Revelation 14:13 Explained

"And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them." — Revelation 14:13 (KJV)

A funeral text that was written for people expecting to be killed, and it is about work rather than rest alone.

Read it in context: The Book of Revelation. Also gathered under verses about death.

Revelation 14:13 in context

What does Revelation 14:13 mean?

Two things are promised and they pull in different directions. Rest from labours is the one people quote. 'Their works do follow them' is the other: what was done is not left behind but goes with them, which makes the labour count rather than merely end. The instruction to 'write' marks it as one of the few sentences in Revelation dictated for the record.

What is the context of Revelation 14:13?

John is writing to churches facing a demand to worship the emperor. The verses before this describe those who refuse. The blessing is pronounced over people who are about to lose their lives for it, which is why it is addressed to the living.

How do I pray Revelation 14:13?

Pray it for someone who died tired. Say both halves — the rest and the works following — because leaving out the second turns a promise about a life into a promise about an ending. If you are the one worn out and still going, the verse is addressed to you before it is addressed to the dead.

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