The Heavenly Throne

4 After these things I looked, and behold, an open door in heaven, and the former voice that I had heard like a trumpet speaking with me was saying, “Come up here and I will show you the things which must take place after these things.” ² Immediately I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one was seated on the throne. ³ And the one seated was similar in appearance to jasper and carnelian stone, and a rainbow was around the throne similar in appearance to emerald. ⁴ And around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders dressed in white clothing, and on their heads were gold crowns. ⁵ And from the throne came out lightnings and sounds and thunders, and seven torches of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. ⁶ And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal, and in the midst of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. ⁷ And the first living creature was similar to a lion, and the second living creature was similar to an ox, and the third living creature had a face like a man’s, and the fourth living creature was similar to an eagle flying. ⁸ And the four living creatures, each one^[a] of them, had six wings apiece, full of eyes around and inside, and they do not have rest day and night, saying,

⁹ And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who is seated on the throne, the one who lives forever and ever^[c], ¹⁰ the twenty-four elders fall down before the one who is seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever^[d], and put down their crowns before the throne, saying,