Revelation 1:10

An Exegetical Analysis of **ἐν τῇ κυριακῇ ἡμέρᾳ** in Revelation 1:10

This exegetical study of The Meaning of **ἐν τῇ κυριακῇ ἡμέρᾳ** in Revelation 1:10 is based on a b-greek discussion from December 1, 2003. The initial discussion highlighted that the prevalent interpretation of “Lord’s day” in Revelation 1:10 as Sunday relies not on internal evidence from the book of Revelation itself, but primarily on three second-century patristic testimonies: Didache 14:1, Ignatius’ Epistle to the Magnesians 9:1, and the Gospel of Peter 35 and 50. The initial post questioned the reliability of these external sources, noting textual difficulties and ambiguities that challenge a definitive identification of “Lord’s Day” with Sunday at the time Revelation was written.

The central exegetical issue concerning Revelation 1:10 is the precise meaning of the phrase **ἐν τῇ κυριακῇ ἡμέρᾳ** and its historical and theological implications. Specifically, the debate revolves around whether this refers to the first day of the week (Sunday, commemorating Christ’s resurrection), the eschatological “Day of the Lord” as found in Old Testament prophecy, or another designation. A significant point of contention is the validity of early patristic evidence in determining the phrase’s first-century usage, as textual ambiguities in these early Christian writings complicate a clear historical trajectory for the term “Lord’s Day.”

Greek text (Nestle 1904)

**ἐγενόμην ἐν πνεύματι ἐν τῇ κυριακῇ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἤκουσα ὀπίσω μου φωνὴν μεγάλην ὡς σάλπιγγος**

Key differences with SBLGNT (2010):

• For Revelation 1:10, the SBLGNT (2010) text, **ἐγενόμην ἐν πνεύματι ἐν τῇ κυριακῇ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἤκουσα ὀπίσω μου φωνὴν μεγάλην ὡς σάλπιγγος**, presents no significant textual differences from the Nestle 1904 edition in the phrase under examination.

Textual Criticism (NA28), Lexical Notes (BDAG)

For Revelation 1:10, the phrase **ἐν τῇ κυριακῇ ἡμέρᾳ** is textually stable in critical editions such as NA28, enjoying strong manuscript support without significant variants that would alter its meaning. The textual debates arising in the discussion threads primarily concern extracanonical patristic texts, such as Ignatius’ Epistle to the Magnesians and the Didache, and their respective manuscript traditions, rather than the Greek New Testament text itself.

Lexically, the term **κυριακῇ** (dative feminine singular of **κυριακός, -ή, -όν**) is an adjective meaning “pertaining to the Lord” or “the Lord’s.” BDAG (Bauer, Danker, Arndt, Gingrich, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature) defines **κυριακὴ ἡμέρα** as “Lord’s Day,” unequivocally identifying it as Sunday. BDAG cites Revelation 1:10, Didache 14:1, Ignatius’ Epistle to the Magnesians 9:1, and early papyri (e.g., P.Oxy. 1.7.13, early 2nd century) as evidence for this meaning. It also notes that in later usage, the noun **ἡμέρα** could be ellipsed, with **κυριακή** alone coming to mean “Sunday,” as is common in Modern Greek. The phrase **ἐν πνεύματι**, as used here and in Revelation 4:2, denotes a state of spiritual ecstasy or divine inspiration, a visionary experience.

Translation Variants with Grammatical & Rhetorical Analysis

The grammatical structure of Revelation 1:10, **ἐγενόμην ἐν πνεύματι ἐν τῇ κυριακῇ ἡμέρᾳ**, employs **ἐγενόμην** (aorist passive of **γίνομαι**) meaning “I came to be” or “I was,” indicating a transition into a specific state or location. This verb is used similarly in Revelation 1:9 regarding John being “on the island called Patmos” (**ἐγενόμην ἐν τῇ νήσῳ τῇ καλουμένῃ Πάτμῳ**), reinforcing a literal temporal and spatial setting for the vision. The prepositional phrase **ἐν τῇ κυριακῇ ἡμέρᾳ** functions as a dative of time, indicating “on the Lord’s day.”

Grammatical Distinctions and Interpretive Possibilities:

• The phrase **κυριακῇ ἡμέρᾳ** utilizes the adjective **κυριακῇ** (“Lordly,” “pertaining to the Lord”) to modify **ἡμέρᾳ**. This construction is grammatically distinct from the Old Testament/Septuagint (LXX) phrase **ἡμέρα τοῦ κυρίου** (“the Day of the Lord”), which uses a genitive construction. The LXX phrase consistently refers to an eschatological day of divine judgment and intervention (e.g., Amos 5:18, 20). This grammatical difference suggests that while an allusion might be possible given the apocalyptic context of Revelation, **κυριακῇ ἡμέρᾳ** in 1:10 is unlikely to primarily denote the eschatological Day of the Lord. The immediate context of John’s *experience* (“I was in the Spirit”) describes a specific temporal event, not a future theological concept.

Rhetorical Analysis and Historical Contextualization:

• The “Lord’s Day” as Sunday: This is the predominant scholarly view. However, its attestation in the late first century remains debated.
• The Didache 14:1, reading **κατὰ κυριακὴν δὲ κυρίου**, is textually uncertain and grammatically perplexing (“according to the Lord’s [?] of the Lord”), offering little definitive support for “Sunday.”
• Ignatius’ Epistle to the Magnesians 9:1 presents a critical textual challenge. The sole extant Greek manuscript (Codex Mediceo-Laurentianus) reads **κατὰ κυριακὴν ζωὴν ζῶντες** (“living according to the Lord’s life”), contrasting with a Latin version that omits **ζωὴν**. While some scholars have argued for “Lord’s life” (as it parallels “prophets lived according to Christ Jesus”), the broader context of Ignatius’ exhortation to cease “Sabbathizing” (**μηκέτι σαββατίζοντες**) and instead live **κατὰ κυριακὴν ζῶντες, ἐν ᾗ καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἡμῶν ἀνέτειλεν διʼ αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῦ θανάτου αὐτοῦ** (Holmes’ text) strongly suggests a contrast between Sabbath observance and the observance of a specific “Lord’s Day,” identified by Christ’s resurrection. This contextual evidence points towards “Lord’s Day” (Sunday) as the more coherent reading for Ignatius, despite the textual variant.
• The Gospel of Peter (dated to the latter half of the second century) provides the earliest *unmistakable* use of **ἡ κυριακὴ** as a technical term for Sunday (vv. 35, 50). This later, clear attestation supports the eventual widespread use of the term for Sunday.
• A significant counter-argument to an early identification of **κυριακῇ ἡμέρᾳ** with Sunday in Revelation comes from John’s Gospel, which (if written by the same author around the same time and in the same region) consistently refers to the first day of the week as **μία τῶν σαββάτων** (John 20:1, 19, 26). The absence of **κυριακὴ ἡμέρα** in John’s Gospel, where specific mentions of the resurrection day occur, suggests that the term was not yet a universally established technical term for Sunday among all Christian communities, or at least not consistently used by this author, in the late first century.
• The “Day of the Lord” as Eschatological: Given the apocalyptic nature of Revelation, an allusion to the eschatological “Day of the Lord” from the Old Testament is plausible, especially considering the book’s pervasive eschatological themes and the explicit reference to Christ’s return in Revelation 1:7. However, the grammatical distinction (**κυριακῇ** adjective vs. **τοῦ κυρίου** genitive) makes it unlikely to be the primary, literal meaning of John’s temporal setting for the vision. While the *meaning* of the “Lord’s day” might carry eschatological weight, the *designation* in 1:10 refers to a specific temporal experience.

Conclusions and Translation Suggestions

While the textual tradition for **ἐν τῇ κυριακῇ ἡμέρᾳ** in Revelation 1:10 is stable, its precise meaning in the late first century is informed by, yet not solely dependent upon, later patristic evidence. The grammatical distinction from the Old Testament “Day of the Lord” and the context of John’s personal visionary experience favor a temporal interpretation rather than a purely eschatological one. Despite ambiguities in some early patristic texts like the Didache, the broader context of Ignatius’ writings (even with textual variants for **ζωὴν**) and the eventual clear usage in the Gospel of Peter, combined with the term’s later prevalence in early Christian literature and papyri for Sunday, point towards the first day of the week as the most probable referent for John’s **κυριακῇ ἡμέρᾳ**. However, the apocalyptic nature of the book likely infuses this day with profound theological significance, perhaps anticipating the ultimate eschatological “Day of the Lord” in a resurrection-focused context.

1. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet.

   This translation reflects the most widely accepted scholarly understanding, interpreting **κυριακῇ ἡμέρᾳ** as referring to Sunday, the first day of the week, commemorating Christ’s resurrection. This interpretation is supported by later patristic usage and lexical definitions, despite some ambiguity in earlier extra-biblical texts.

2. I found myself in the Spirit on the Lordly day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet.

   This rendering emphasizes the adjectival nature of **κυριακῇ** (“Lordly,” “pertaining to the Lord”) and avoids prejudging the specific day. While likely referring to Sunday, it allows for a broader sense of a day specially consecrated to Christ, acknowledging the historical ambiguity of the term’s precise technical usage in the late first century.

3. I became in the Spirit on the day belonging to the Lord, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet.

   This translation attempts to convey the nuance of **ἐγενόμην** as a transition into a spiritual state, and **κυριακῇ** as a possessive adjective (“belonging to the Lord”). It offers a more literal grammatical rendering that could encompass both the specific day of Christian worship and a subtle allusion to the eschatological “Day of the Lord,” recognizing the multifaceted nature of apocalyptic language.