天上的敬拜

此後,我再觀看,見天上有一扇門開了,又聽見剛才那個像號角般響亮的聲音對我說:「你上這裡來,我要把以後必發生的事指示給你看。」 我便立刻被聖靈感動,看見天上安設著一個寶座,有一位坐在寶座上, 閃耀著碧玉和紅寶石般的光彩。有一道翡翠般的彩虹圍繞著寶座。 寶座的周圍設有二十四個座位,有二十四位長老坐在上面,他們身穿白袍,頭戴金冠。 從寶座中有閃電、響聲、雷鳴發出,寶座前面燃燒著七把火炬,代表[a]上帝的七靈。 寶座前還有一個水晶般的玻璃海,寶座的四周有四個活物,他們前後都長滿了眼睛。 第一個活物像獅子,第二個像牛犢,第三個有人的面孔,第四個像飛鷹。 這四個活物各有三對翅膀,翅膀內外都長滿眼睛。他們晝夜不停地說:

「聖哉!聖哉!聖哉!
主上帝是昔在、今在、
以後永在的全能者。」

每逢這些活物將榮耀、尊貴、感謝獻給坐在寶座上、活到永永遠遠的那位時, 10 二十四位長老就俯伏在坐寶座的那位面前,敬拜那位永活者,又摘下他們頭上的冠冕,放在寶座前,說:

11 「我們的主,我們的上帝,
你配得榮耀、尊貴和權能,
因你創造了萬物,
萬物都因你的旨意被創造而存在。」

Footnotes

  1. 4·5 代表」希臘文是「就是」。

Scene in Heaven

After this I looked, and behold, [a]a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a [war] trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.” At once I was in [special communication with] the Spirit; and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with One seated on the throne.(A) And He who sat there appeared like [the crystalline sparkle of] [b]a jasper stone and [the fiery redness of] a sardius stone, and encircling the throne there was a rainbow that looked like [the color of an] emerald.(B) Twenty-four [other] thrones surrounded the throne; and seated on these thrones were [c]twenty-four elders dressed in white clothing, with crowns of gold on their heads.

The Throne and Worship of the Creator

From the throne came flashes of lightning and [rumbling] sounds and peals of thunder. Seven lamps of fire were burning in front of the throne, which are [d]the seven Spirits of God;(C) and in front of the throne there was something like a sea or large expanse of glass, like [the clearest] crystal. In the center and around the throne were four living [e]creatures who were full of eyes in front and behind [seeing everything and knowing everything that is around them].(D) [f]The first living creature was like a lion, the second creature like a calf (ox), the third creature had the face of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle.(E) And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes all over and within [underneath their wings]; and day and night they never stop saying,

Holy, holy, holy [is the] Lord God, the Almighty [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all], who was and who is and who is to come [the unchanging, eternal God].”(F)

Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanksgiving to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever,(G) 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and they worship Him who lives forever and ever; and they throw down their crowns before the throne, saying,

11 
“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they exist, and were created and brought into being.”(H)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 4:1 This chapter begins the revelation to John of future events.
  2. Revelation 4:3 In antiquity this name was given to various kinds and colors of precious stones, while the sardius was a reddish stone. The gems are indicative of royalty.
  3. Revelation 4:4 The twenty-four elders may indicate the twelve tribes of Israel together with the twelve apostles, representing redeemed humanity. Others say the twenty-four may be an angelic order of worship akin to the Aaronic priests.
  4. Revelation 4:5 See note 1:4.
  5. Revelation 4:6 Some scholars identify these creatures as cherubim glorifying God and guarding the throne of heaven; others suggest the creatures represent God’s attributes (especially His omniscience and omnipresence).
  6. Revelation 4:7 Jewish tradition suggests that during the exodus the four standards of the tribal triads depicted these images: the triad led by Judah, the lion; the triad led by Reuben, the man; the triad led by Ephraim, the ox; the triad led by Dan, the eagle.

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