The Throne in Heaven

4 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open^(A) in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet^(B) said, “Come up here,^(C) and I will show you what must take place after this.”^{(D) 2} At once I was in the Spirit,^(E) and there before me was a throne in heaven^(F) with someone sitting on it. ³ And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper^(G) and ruby.^(H) A rainbow^(I) that shone like an emerald^(J) encircled the throne. ⁴ Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders.^(K) They were dressed in white^(L) and had crowns of gold on their heads. ⁵ From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder.^(M) In front of the throne, seven lamps^(N) were blazing. These are the seven spirits^[a](O) of God. ⁶ Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass,^(P) clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures,^(Q) and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.^{(R) 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.^{(S) 8} Each of the four living creatures^(T) had six wings^(U) and was covered with eyes all around,^(V) even under its wings. Day and night^(W) they never stop saying:

⁹ Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne^(Z) and who lives for ever and ever,^{(AA) 10} the twenty-four elders^(AB) fall down before him^(AC) who sits on the throne^(AD) and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

The Scroll and the Lamb

5 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne^(AG) a scroll with writing on both sides^(AH) and sealed^(AI) with seven seals. ² And I saw a mighty angel^(AJ) proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” ³ But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. ⁴ I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. ⁵ Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion^(AK) of the tribe of Judah,^(AL) the Root of David,^(AM) has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

⁶ Then I saw a Lamb,^(AN) looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures^(AO) and the elders.^(AP) The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes,^(AQ) which are the seven spirits^[c](AR) of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷ He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.^{(AS) 8} And when he had taken it, the four living creatures^(AT) and the twenty-four elders^(AU) fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp^(AV) and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers^(AW) of God’s people. ⁹ And they sang a new song, saying:^(AX)

¹¹ Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand.^(BE) They encircled the throne and the living creatures^(BF) and the elders.^{(BG) 12} In a loud voice they were saying:

¹³ Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth^(BK) and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

¹⁴ The four living creatures^(BO) said, “Amen,”^(BP) and the elders^(BQ) fell down and worshiped.^(BR)

The Setting Apart of the Levites

⁵ The Lord said to Moses: ⁶ “Take the Levites from among all the Israelites and make them ceremonially clean.^{(A) 7} To purify them, do this: Sprinkle the water of cleansing^(B) on them; then have them shave their whole bodies^(C) and wash their clothes.^(D) And so they will purify themselves.^{(E) 8} Have them take a young bull with its grain offering of the finest flour mixed with olive oil;^(F) then you are to take a second young bull for a sin offering.^{[a](G) 9} Bring the Levites to the front of the tent of meeting^(H) and assemble the whole Israelite community.^{(I) 10} You are to bring the Levites before the Lord, and the Israelites are to lay their hands on them.^{(J) 11} Aaron is to present the Levites before the Lord as a wave offering^(K) from the Israelites, so that they may be ready to do the work of the Lord.

¹² “Then the Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls,^(L) using one for a sin offering^(M) to the Lord and the other for a burnt offering,^(N) to make atonement^(O) for the Levites. ¹³ Have the Levites stand in front of Aaron and his sons and then present them as a wave offering^(P) to the Lord. ¹⁴ In this way you are to set the Levites apart from the other Israelites, and the Levites will be mine.^(Q)

¹⁵ “After you have purified the Levites and presented them as a wave offering,^(R) they are to come to do their work at the tent of meeting.^{(S) 16} They are the Israelites who are to be given wholly to me. I have taken them as my own in place of the firstborn,^(T) the first male offspring^(U) from every Israelite woman. ¹⁷ Every firstborn male in Israel, whether human or animal,^(V) is mine. When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set them apart for myself.^{(W) 18} And I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn sons in Israel.^{(X) 19} From among all the Israelites, I have given the Levites as gifts to Aaron and his sons^(Y) to do the work at the tent of meeting on behalf of the Israelites^(Z) and to make atonement for them^(AA) so that no plague will strike the Israelites when they go near the sanctuary.”

²⁰ Moses, Aaron and the whole Israelite community did with the Levites just as the Lord commanded Moses. ²¹ The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes.^(AB) Then Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the Lord and made atonement^(AC) for them to purify them.^{(AD) 22} After that, the Levites came to do their work^(AE) at the tent of meeting under the supervision of Aaron and his sons. They did with the Levites just as the Lord commanded Moses.

²³ The Lord said to Moses, ²⁴ “This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years old or more^(AF) shall come to take part in the work at the tent of meeting,^{(AG) 25} but at the age of fifty,^(AH) they must retire from their regular service and work no longer. ²⁶ They may assist their brothers in performing their duties at the tent of meeting, but they themselves must not do the work.^(AI) This, then, is how you are to assign the responsibilities of the Levites.”

²³ Yet a time is coming and has now come^(A) when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit^(B) and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. ²⁴ God is spirit,^(C) and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”