Rev. 5:10 - rule upon (or 'over'?) the earth:

Rev. 5:10 - rule upon (or 'over'?) the earth:


The NT Greek word in question ("upon" or "over") is epi.

The Scripture is:

(Rotherham) Revelation 5:10 And didst make them, unto our God, a kingdom and priests,--and they reign on [epi] the earth.

(Darby) Revelation 5:10 and made them to our God kings and priests; and they shall reign over [epi] the earth.

The question is: what does epi mean?

Well, NT Greek dictionaries give the major meaning as "on" or "upon." However, a significant alternate is "over."

For example, of the 54 times that epi is rendered as "over" in the NASB, the following have to do with ruling over or having authority over:

Luke 1:33; 9:1; 19:14; 19:27; Acts 7:18; 7:27; Rom. 9:5; Eph. 4:6; Heb. 2:7; 3:6; 10:21; Rev. 2:26; 9:11; 13:7; 17:18.

It seems appropriate, therefore, to use "over" at Rev. 5:10 also.

Additionally, at Rev. 5:10, `earth' is in the genitive case. Acts 7:27, for example, uses the genitive emon in a parallel use: `ruler … over (epi) us (emon).

Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon notes specifically that epi "A. with the GENITIVE .... I. of Place; and 1. of the place on which; .... d. fig. used of things, affairs, persons, which one is set over, over which he exercises power .... Rev. v. 10;" - p. 231, Baker Book House, 1977.
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More information on this subject can be found at the website, In Defense of the New World Translation: Revelation 5:10 and "EPI": "On" or "Over"?

SOURCE: Search For Bible Truths' Scripture Index