Hope and Prophecy

Who Are the 144,000?

The 144,000 are described in Revelation 7 and 14 as God's servants who are sealed with His name, stand with the Lamb, follow Him, and are characterized by truthfulness and faithfulness.

Published 2026-09-13 · Updated 2026-09-27

Written and reviewed by the Word Oasis Editorial Team. Read our editorial policy.

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Prophecy

Biblical explanation

says: “I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand” (). They are associated with the tribes of Israel in a highly structured symbolic list. describes them standing with the Lamb on Mount Zion, having the Father's name written on their foreheads. They: Follow the Lamb. Have been redeemed. Are described as firstfruits. Have no lie in their mouths. Are described as blameless. . The Bible explicitly gives the number 144,000. The major interpretive question is whether the number is literal, symbolic, or both in some sense. Revelation frequently uses symbolic numbers, but it also gives concrete numbers. Therefore, Scripture should be allowed to define the characteristics of the group rather than forcing the number into a preconceived theory. What is unmistakable is their allegiance to the Lamb.

In brief

says: “I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand” ().

Bible references

Go deeper into this topic Bible Prophecy: A Roadmap to the Future Start the study

Editorial note

This answer is written and reviewed by the Word Oasis Editorial Team, and is presented with supporting references so you can examine each passage in context. If you notice an error or unclear statement, please suggest a correction.