ἀρνίον

John 21:15 ἀρνία lambs

When they had finished eating, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he answered, “You know I love You.” Jesus replied, “Feed My lambs.”

Here: 'Lambs.' The word is formally a diminutive ('little lamb'), but by this time it often just meant 'lamb' or 'sheep'. It is a picture of Jesus' followers as his flock.

Revelation 5:6 ἀρνίον a Lamb

Then I saw a Lamb who appeared to have been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

Here: The surprise of the vision. John was told of a Lion and sees a Lamb. The word suggests a sacrificial animal. In Revelation it becomes the main title for Christ.

Revelation 5:8 ἀρνίου Lamb

When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

Here: The Lamb 'standing as though slain' with seven horns and seven eyes (5:6). It is a sacrificial animal that is also a conquering, horned leader.

Revelation 5:12 ἀρνίον Lamb

In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

Here: Revelation's main title for Jesus (29 times). John was told of a Lion of Judah (5:5), turned, and saw this Lamb instead.

Revelation 5:13 ἀρνίῳ Lamb

And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever!”

Here: The Lamb "standing as if slain" (5:6), with seven horns and seven eyes. It is the sacrificed one who has also conquered.

Revelation 6:1 ἀρνίον Lamb

Then I watched as the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!”

Here: Revelation's main title for the risen Christ. He is a slain lamb with seven horns and seven eyes (5:6), so sacrificial death and full power belong to the same figure.

Revelation 6:16 ἀρνίου, Lamb,

And they said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.

Here: The Lamb 'standing as though slain' (5:6), who opened these very seals. The phrase 'wrath of the Lamb' is a deliberate paradox: the sacrificed one is the one whose anger the powerful cannot face.

Revelation 7:9 ἀρνίου, Lamb,

After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.

Here: Revelation's main title for Christ: the Lamb 'standing as though slain' (5:6), whose blood bought people 'from every tribe and tongue and people and nation' (5:9).

Revelation 7:10 ἀρνίῳ. Lamb!

And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Here: Revelation's name for Christ: the Lamb 'standing as though slain' (5:6), whose blood has made the robes white (7:14). The victory belongs to a slaughtered lamb.

Revelation 7:14 ἀρνίου. Lamb.

“Sir,” I answered, “you know.” So he replied, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Here: Revelation's main title for Jesus: the Lamb 'standing as though slain' (5:6). It recalls the Passover lamb and the lamb led to slaughter in Isaiah 53:7.

Revelation 7:17 ἀρνίον Lamb

For the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd. ‘He will lead them to springs of living water,’ and ‘God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”

Here: Revelation's usual title for Jesus, the Lamb who stands 'as though slain' (5:6). The surprise of the verse is that the lamb becomes the shepherd.

Revelation 12:11 ἀρνίου Lamb

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.

Here: Revelation's main title for Christ (29 times), first seen 'standing as though slaughtered' (5:6). The conqueror is a slaughtered lamb, and that sets up the paradox of the whole verse.

Revelation 13:8 ἀρνίου Lamb

And all who dwell on the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written from the foundation of the world in the Book of Life belonging to the Lamb who was slain.

Here: The Lamb, Revelation's main title for Jesus (introduced in 5:6). The register belongs to him: these are his people.

Revelation 13:11 ἀρνίῳ as a lamb

Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. This beast had two horns like a lamb, but spoke like a dragon.

Here: Everywhere else in Revelation this word names Christ, 'the Lamb' (28 times). Here it is the one exception. The beast wears the look of the Lamb, a deliberate imitation.

Revelation 14:1 ἀρνίον Lamb

Then I looked and saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 who had His name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads.

Here: Revelation's main title for Jesus (used 29 times). He is the lamb that was slaughtered yet now stands, holds royal power and leads his people (5:6; 17:14).

Revelation 14:4 ἀρνίῳ ἀρνίῳ· Lamb, Lamb;

These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They have been redeemed from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.

Here: Revelation's main title for Jesus: the Lamb "standing as though slain" (5:6). They follow a slaughtered and vindicated leader, not a conquering beast.

Revelation 14:10 ἀρνίου. Lamb.

he too will drink the wine of God’s anger, poured undiluted into the cup of His wrath. And he will be tormented in fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.

Here: The slain Lamb (5:6), meaning Jesus. Those who sided with the beast against him, and against his followers, now stand exposed in front of him.

Revelation 15:3 ἀρνίου Lamb

and they sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb: “Great and wonderful are Your works, O Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the nations!

Here: Revelation's usual title for Jesus (about 29 times), 'standing as though slain' (5:6). Next to Moses it recalls the Passover lamb, whose blood came before the Exodus.

Revelation 17:14 ἀρνίου ἀρνίον Lamb

They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones.”

Here: Revelation's main title for Jesus: the Lamb 'standing as though slain' with seven horns and seven eyes (5:6). The enemy is not attacking a weak animal but the one who has already won by being slaughtered.

Revelation 19:7 ἀρνίου, Lamb,

Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready.

Here: Revelation's main title for Jesus (about 29 times), first shown as a Lamb "standing as if slain" (5:6). The bridegroom is the one who was sacrificed. The picture is deliberately startling.

Revelation 19:9 ἀρνίου Lamb

Then the angel told me to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

Here: Revelation's main title for Jesus, first shown as a lamb 'standing as though slain' (5:6). The bridegroom at this feast is the sacrificed and risen Lamb.

Revelation 21:9 ἀρνίου. Lamb.

Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”

Here: Revelation's title for Christ, the Lamb 'standing as though slain' (5:6). The bridegroom is the crucified-and-risen one.

Revelation 21:14 ἀρνίου.¶ Lamb.

The wall of the city had twelve foundations bearing the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Here: Revelation's main title for Jesus: the Lamb 'standing as though slain' (5:6), who conquers by his death. The apostles are his envoys, and the city is his bride.

Revelation 21:22 ἀρνίον. Lamb.

But I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

Here: Revelation's main title for Jesus (about 29 times). He is the Lamb 'standing as though slain' (5:6), who shares God's throne. Here he shares God's role as the city's sanctuary.

Revelation 21:23 ἀρνίον. Lamb.

And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp.

Here: Revelation's main title for Jesus: the Lamb who stood "as though slain" (5:6) and who conquers (17:14). The slain-and-risen one is now the city's lamp.

Revelation 21:27 ἀρνίου.¶ Lamb.

But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices an abomination or a lie, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Here: Revelation's main title for Jesus: the Lamb who was slaughtered and yet stands (5:6). The register belongs to him. In 13:8 it is "the book of life of the Lamb who was slain," so being on it is tied to his death.

Revelation 22:1 ἀρνίου. Lamb.

Then the angel showed me a river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb

Here: Revelation's main title for Jesus. He is the Lamb who "was slain" yet stands with seven horns and seven eyes (5:6). He is a ruler and a conqueror, not a picture of meekness.

Revelation 22:3 ἀρνίου Lamb

No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be within the city, and His servants will worship Him.

Here: Revelation's title for Jesus, the slaughtered yet standing Lamb of 5:6. The one who was sacrificed now shares God's throne.