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Grammar Analysis: Revelation 15:5-8

Focus: Sanctuary-service synthesis: temple opened, tabernacle/testimony language, smoke from glory and power, and the no-entry prelude to the seven bowls.

Text

Greek (parser text): - v5: Καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα εἶδον, καὶ ἠνοίγη ὁ ναὸς τῆς σκηνῆς τοῦ μαρτυρίου ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, - v6: καὶ ἐξῆλθον οἱ ἑπτὰ ἄγγελοι οἱ ἔχοντες τὰς ἑπτὰ πληγὰς ἐκ τοῦ ναοῦ, ἐνδεδυμένοι λίνον καθαρὸν λαμπρὸν καὶ περιεζωσμένοι περὶ τὰ στήθη ζώνας χρυσᾶς. - v7: καὶ ἓν ἐκ τῶν τεσσάρων ζῴων ἔδωκεν τοῖς ἑπτὰ ἀγγέλοις ἑπτὰ φιάλας χρυσᾶς γεμούσας τοῦ θυμοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. - v8: καὶ ἐγεμίσθη ὁ ναὸς καπνοῦ ἐκ τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἐκ τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐδύνατο εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸν ναὸν ἄχρι τελεσθῶσιν αἱ ἑπτὰ πληγαὶ τῶν ἑπτὰ ἀγγέλων.

KJV: - v5: And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: - v6: And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. - v7: And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. - v8: And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

Word-by-Word Parsing

Revelation 15:5

# Word Lemma Strong's Parsing
1 Καὶ καί G2532 CONJ
2 μετὰ μετά G3326 PREP
3 ταῦτα οὗτος G3778 D-APN Acc Pl N
4 εἶδον ὁράω G3708 V-2AAI-1S Aor Act Ind 1Sg
5 καὶ καί G2532 CONJ
6 ἠνοίγη ἀνοίγω G455 V-2API-3S Aor Pass Ind 3Sg
7 ὁ ὁ G3588 T-NSM Nom Sg M
8 ναὸς ναός G3485 N-NSM Nom Sg M
9 τῆς ὁ G3588 T-GSF Gen Sg F
10 σκηνῆς σκηνή G4633 N-GSF Gen Sg F
11 τοῦ ὁ G3588 T-GSN Gen Sg N
12 μαρτυρίου μαρτύριον G3142 N-GSN Gen Sg N
13 ἐν ἐν G1722 PREP
14 τῷ ὁ G3588 T-DSM Dat Sg M
15 οὐρανῷ οὐρανός G3772 N-DSM Dat Sg M

Revelation 15:6

# Word Lemma Strong's Parsing
1 καὶ καί G2532 CONJ
2 ἐξῆλθον ἐξέρχομαι G1831 V-2AAI-3P Aor Act Ind 3Pl
3 οἱ ὁ G3588 T-NPM Nom Pl M
4 ἑπτὰ ἑπτά G2033 A-NUI
5 ἄγγελοι ἄγγελος G32 N-NPM Nom Pl M
6 οἱ ὁ G3588 T-NPM Nom Pl M
7 ἔχοντες ἔχω G2192 V-PAP-NPM Pres Act Ptcp Nom Pl M
8 τὰς ὁ G3588 T-APF Acc Pl F
9 ἑπτὰ ἑπτά G2033 A-NUI
10 πληγὰς πληγή G4127 N-APF Acc Pl F
11 ἐκ ἐκ G1537 PREP
12 τοῦ ὁ G3588 T-GSM Gen Sg M
13 ναοῦ ναός G3485 N-GSM Gen Sg M
14 ἐνδεδυμένοι ἐνδύω G1746 V-RMP-NPM Perf Mid Ptcp Nom Pl M
15 λίνον λίνον G3043 N-ASN Acc Sg N
16 καθαρὸν καθαρός G2513 A-ASM Acc Sg M
17 λαμπρὸν λαμπρός G2986 A-ASM Acc Sg M
18 καὶ καί G2532 CONJ
19 περιεζωσμένοι περιζώννυμι G4024 V-RPP-NPM Perf Pass Ptcp Nom Pl M
20 περὶ περί G4012 PREP
21 τὰ ὁ G3588 T-APN Acc Pl N
22 στήθη στῆθος G4738 N-APN Acc Pl N
23 ζώνας ζώνη G2223 N-APF Acc Pl F
24 χρυσᾶς χρυσοῦς G5552 A-APF Acc Pl F

Revelation 15:7

# Word Lemma Strong's Parsing
1 καὶ καί G2532 CONJ
2 ἓν εἷς G1520 A-NSN Nom Sg N
3 ἐκ ἐκ G1537 PREP
4 τῶν ὁ G3588 T-GPN Gen Pl N
5 τεσσάρων τέσσαρες G5064 A-GPN Gen Pl N
6 ζῴων ζῷον G2226 N-GPN Gen Pl N
7 ἔδωκεν δίδωμι G1325 V-AAI-3S Aor Act Ind 3Sg
8 τοῖς ὁ G3588 T-DPM Dat Pl M
9 ἑπτὰ ἑπτά G2033 A-NUI
10 ἀγγέλοις ἄγγελος G32 N-DPM Dat Pl M
11 ἑπτὰ ἑπτά G2033 A-NUI
12 φιάλας φιάλη G5357 N-APF Acc Pl F
13 χρυσᾶς χρυσοῦς G5552 A-APF Acc Pl F
14 γεμούσας γέμω G1073 V-PAP-APF Pres Act Ptcp Acc Pl F
15 τοῦ ὁ G3588 T-GSM Gen Sg M
16 θυμοῦ θυμός G2372 N-GSM Gen Sg M
17 τοῦ ὁ G3588 T-GSM Gen Sg M
18 Θεοῦ θεός G2316 N-GSM Gen Sg M
19 τοῦ ὁ G3588 T-GSM Gen Sg M
20 ζῶντος ζάω G2198 V-PAP-GSM Pres Act Ptcp Gen Sg M
21 εἰς εἰς G1519 PREP
22 τοὺς ὁ G3588 T-APM Acc Pl M
23 αἰῶνας αἰών G165 N-APM Acc Pl M
24 τῶν ὁ G3588 T-GPM Gen Pl M
25 αἰώνων αἰών G165 N-GPM Gen Pl M

Revelation 15:8

# Word Lemma Strong's Parsing
1 καὶ καί G2532 CONJ
2 ἐγεμίσθη γεμίζω G1072 V-API-3S Aor Pass Ind 3Sg
3 ὁ ὁ G3588 T-NSM Nom Sg M
4 ναὸς ναός G3485 N-NSM Nom Sg M
5 καπνοῦ καπνός G2586 N-GSM Gen Sg M
6 ἐκ ἐκ G1537 PREP
7 τῆς ὁ G3588 T-GSF Gen Sg F
8 δόξης δόξα G1391 N-GSF Gen Sg F
9 τοῦ ὁ G3588 T-GSM Gen Sg M
10 Θεοῦ θεός G2316 N-GSM Gen Sg M
11 καὶ καί G2532 CONJ
12 ἐκ ἐκ G1537 PREP
13 τῆς ὁ G3588 T-GSF Gen Sg F
14 δυνάμεως δύναμις G1411 N-GSF Gen Sg F
15 αὐτοῦ αὐτός G846 P-GSM Gen Sg M
16 καὶ καί G2532 CONJ
17 οὐδεὶς οὐδείς G3762 A-NSM-N Nom Sg M
18 ἐδύνατο δύναμαι G1410 V-INI-3S Impf M/P Ind 3Sg
19 εἰσελθεῖν εἰσέρχομαι G1525 V-2AAN Aor Act Inf
20 εἰς εἰς G1519 PREP
21 τὸν ὁ G3588 T-ASM Acc Sg M
22 ναὸν ναός G3485 N-ASM Acc Sg M
23 ἄχρι ἄχρι G891 ADV
24 τελεσθῶσιν τελέω G5055 V-APS-3P Aor Pass Subj 3Pl
25 αἱ ὁ G3588 T-NPF Nom Pl F
26 ἑπτὰ ἑπτά G2033 A-NUI
27 πληγαὶ πληγή G4127 N-NPF Nom Pl F
28 τῶν ὁ G3588 T-GPM Gen Pl M
29 ἑπτὰ ἑπτά G2033 A-NUI
30 ἀγγέλων ἄγγελος G32 N-GPM Gen Pl M

Key Grammatical Features

1. ἠνοίγη ὁ ναὸς — Aorist passive opening of the heavenly sanctuary

  • Form: ἠνοίγη is a second aorist passive indicative, 3rd singular, from ἀνοίγω. The subject is ὁ ναὸς, "the temple / inner sanctuary."
  • Significance: The aorist views the opening as a complete narrative event: the temple "was opened." The passive foregrounds the sanctuary as the object opened; no human or angelic agent is named. In Revelation's heavenly-temple scenes, this agentless passive naturally reads as divine authorization or heavenly disclosure, not as ordinary human access.
  • Sanctuary-service synthesis: The grammar presents the scene as an opened heavenly inner sanctuary before the bowl angels emerge. The opening is not merely a visual backdrop; it is the narrative gateway for the seven plague-bearing angels.
  • Grammar reference: Aorist Passive Indicative; Divine Passive
  • Word studies: G455-anoigo; G3485-naos; TR-pathach-anoigo; TR-heykal-naos

2. ὁ ναὸς τῆς σκηνῆς τοῦ μαρτυρίου ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ — Nested sanctuary genitives

  • Form: The head noun ναὸς is modified by the genitive τῆς σκηνῆς, which is itself modified by τοῦ μαρτυρίου. The final phrase ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ is locative: "in heaven."
  • Significance: The grammar stacks three sanctuary terms: ναός ("inner temple/sanctuary"), σκηνή ("tabernacle/tent"), and μαρτύριον ("testimony"). The KJV's "temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven" follows the Greek chain closely. Syntactically, "testimony" modifies "tabernacle," and the whole "tabernacle of the testimony" specifies the temple that is opened.
  • Sanctuary-service synthesis: The genitive chain anchors the heavenly scene in tabernacle/testimony vocabulary rather than generic throne-room language. It draws attention to the sanctuary as the place of covenant testimony and judicial disclosure before the bowl judgments.
  • Grammar reference: Greek Genitive: Quality / Attributive / Apposition
  • Word studies: G3485-naos; G4633-skene; G3142-martyrion; TR-mishkan-skene; TR-eduwth-martyrion

3. οἱ ἔχοντες ... ἐνδεδυμένοι ... περιεζωσμένοι — Identified by possession and prepared state

  • Form: οἱ ἔχοντες is an articular present active participle, nominative plural masculine: "the ones having." ἐνδεδυμένοι is a perfect middle participle, nominative plural masculine: "having clothed themselves / being clothed." περιεζωσμένοι is a perfect passive participle, nominative plural masculine: "having been girded."
  • Significance: The articular participle οἱ ἔχοντες identifies the seven angels by what they carry: τὰς ἑπτὰ πληγὰς, "the seven plagues." The perfect participles then describe their already-established condition as they come out of the temple. They are not being clothed after they exit; they emerge in a standing state of linen purity/brightness and golden girding.
  • Sanctuary-service synthesis: The grammar binds mission and investiture. The angels come "out of the temple" already marked by priestly/ritual imagery and already holding the plague commission. The exit from the opened sanctuary is therefore not casual movement but commissioned liturgical-judicial emergence.
  • Grammar reference: Perfect Tense; Greek Perfect Passive Participle
  • Word studies: G4127-plege; G3485-naos; G2513-katharos

4. φιάλας ... γεμούσας τοῦ θυμοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ — Bowls already full of divine wrath

  • Form: φιάλας is accusative plural feminine, the direct object of ἔδωκεν. γεμούσας is a present active participle, accusative plural feminine, agreeing with φιάλας. τοῦ θυμοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ is a genitive chain specifying the content/source relation: the bowls are "full of the wrath of God."
  • Significance: The bowls are not filled after being handed to the angels; they are handed over as bowls already "being full" of wrath. The present participle portrays the content-state of the bowls at the time of giving. The aorist ἔδωκεν narrates the transfer as a complete act.
  • Sanctuary-service synthesis: φιάλη is sanctuary-vessel language in Revelation. Here the golden bowls become the vessel-form that carries wrath into the final plague sequence. The syntax makes Rev 15:7 the immediate prelude to Rev 16:1: bowls full of wrath are given before they are poured.
  • Grammar reference: Present Active Indicative for present-tense aspect broadly; Greek Genitive: Quality / Attributive / Apposition
  • Word studies: G5357-phiale; TR-mizraq-phiale; G2372-thumos; TR-chemah-thymos

5. ἐγεμίσθη ὁ ναὸς καπνοῦ ἐκ τῆς δόξης ... καὶ ἐκ τῆς δυνάμεως — Smoke from glory and power

  • Form: ἐγεμίσθη is aorist passive indicative, 3rd singular, from γεμίζω. The subject is ὁ ναός. καπνοῦ is genitive after the filling verb, naming what fills the temple. The repeated ἐκ + genitive phrases identify source: ἐκ τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ and ἐκ τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ.
  • Significance: The temple is the patient of the filling; the smoke is not an independent atmospheric detail. Its source is expressed twice with ἐκ: from God's glory and from his power. The repeated preposition keeps glory and power grammatically parallel.
  • Sanctuary-service synthesis: The filled temple echoes sanctuary glory-cloud access restriction patterns: the opened sanctuary of v5 becomes the filled sanctuary of v8. The grammar makes the smoke the effect of divine glory/power, not the action of the angels or bowls.
  • Grammar reference: Aorist Passive Indicative
  • Word studies: G2586-kapnos; TR-ashan-kapnos; G1391-doxa; TR-kabod-doxa; G1411-dynamis

6. οὐδεὶς ἐδύνατο εἰσελθεῖν ... ἄχρι τελεσθῶσιν — No-entry until the plagues are completed

  • Form: οὐδεὶς is nominative singular masculine: "no one." ἐδύνατο is imperfect middle/passive indicative, 3rd singular, from δύναμαι. εἰσελθεῖν is a second aorist active infinitive, complementing δύναμαι. ἄχρι introduces the terminal point, followed by τελεσθῶσιν, aorist passive subjunctive, 3rd plural, whose subject is αἱ ἑπτὰ πληγαί.
  • Significance: The imperfect ἐδύνατο portrays inability as a continuing condition during the interval: "no one was able." The aorist infinitive εἰσελθεῖν views entry into the temple as a whole act that cannot occur. ἄχρι + subjunctive marks the limit of the restriction: until the seven plagues "should be completed/fulfilled."
  • Sanctuary-service synthesis: This is the no-entry bowl prelude. The grammar does not merely say the temple is smoky; it states the effect: access is suspended until the angelic plagues reach completion. The opened temple of v5 becomes inaccessible in v8, and that inaccessibility is temporally bound to the completion of the seven plagues.
  • Word studies: G5055-teleo; TR-kalah-synteleo; G4127-plege; G3485-naos

Clause Structure Notes

  • v5: Καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα εἶδον introduces a new vision unit. The second καὶ coordinates the vision report with the main event: ἠνοίγη ὁ ναός. The subject follows the passive verb, making the opening action prominent before naming the sanctuary.
  • v5: τῆς σκηνῆς τοῦ μαρτυρίου is a nested genitive chain. The local phrase ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ locates the whole sanctuary complex in heaven.
  • v6: The main finite verb is ἐξῆλθον. The subject is expanded by an attributive participial phrase οἱ ἔχοντες τὰς ἑπτὰ πληγάς, followed by two perfect participles describing the angels' state as they emerge.
  • v7: ἔδωκεν governs a double object pattern: recipient in the dative (τοῖς ἑπτὰ ἀγγέλοις) and object in the accusative (ἑπτὰ φιάλας χρυσᾶς). γεμούσας modifies φιάλας, not ἀγγέλοις.
  • v8: The first clause has a passive filling verb plus genitive content and ἐκ + genitive sources. The second clause states the access prohibition with οὐδεὶς + δύναμαι + infinitive. The ἄχρι clause supplies the terminus of the prohibition.

The parser's --similar search for Rev 15:5 and Rev 15:8 returned no NT verses above 0.6 similarity, which fits the passage's unusually dense combination of heavenly sanctuary, passive opening/filling, source phrases, and terminal no-entry clause.

Cross-References

Grammar library

Word studies

Gaps / candidates for future entries

  • Grammar concept: ἄχρι + subjunctive in temporal clauses.
  • Grammar concept: δύναμαι + complementary infinitive for inability/capacity.
  • Grammar concept: nested genitive chains in Revelation's sanctuary diction.
  • Word study: G1072 γεμίζω / G1073 γέμω as filling/fullness vocabulary, especially in Rev 15:7-8.