What Does Revelation 14:11 Mean in the King James?
And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
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 mark is an engraving of allegiance, and the verse binds that impressed identity to torment with no pause.
THE MEANING
The verse confronts you with the consequence it names for those who bow to the beast and receive the mark of its name: the smoke of their torment rises for ever and ever, and they have no rest day or night. Its words leave no interval, no break by night, no pause by day.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that allegiance can be a harmless gesture without consequence: here, bowing and receiving the beast’s name-mark are bound to torment without rest.
THE ROOT
χάραγμα
charagma
GROWS FROM
χαρασσ-
charass-
To cut or engrave, leaving an impression.
The word opens into an engraved impression, and the verse calls it a mark “of his name”: the sign carries the identity it bears. The same engraving family describes an image impressed from its source, so the mark reads as embodied allegiance, not a passing association.
ALSO GROWS
charagma: An engraved or stamped mark, impression.
χάραγμα
This is the word translated “mark”; its sense includes the lasting impression made by engraving or stamping.
charaktēr: An engraved mark, imprint, or precise representation.
χαρακτήρ
The KJV’s “express image” in Hebrews 1:3 uses this same engraving family, connecting a mark with an identity impressed from its source.
ἀνάπαυσις
anapausis
GROWS FROM
παυ-
pau-
To stop or cease; the compound names rest as a cessation or pause.
The word translated “rest” carries the idea of stopping: the verse names not merely a sleepless night but an existence with no cessation. Matthew 11:28 uses a cognate verb in “I will give you rest,” making the missing pause here the very thing that promise gives.
ALSO GROWS
anapauō: To give rest, refresh, or let someone pause.
ἀναπαύω
Matthew 11:28 uses this cognate verb in “I will give you rest,” showing rest as something received.
pauō: To stop or cease.
παύω
This is the base verb in the word for rest, so “no rest” carries the force of no stopping or break.
THE PATTERN
The one served becomes the worshiper’s pattern, and service binds the worshiper to its consequence.
They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?THE THREAD
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.Matthew uses a cognate verb in “I will give you rest,” sharing the root of Revelation’s word for rest. Revelation names a condition with no cessation; Matthew names rest as something given.
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