What Does Revelation 17:14 Mean?
These wage war with the Lamb, and the Lamb overcomes them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with him are called, chosen, and steady.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.THE KEY
The Lamb’s victory is not a contest for rank: every rival rank already falls beneath his rule.
THE MEANING
The powers arrayed against the Lamb can wage war, but they do not decide the outcome. His authority stands above every lord and king. Those who are with him are called, chosen, and steady in their allegiance.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
This undoes the belief that visible force determines who wins: the power that makes war is not necessarily the power that rules.
THE ROOT
νικήσει
nikēsei
GROWS FROM
νικ-
nik-
To conquer, prevail, or be victorious.
“overcomes” in this verse is nikēsei. The verb names an actual victory, not merely endurance under attack. The Lamb prevails over those who make war against him, while the verse locates that victory in his authority as Lord over lords and King over kings.
ALSO GROWS
nikē: Victory
νίκη
The victory noun from this word family makes clear that the Lamb’s overcoming is decisive triumph.
nikētēs: Victor, conqueror
νικητής
This branch names the one who prevails, bringing the verse’s action into focus as the Lamb’s victory.
κλητοί
klētoi
GROWS FROM
καλε- / κλη- (kale- / klē-)
To call or summon; as an adjective, called or summoned.
“called” in this verse is klētoi. The people with the Lamb are described first as summoned into his company. Their belonging is expressed as a call, not as a rank they seize for themselves.
ALSO GROWS
kaleō: To call, summon, or invite
καλέω
The verb gives the root sense behind the people being called to be with the Lamb.
klēsis: Calling, summons
κλῆσις
This related noun shows the call as an invitation into a shared belonging.
πιστοί
pistoi
GROWS FROM
πιστ- (pist-), related to πειθ- (peith-)
Firm, steady, trustworthy; connected with trust and persuasion.
Here, the word describes people who are steady and trustworthy in their allegiance. Its word family also carries the sense of trust, giving “faithful” the texture of a dependable bond rather than an abstract label.
ALSO GROWS
pistis: Trust, confidence
πίστις
This noun links their steadiness with trust placed in the one they are with.
peithō: To persuade, trust, or be persuaded
πείθω
This related verb shows the trust and confidence carried within the word family.
THE PATTERN
The powers that oppose God’s anointed can gather for war, but they do not determine the outcome; victory and rule remain with the one they oppose.
The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers sit down together against the LORD and against his anointed one, saying,These things have I spoken to you, so that in me you may have wholeness. In the world you have pressure, but take heart; I have overcome the world.For whatever has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our trust.THE THREAD
These things have I spoken to you, so that in me you may have wholeness. In the world you have pressure, but take heart; I have overcome the world.“Overcome” in both verses translates forms of the Greek verb νικάω (nikaō), meaning to conquer or prevail. The Lamb’s victory over those making war and the speaker’s victory over the world share the same word for prevailing.
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