Revelation 4

New International Version

The Throne in Heaven

4 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) ²At once I was in the Spirit,^(E) and there before me was a throne in heaven^(F) with someone sitting on it. ³And 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. ⁴Surrounding 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. ⁵From 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. ⁶Also 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) ⁷The 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) ⁸Each 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)

⁹Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne^(Z) and who lives for ever and ever,^(AA) ¹⁰the 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

Revelation 4:5 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
Revelation 4:8 Isaiah 6:3

Isaiah 66

New International Version

Judgment and Hope

66 This is what the Lord says:

“Heaven is my throne,^(A)
    and the earth is my footstool.^(B)
Where is the house^(C) you will build for me?
    Where will my resting place be?
²Has not my hand made all these things,^(D)
    and so they came into being?”
declares the Lord.

“These are the ones I look on with favor:
    those who are humble and contrite in spirit,^(E)
    and who tremble at my word.^(F)
³But whoever sacrifices a bull^(G)
    is like one who kills a person,
and whoever offers a lamb
    is like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
whoever makes a grain offering
    is like one who presents pig’s^(H) blood,
and whoever burns memorial incense^(I)
    is like one who worships an idol.
They have chosen their own ways,^(J)
    and they delight in their abominations;^(K)
⁴so I also will choose harsh treatment for them
    and will bring on them what they dread.^(L)
For when I called, no one answered,^(M)
    when I spoke, no one listened.
They did evil^(N) in my sight
    and chose what displeases me.”^(O)

⁵Hear the word of the Lord,
    you who tremble at his word:^(P)
“Your own people who hate^(Q) you,
    and exclude you because of my name, have said,
‘Let the Lord be glorified,
    that we may see your joy!’
    Yet they will be put to shame.^(R)
⁶Hear that uproar from the city,
    hear that noise from the temple!
It is the sound^(S) of the Lord
    repaying^(T) his enemies all they deserve.

⁷“Before she goes into labor,^(U)
    she gives birth;
before the pains come upon her,
    she delivers a son.^(V)
⁸Who has ever heard of such things?
    Who has ever seen^(W) things like this?
Can a country be born in a day^(X)
    or a nation be brought forth in a moment?
Yet no sooner is Zion in labor
    than she gives birth to her children.^(Y)
⁹Do I bring to the moment of birth^(Z)
    and not give delivery?” says the Lord.
“Do I close up the womb
    when I bring to delivery?” says your God.
¹⁰“Rejoice^(AA) with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
    all you who love^(AB) her;
rejoice greatly with her,
    all you who mourn^(AC) over her.
¹¹For you will nurse^(AD) and be satisfied
    at her comforting breasts;^(AE)
you will drink deeply
    and delight in her overflowing abundance.”^(AF)

¹²For this is what the Lord says:

“I will extend peace^(AG) to her like a river,^(AH)
    and the wealth^(AI) of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried^(AJ) on her arm
    and dandled on her knees.
¹³As a mother comforts her child,^(AK)
    so will I comfort^(AL) you;
    and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”

¹⁴When you see this, your heart will rejoice^(AM)
    and you will flourish^(AN) like grass;
the hand^(AO) of the Lord will be made known to his servants,^(AP)
    but his fury^(AQ) will be shown to his foes.
¹⁵See, the Lord is coming with fire,^(AR)
    and his chariots^(AS) are like a whirlwind;^(AT)
he will bring down his anger with fury,
    and his rebuke^(AU) with flames of fire.
¹⁶For with fire^(AV) and with his sword^(AW)
    the Lord will execute judgment^(AX) on all people,
    and many will be those slain^(AY) by the Lord.

¹⁷“Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens,^(AZ) following one who is among those who eat the flesh of pigs,^(BA) rats^(BB) and other unclean things—they will meet their end^(BC) together with the one they follow,” declares the Lord.

¹⁸“And I, because of what they have planned and done,^(BD) am about to come^[a] and gather the people of all nations^(BE) and languages, and they will come and see my glory.^(BF)

¹⁹“I will set a sign^(BG) among them, and I will send some of those who survive^(BH) to the nations—to Tarshish,^(BI) to the Libyans^[b] and Lydians^(BJ) (famous as archers), to Tubal^(BK) and Greece,^(BL) and to the distant islands^(BM) that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory.^(BN) They will proclaim my glory among the nations. ²⁰And they will bring^(BO) all your people, from all the nations, to my holy mountain^(BP) in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord—on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,”^(BQ) says the Lord. “They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the Lord in ceremonially clean vessels.^(BR) ²¹And I will select some of them also to be priests^(BS) and Levites,” says the Lord.

²²“As the new heavens and the new earth^(BT) that I make will endure before me,” declares the Lord, “so will your name and descendants endure.^(BU) ²³From one New Moon to another and from one Sabbath^(BV) to another, all mankind will come and bow down^(BW) before me,” says the Lord. ²⁴“And they will go out and look on the dead bodies^(BX) of those who rebelled^(BY) against me; the worms^(BZ) that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched,^(CA) and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”

Footnotes

Isaiah 66:18 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.
Isaiah 66:19 Some Septuagint manuscripts Put (Libyans); Hebrew Pul

Revelation 5:5-10

New International Version

⁵Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion^(A) of the tribe of Judah,^(B) the Root of David,^(C) has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

⁶Then I saw a Lamb,^(D) looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures^(E) and the elders.^(F) The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes,^(G) which are the seven spirits^[a]^(H) of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.^(I) ⁸And when he had taken it, the four living creatures^(J) and the twenty-four elders^(K) fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp^(L) and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers^(M) of God’s people. ⁹And they sang a new song, saying:^(N)

“You are worthy^(O) to take the scroll
    and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
    and with your blood^(P) you purchased^(Q) for God
    persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.^(R)
¹⁰You have made them to be a kingdom and priests^(S) to serve our God,
    and they will reign^[b] on the earth.”^(T)

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Footnotes

Revelation 5:6 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
Revelation 5:10 Some manuscripts they reign

Revelation 21:1-5

New International Version

A New Heaven and a New Earth

21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”^[a]^(A) for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,^(B) and there was no longer any sea. ²I saw the Holy City,^(C) the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,^(D) prepared as a bride^(E) beautifully dressed for her husband. ³And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.^(F) They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.^(G) ⁴‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes.^(H) There will be no more death’^[b]^(I) or mourning or crying or pain,^(J) for the old order of things has passed away.”^(K)

⁵He who was seated on the throne^(L) said, “I am making everything new!”^(M) Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”^(N)

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