Scene in Heaven

After (A)these things I looked, and behold, (B)a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, (C)like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “(D)Come up here, and I will (E)show you what must take place after these things.” Immediately I was (F)in the [a]Spirit; and behold, (G)a throne was standing in heaven, and (H)someone was sitting on the throne. And He who was sitting was like a (I)jasper stone and a (J)sardius in appearance; and there was a [b](K)rainbow around the throne, like an (L)emerald in appearance. (M)Around the throne were (N)twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw (O)twenty-four elders (P)sitting, clothed in (Q)white garments, and (R)golden crowns on their heads.

The Throne and Worship of the Creator

Out from the throne *came (S)flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were (T)seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are [c](U)the seven spirits of God; and before the throne there was something like a (V)sea of glass, like crystal; and in the [d]center and (W)around the throne, (X)four living creatures (Y)full of eyes in front and behind. (Z)The first living creature was like a lion, the second creature like a calf, the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. And the (AA)four living creatures, each one of them having (AB)six wings, are (AC)full of eyes around and within; and (AD)day and night [e]they do not cease to say,

(AE)Holy, holy, holy is the (AF)Lord God, the Almighty, (AG)who was and who is and who [f]is to come.”

And when the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to Him who (AH)sits on the throne, to (AI)Him who lives forever and ever, 10 the (AJ)twenty-four elders will (AK)fall down before Him who (AL)sits on the throne, and they will worship (AM)Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their (AN)crowns before the throne, saying,

11 (AO)Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You (AP)created all things, and because of Your will they [g]existed, and were created.”

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 4:2 Or spirit
  2. Revelation 4:3 Or halo
  3. Revelation 4:5 Possibly a symbolic reference to the Holy Spirit in His fullness, or to seven key angels
  4. Revelation 4:6 Lit middle of the throne and around
  5. Revelation 4:8 Lit they have no rest, saying,
  6. Revelation 4:8 Or is coming
  7. Revelation 4:11 Lit were

After these things I saw, and lo, a door opened in the heaven, and the first voice that I heard [is] as of a trumpet speaking with me, saying, `Come up hither, and I will shew thee what it behoveth to come to pass after these things;'

and immediately I was in the Spirit, and lo, a throne was set in the heaven, and upon the throne is [one] sitting,

and He who is sitting was in sight like a stone, jasper and sardine: and a rainbow was round the throne in sight like an emerald.

And around the throne [are] thrones twenty and four, and upon the thrones I saw the twenty and four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and they had upon their heads crowns of gold;

and out of the throne proceed do lightnings, and thunders, and voices; and seven lamps of fire are burning before the throne, which are the Seven Spirits of God,

and before the throne [is] a sea of glass like to crystal, and in the midst of the throne, and round the throne, [are] four living creatures, full of eyes before and behind;

and the first living creature [is] like a lion, and the second living creature [is] like a calf, and the third living creature hath the face as a man, and the fourth living creature [is] like an eagle flying.

And the four living creatures, each by itself severally, had six wings, around and within [are] full of eyes, and rest they have not day and night, saying, `Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is coming;'

and when the living creatures do give glory, and honour, and thanks, to Him who is sitting upon the throne, who is living to the ages of the ages,

10 fall down do the twenty and four elders before Him who is sitting upon the throne, and bow before Him who is living to the ages of the ages, and they cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

11 `Worthy art Thou, O Lord, to receive the glory, and the honour, and the power, because Thou -- Thou didst create the all things, and because of Thy will are they, and they were created.'

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