Bible Strands
Revelation 9:20
Now the rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the works of their hands. They did not stop worshiping demons and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — John, writing to the seven churches, records the human response after the fifth trumpet plague (the locusts from the abyss) has run its course. The "rest" are those who survived the killing but did not turn.
The words — loipoi (λοιποὶ), "the rest," is a plain inventory term for survivors; it carries no theological weight, which is the point — surviving the plague is not the same as answering it.
The thread — Deuteronomy 31:29 predicts Israel's corruption after Moses; Romans 1:21 describes people who knew God but became futile in their thinking; Daniel 5:23 shows Belshazzar exalting himself against the Lord of heaven. Each is a case of judgment met with unrepentance.
Why it lands — The verse names the specific objects — gold, silver, bronze, stone, wood — and appends the clause "which cannot see or hear or walk," forcing the reader to confront that the sin is not ignorance but the deliberate choice to worship what is inert.
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 the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
Cross-references
- Daniel 5:23 Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you have failed to glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways.
- Deuteronomy 31:29 For I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt and turn from the path I have commanded you. And in the days to come, disaster will befall you because you will do evil in the sight of the LORD to provoke Him to anger by the work of your hands.”
- Romans 1:21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts.
- 1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,
- Jeremiah 1:16 I will pronounce My judgments against them for all their wickedness, because they have forsaken Me, and they have burned incense to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands.
- Acts 19:26 And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, this Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.
- Revelation 9:21 Furthermore, they did not repent of their murder, sorcery, sexual immorality, and theft.
- Jeremiah 10:14 Every man is senseless and devoid of knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols. For his molten images are a fraud, and there is no breath in them.
- Acts 7:41 At that time they made a calf and offered a sacrifice to the idol, rejoicing in the works of their hands.
- 1 Corinthians 10:20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons.