plural kings to a people sharing a royal calling.
basileuō: To reign
βασιλεύω
This branch shows royal identity as an active vocation, not only a status.
ἱερεῖς
hiereis
GROWS FROM
ἱερεύς (hiereus), ἱερ- (hier-)
Priest; the word-family is associated with what is sacred.
“priests” in this verse is hiereis. The priestly word-family also names sacred space and priestly service. Beside the royal calling, it makes nearness to God part of the same shared identity.
ALSO GROWS
hieron: Temple, sacred precinct
ἱερόν
This branch links priesthood with the space of sacred presence.
hierateia: Priestly service, priestly office
ἱερατεία
This branch shows priesthood as an active role within the shared identity.
THE PATTERN
The people made near to God are also given a shared royal calling.
And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.THE THREAD
And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.The same Greek words recur: βασιλεῖς (basileis, kings) and ἱερεῖς (hiereis, priests), tying the two verses through their shared royal and priestly identity. The added promise of reigning on earth makes that vocation concrete.
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