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Revelation 4-5
Holman Christian Standard Bible
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:
Holy, holy, holy,[g]
Lord God, the Almighty,
who was, who is, and who is coming.
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:
11 Our Lord and God,[h]
You are worthy to receive
glory and honor and power,
because You have created all things,
and because of Your will
they exist and were created.
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)
You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because You were slaughtered,
and You redeemed[m] people[n]
for God by Your blood
from every tribe and language
and people and nation.(L)
10 You made them a kingdom[o]
and priests to our God,(M)
and they will reign on the earth.
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:
The Lamb who was slaughtered is worthy
to receive power and riches
and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and blessing!
13 I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them say:
Blessing and honor and glory and dominion
to the One seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb, forever and ever!
14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
Footnotes
- Revelation 4:2 Or in spirit; lit I became in the Spirit
- Revelation 4:3 Other mss omit and the One seated
- Revelation 4:3 A precious stone
- Revelation 4:3 A translucent red gem
- Revelation 4:6 Lit In the middle of the throne
- Revelation 4:8 Or they never rest
- Revelation 4:8 Other mss read holy 9 times
- Revelation 4:11 Other mss add the Holy One; other mss read Lord
- Revelation 5:4 Other mss add and read
- Revelation 5:5 Other mss add loose
- Revelation 5:6 Or standing in the middle of
- Revelation 5:7 Other mss include the scroll
- Revelation 5:9 Or purchased
- Revelation 5:9 Other mss read us
- Revelation 5:10 Other mss read them kings
Revelation 4-5
New International Version
Revelation 4-5
New International Version
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:
11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,(AE)
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.”(AF)
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)
“You are worthy(AY) to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood(AZ) you purchased(BA) for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.(BB)
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests(BC) to serve our God,
and they will reign[d] on the earth.”(BD)
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:
“Worthy is the Lamb,(BH) who was slain,(BI)
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”(BJ)
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:
“To him who sits on the throne(BL) and to the Lamb(BM)
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”(BN)
14 The four living creatures(BO) said, “Amen,”(BP) and the elders(BQ) fell down and worshiped.(BR)
Footnotes
- Revelation 4:5 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
- Revelation 4:8 Isaiah 6:3
- Revelation 5:6 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
- Revelation 5:10 Some manuscripts they reign
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.