Isaiah’s Commission

6 In the year that King Uzziah^(A) died,^(B) I saw the Lord,^(C) high and exalted,^(D) seated on a throne;^(E) and the train of his robe^(F) filled the temple. ² Above him were seraphim,^(G) each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet,^(H) and with two they were flying. ³ And they were calling to one another:

⁴ At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.^(M)

⁵ “Woe^(N) to me!” I cried. “I am ruined!^(O) For I am a man of unclean lips,^(P) and I live among a people of unclean lips,^(Q) and my eyes have seen^(R) the King,^(S) the Lord Almighty.”^(T)

⁴ Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders.^(A) They were dressed in white^(B) and had crowns of gold on their heads. ⁵ From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder.^(C) In front of the throne, seven lamps^(D) were blazing. These are the seven spirits^[a](E) of God. ⁶ Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass,^(F) clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures,^(G) and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.^{(H) 7} The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.^{(I) 8} Each of the four living creatures^(J) had six wings^(K) and was covered with eyes all around,^(L) even under its wings. Day and night^(M) they never stop saying: