Bible Strands
Revelation 19:10
So I fell at his feet to worship him. But he told me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who rely on the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — John reports the exchange; the angel speaks to him immediately after delivering the words about the marriage supper of the Lamb (v. 9) and before the vision of the rider on the white horse (v. 11).
The words — προσκυνῆσαι (proskunēsai), "to worship," is the aorist infinitive of the act John performed and the angel rejected; it is the same word Cornelius used when he fell at Peter's feet (Acts 10:25).
The thread — The pattern repeats at Revelation 22:8, where John falls to worship the angel a second time and receives the same refusal. Acts 10:25–26 shows Peter rejecting Cornelius's worship with the identical logic: "I myself am a man."
Why it lands — The verse refuses to let the prophetic message or its angelic deliverer absorb worship that belongs to God alone; "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" means the message points to God, not to itself.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
Cross-references
- Revelation 22:8 And I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had shown me these things.
- Acts 10:25 As Peter was about to enter, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet to worship him.
- John 5:39 You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me,
- Hebrews 1:14 Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
- Exodus 34:14 For you must not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.
- Revelation 4:10 the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, and they worship Him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
- 2 Peter 1:19 We also have the word of the prophets as confirmed beyond doubt. And you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
- 1 Peter 1:10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who foretold the grace to come to you searched and investigated carefully,
- Revelation 12:11 They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. And they did not love their lives so as to shy away from death.
- Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was enraged at the woman and went to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea.