John sees God’s heavenly throne

4 After this I looked and there was a door that had been opened in heaven. The first voice that I had heard, which sounded like a trumpet, said to me, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” ² At once I was in a Spirit-inspired trance and I saw a throne in heaven, and someone was seated on the throne. ³ The one seated there looked like jasper and carnelian, and surrounding the throne was a rainbow that looked like an emerald. ⁴ Twenty-four thrones, with twenty-four elders seated upon them, surrounded the throne. The elders were dressed in white clothing and had gold crowns on their heads. ⁵ From the throne came lightning, voices, and thunder. In front of the throne were seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God. ⁶ Something like a glass sea, like crystal, was in front of the throne.

In the center, by the throne, were four living creatures encircling the throne. These creatures were covered with eyes on the front and on the back. ⁷ The first living creature was like a lion. The second living creature was like an ox. The third living creature had a face like a human being. And the fourth living creature was like an eagle in flight. ⁸ Each of the four living creatures had six wings, and each was covered all around and on the inside with eyes. They never rest day or night, but keep on saying,

⁹ Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one seated on the throne, who lives forever and always, ¹⁰ the twenty-four elders fall before the one seated on the throne. They worship the one who lives forever and always. They throw down their crowns before the throne and say,

Psalm 150

Faithful service

¹¹ As they listened to this, Jesus told them another parable because he was near Jerusalem and they thought God’s kingdom would appear right away. ¹² He said, “A certain man who was born into royalty went to a distant land to receive his kingdom and then return. ¹³ He called together ten servants and gave each of them money worth four months’ wages.^[a] He said, ‘Do business with this until I return.’ ¹⁴ His citizens hated him, so they sent a representative after him who said, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’ ¹⁵ After receiving his kingdom, he returned and called the servants to whom he had given the money to find out how much they had earned. ¹⁶ The first servant came forward and said, ‘Your money has earned a return of one thousand percent.’ ¹⁷ The king replied, ‘Excellent! You are a good servant. Because you have been faithful in a small matter, you will have authority over ten cities.’

¹⁸ “The second servant came and said, ‘Master, your money has made a return of five hundred percent.’ ¹⁹ To this one, the king said, ‘You will have authority over five cities.’

²⁰ “Another servant came and said, ‘Master, here is your money. I wrapped it up in a scarf for safekeeping. ²¹ I was afraid of you because you are a stern man. You withdraw what you haven’t deposited and you harvest what you haven’t planted.’ ²² The king replied, ‘I will judge you by the words of your own mouth, you worthless servant! You knew, did you, that I’m a stern man, withdrawing what I didn’t deposit, and harvesting what I didn’t plant? ²³ Why then didn’t you put my money in the bank? Then when I arrived, at least I could have gotten it back with interest.’

²⁴ “He said to his attendants, ‘Take his money and give it to the one who has ten times as much.’ ²⁵ ‘But Master,’ they said, ‘he already has ten times as much!’ ²⁶ He replied, ‘I say to you that everyone who has will be given more, but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. ²⁷ As for my enemies who don’t want me as their king, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’”

²⁸ After Jesus said this, he continued on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.