οὗτοι μετὰ τοῦ ἀρνίου πολεμήσουσι, καὶ τὸ ἀρνίον νικήσει αὐτούς, ὅτι κύριος κυρίων ἐστὶ καὶ βασιλεὺς βασιλέων, καὶ οἱ μετ’ αὐτοῦ κλητοὶ καὶ ἐκλεκτοὶ καὶ πιστοί
This triumphant declaration in Revelation 17:14 marks the decisive victory of the Lamb over the hostile powers of the world. The Greek uses future verbs, theological titles, and a trifold description of the Lamb’s companions to portray not only the outcome of the battle but also the reason behind it—his unmatched authority.
Grammatical Foundations
οὗτοι μετὰ τοῦ ἀρνίου πολεμήσουσι—“These will make war with the Lamb.” The demonstrative οὗτοι (“these”) refers to the ten kings mentioned previously. μετὰ τοῦ ἀρνίου is a prepositional phrase meaning “with the Lamb.” The verb πολεμήσουσι is future active indicative, 3rd person plural from πολεμέω—“they will wage war.” This sets up the anticipated conflict.
καὶ τὸ ἀρνίον νικήσει αὐτούς—“and the Lamb will conquer them.” τὸ ἀρνίον (the Lamb) is the subject, and νικήσει is future active indicative, 3rd person singular from νικάω—“he will overcome.” αὐτούς is the accusative plural pronoun: “them.” The future tense shows the certainty of victory before the battle even begins.
ὅτι κύριος κυρίων ἐστὶ καὶ βασιλεὺς βασιλέων—“because he is Lord of lords and King of kings.” ὅτι introduces the reason for the Lamb’s victory. The two genitive constructions κύριος κυρίων and βασιλεὺς βασιλέων are superlative titles, denoting absolute authority. ἐστί is present indicative of εἰμί, affirming his essential identity.
καὶ οἱ μετ’ αὐτοῦ κλητοὶ καὶ ἐκλεκτοὶ καὶ πιστοί—“and those with him are called, chosen, and faithful.” The phrase οἱ μετ’ αὐτοῦ identifies his followers, and the three adjectives describe them:
- κλητοί — “called,” invited to belong to him
- ἐκλεκτοί — “chosen,” selected for divine purpose
- πιστοί — “faithful,” marked by loyalty and belief
The triple description is both theological and pastoral: those who stand with the Lamb share his victory not by merit but by divine calling and perseverance.
Exegetical and Theological Implications
The verse reverses expectations: the Lamb, a symbol of meekness, is the one who conquers. The use of military language (πολεμήσουσι, νικήσει) highlights that the war is real, but the outcome is certain. His title κύριος κυρίων… βασιλεὺς βασιλέων places him above all earthly rulers—an implicit challenge to imperial claims.
His companions—those with him—are not described by worldly strength but by divine relationship: called, chosen, and faithful. These three terms echo key themes in election, covenant, and perseverance, reinforcing the spiritual nature of the Lamb’s kingdom.
Linguistic and Historical Perspectives
πολεμέω and νικάω are often used in Revelation’s cosmic conflict scenes. βασιλεὺς βασιλέων and κύριος κυρίων draw from OT motifs (cf. Deut 10:17; Dan 2:47) and were also used of earthly kings and gods in Greco-Roman titles. Revelation reclaims them for Christ alone.
The adjectives κλητοί, ἐκλεκτοί, πιστοί form a theological sequence: divine initiative (called), divine choice (chosen), and human response (faithful)—a concise summary of covenant identity in apocalyptic terms.
Table: Verbal and Structural Features in Revelation 17:14
| Text | Greek Verb / Phrase | Form | Function / Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rev 17:14 | πολεμήσουσι | Future active indicative, 3rd person plural | “They will wage war”; action initiated by the enemies of the Lamb |
| Rev 17:14 | νικήσει | Future active indicative, 3rd person singular | “He will conquer”; the Lamb’s guaranteed victory |
| Rev 17:14 | κύριος κυρίων / βασιλεὺς βασιλέων | Title + genitive plural | “Lord of lords / King of kings”; superlative title denoting supreme authority |
| Rev 17:14 | κλητοί, ἐκλεκτοί, πιστοί | Adjectives, nominative masculine plural | “Called, chosen, faithful”; attributes of those aligned with the Lamb |
The Verse as a Paradigm of Koine Greek Richness
Revelation 17:14 combines apocalyptic tension with majestic assurance. The Greek future tenses declare what will happen. The titles echo Scripture and confront empires. The participial and adjectival structures offer theology in miniature: divine sovereignty, covenantal calling, and eschatological certainty—all compressed into one victorious sentence of Koine power.
