24 “The God who made the world and everything in it(A) is the Lord of heaven and earth(B) and does not live in temples built by human hands.(C) 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.(D) 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.(E) 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.(F) 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’[a](G) As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’[b]

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 17:28 From the Cretan philosopher Epimenides
  2. Acts 17:28 From the Cilician Stoic philosopher Aratus

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit(A) himself intercedes for us(B) through wordless groans. 27 And he who searches our hearts(C) knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes(D) for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good(E) of those who love him, who[a] have been called(F) according to his purpose.(G)

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Footnotes

  1. Romans 8:28 Or that all things work together for good to those who love God, who; or that in all things God works together with those who love him to bring about what is good—with those who

The Throne in Heaven

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) At once I was in the Spirit,(E) and there before me was a throne in heaven(F) with someone sitting on it. 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. 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. 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. 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) 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) 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:

“‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,’[b](X)

who was, and is, and is to come.”(Y)

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)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 4:5 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
  2. Revelation 4:8 Isaiah 6:3

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