Revelation 3:9-5:14

English Standard Version

⁹ Behold, I will make those of ^(A)the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, ^(B)I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that ^(C)I have loved you. ^10 (D)Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try ^(E)those who dwell on the earth. ^11 (F)I am coming soon. ^(G)Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize ^(H)your crown. ^12 (I)The one who conquers, I will make him ^(J)a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him ^(K)the name of my God, and ^(L)the name of the city of my God, ^(M)the new Jerusalem, ^(N)which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own ^(O)new name. ^13 (P)He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

To the Church in Laodicea

¹⁴ “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the ^(Q)Amen, ^(R)the faithful and true witness, ^(S)the beginning of God's creation.

¹⁵ “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. ^(T)Would that you were either cold or hot! ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. ^17 (U)For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, ^(V)blind, and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you ^(W)to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and ^(X)white garments so that you may clothe yourself and ^(Y)the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, ^(Z)so that you may see. ^19 (AA)Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. ²⁰ Behold, I stand at the door and ^(AB)knock. ^(AC)If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, ^(AD)I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. ^21 (AE)The one who conquers, ^(AF)I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as ^(AG)I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. ^22 (AH)He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

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 ^(AI)like a trumpet, said, ^(AJ)“Come up here, and ^(AK)I will show you what must take place after this.” ² At once ^(AL)I was in the Spirit, and behold, ^(AM)a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. ³ And he who sat there had the appearance of ^(AN)jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was ^(AO)a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. ⁴ Around the throne were ^(AP)twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, ^(AQ)clothed in white garments, with ^(AR)golden crowns on their heads. ⁵ From the throne came ^(AS)flashes of lightning, and rumblings^[a] and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning ^(AT)seven torches of fire, ^(AU)which are the seven spirits of God, ⁶ and before the throne there was ^(AV)as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.

And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are ^(AW)four living creatures, ^(AX)full of eyes in front and behind: ^7 (AY)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, ^(AZ)each of them with six wings, are ^(BA)full of eyes all around and within, and ^(BB)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, ^(BE)who lives forever and ever, ¹⁰ the twenty-four elders ^(BF)fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast ^(BG)their crowns before the throne, saying,

The Scroll and the Lamb

5 Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne ^(BK)a scroll written within and on the back, ^(BL)sealed with seven seals. ² And ^(BM)I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” ³ And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, ⁴ and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. ⁵ And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, ^(BN)the Lion ^(BO)of the tribe of Judah, ^(BP)the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

⁶ And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw ^(BQ)a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with ^(BR)seven eyes, which are ^(BS)the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷ And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. ⁸ And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders ^(BT)fell down before the Lamb, ^(BU)each holding a harp, and ^(BV)golden bowls full of incense, ^(BW)which are the prayers of the saints. ⁹ And they sang ^(BX)a new song, saying,

¹¹ Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering ^(CC)myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, ¹² saying with a loud voice,

¹³ And I heard ^(CE)every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,

¹⁴ And the four living creatures ^(CF)said, “Amen!” and the elders ^(CG)fell down and worshiped.