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A Vision of God’s Throne in Heaven

After these things I saw a door standing open in heaven. I heard the first voice like a trumpet speaking to me. It said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.”

Instantly, I came under the Spirit’s power. I saw a throne in heaven, and someone was sitting on it. The one sitting there looked like gray quartz and red quartz. There was a rainbow around the throne which looked like an emerald.

Around that throne were 24 other thrones, and on these thrones sat 24 leaders wearing white clothes. They had gold crowns on their heads. Lightning, noise, and thunder came from the throne. Seven flaming torches were burning in front of the throne. These are the seven spirits of God.

In front of the throne, there was something like a sea of glass as clear as crystal. In the center near the throne and around the throne were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like a young bull, the third had a face like a human, and the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and were covered with eyes, inside and out. Without stopping day or night they were singing,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,
who was, who is, and who is coming.”

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, to the one who lives forever and ever, 10 the 24 leaders bow in front of the one who sits on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever. They place their crowns in front of the throne and say,

11 “Our Lord and God, you deserve to receive glory, honor, and power
because you created everything.
Everything came into existence and was created because of your will.”

The Throne Room of Heaven(A)

After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing (B)open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a (C)trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

Immediately (D)I was in the Spirit; and behold, (E)a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. [a]And He who sat there was (F)like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; (G)and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. (H)Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, (I)clothed in white [b]robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. And from the throne proceeded (J)lightnings, [c]thunderings, and voices. (K)Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are (L)the[d] seven Spirits of God.

Before the throne there [e]was (M)a sea of glass, like crystal. (N)And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. (O)The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each having (P)six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:

(Q)“Holy,[f] holy, holy,
(R)Lord God Almighty,
(S)Who was and is and is to come!”

Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, (T)who lives forever and ever, 10 (U)the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:

11 “You(V) are worthy, [g]O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
(W)For You created all things,
And by (X)Your will they [h]exist and were created.”

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 4:3 M omits And He who sat there was, making the following a description of the throne.
  2. Revelation 4:4 NU, M robes, with crowns
  3. Revelation 4:5 NU, M voices, and thunderings.
  4. Revelation 4:5 M omits the
  5. Revelation 4:6 NU, M add something like
  6. Revelation 4:8 M has holy nine times.
  7. Revelation 4:11 NU, M our Lord and God
  8. Revelation 4:11 NU, M existed