Revelation 4-5

Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Throne Room of Heaven

4 After this I looked, and there in heaven was an open door. The first voice that I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”

² Immediately I was in the Spirit,^[a](A) and a throne was set there in heaven.^(B) One was seated on the throne, ³ and the One seated^[b] looked like jasper^[c] and carnelian^[d] stone. A rainbow that looked like an emerald surrounded the throne. ⁴ Around that throne were 24 thrones, and on the thrones sat 24 elders dressed in white clothes, with gold crowns on their heads. ⁵ Flashes of lightning and rumblings of thunder came from the throne. Seven fiery torches were burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.^{(C) 6} Something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal, was also before the throne. Four living creatures^(D) covered with eyes in front and in back were in the middle^[e] and around the throne. ⁷ The first living creature was like a lion; the second living creature was like a calf; the third living creature had a face like a man; and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. ⁸ Each of the four living creatures had six wings;^(E) they were covered with eyes around and inside. Day and night they never stop,^[f] saying:

⁹ Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne, the One who lives forever and ever, ¹⁰ the 24 elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, worship the One who lives forever and ever, cast their crowns before the throne, and say:

The Lamb Takes the Scroll

5 Then I saw in the right hand of the One seated on the throne a scroll with writing on the inside and on the back,^(F) sealed with seven seals. ² I also saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” ³ But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or even to look in it. ⁴ And I cried and cried because no one was found worthy to open^[i] the scroll or even to look in it.

⁵ Then one of the elders said to me, “Stop crying. Look! The Lion from the tribe of Judah,^(G) the Root of David,^(H) has been victorious^(I) so that He may open the scroll and^[j] its seven seals.” ⁶ Then I saw One like a slaughtered lamb standing between^[k] the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God^(J) sent into all the earth. ⁷ He came and took the scroll^[l] out of the right hand of the One seated on the throne.

The Lamb Is Worthy

⁸ When He took the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the saints. ⁹ And they sang a new song:^(K)

¹¹ Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and also of the living creatures and of the elders. Their number was countless thousands, plus thousands of thousands. ¹² They said with a loud voice:

¹³ I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them say:

¹⁴ The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.