^19 (A)Write therefore ^(B)the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.

The Throne in Heaven

4 After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me ^(A)like a trumpet, said, ^(B)“Come up here, and ^(C)I will show you what must take place after this.” ² At once ^(D)I was in the Spirit, and behold, ^(E)a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. ³ And he who sat there had the appearance of ^(F)jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was ^(G)a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. ⁴ Around the throne were ^(H)twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, ^(I)clothed in white garments, with ^(J)golden crowns on their heads. ⁵ From the throne came ^(K)flashes of lightning, and rumblings^[a] and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning ^(L)seven torches of fire, ^(M)which are the seven spirits of God, ⁶ and before the throne there was ^(N)as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.

And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are ^(O)four living creatures, ^(P)full of eyes in front and behind: ^7 (Q)the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. ⁸ And the four living creatures, ^(R)each of them with six wings, are ^(S)full of eyes all around and within, and ^(T)day and night they never cease to say,

⁹ And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, ^(W)who lives forever and ever, ¹⁰ the twenty-four elders ^(X)fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast ^(Y)their crowns before the throne, saying,

¹¹ saying, ^(A)“Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

¹² Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw ^(B)seven golden lampstands, ¹³ and in the midst of the lampstands ^(C)one like ^(D)a son of man, ^(E)clothed with a long robe and ^(F)with a golden sash around his chest. ^14 (G)The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. ^(H)His eyes were like a flame of fire, ^15 (I)his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and ^(J)his voice was like the roar of many waters. ^16 (K)In his right hand he held seven stars, ^(L)from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and ^(M)his face was like the sun shining ^(N)in full strength.

^17 (O)When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But ^(P)he laid his right hand on me, ^(Q)saying, “Fear not, ^(R)I am the first and the last, ¹⁸ and the living one. ^(S)I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and ^(T)I have the keys of Death and Hades. ^19 (U)Write therefore ^(V)the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. ²⁰ As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and ^(W)the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and ^(X)the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

To the Church in Ephesus

2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of ^(Y)him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, ^(Z)who walks among the seven golden lampstands.

^2 (AA)“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but ^(AB)have tested those ^(AC)who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. ³ I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up ^(AD)for my name's sake, and you ^(AE)have not grown weary.