What Does Revelation 10:10 Mean in the King James?
And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.
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 message tastes sweet at first contact, but its inward effect turns bitter once it has been taken in.
THE MEANING
When the message reaches the inner person, the experience turns bitter. Sweetness at first contact and bitterness within are both part of what has been received.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
A word that is truly good must feel sweet at every depth.
THE ROOT
ἐπικράνθη
epikranthē
GROWS FROM
πικρ- (the stem of πικραίνω, pikrainō)
To make bitter or become bitter; sharp, pungent bitterness.
“bitter” in this verse is epikranthē. The Greek verb pictures the belly becoming embittered, rather than merely naming a taste. Its word family expresses bitterness as a quality or as an effect that takes hold, tracing a movement from honey-sweetness in the mouth to bitterness within.
ALSO GROWS
pikros: Sharp, pungent, bitter.
πικρός
This adjective names bitterness as a quality, echoing the change in the belly.
pikrainō: To make bitter or become bitter.
πικραίνω
This verb gives the verse’s bitterness a turning motion: the inner experience becomes embittered.
pikria: Bitterness; a bitter disposition.
πικρία
This related noun shows the same root describing bitterness beyond a taste.
THE PATTERN
Taking a word inward carries its taste beyond the first sweetness of hearing.
And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!THE THREAD
And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.Both Greek scenes use the ἐσθίω (esthiō, “eat”) word family: Ezekiel takes the scroll into the belly and tastes honey-sweetness, while Revelation gives the inward scroll-eating a bitter outcome. Revelation makes that inward turn explicit, showing how the experience of a received word can change after it is swallowed.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us