Revelation 4
New Matthew Bible
He sees heaven open, and the seat, and one sitting upon it, and 24 seats around it with 24 elders sitting upon them, and four creatures praising God day and night.
4 After this I looked, and behold, a door was open in heaven, and the first voice that I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me, which said, Come up here, and I will show you things that must be fulfilled hereafter. 2 And immediately I was in the Spirit, and behold, a seat was put in heaven, and one sat on the seat. 3 And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper stone and a sardine stone. And there was a rainbow about the seat, in sight like an emerald. 4 And around the seat were 24 seats, and upon the seats 24 elders sitting clothed in white raiment, and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
5 And out of the seat proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the seat, which are the seven spirits of God. 6 And before the seat there was a sea of glass like a crystal, and in the midst of the seat, and round about the seat, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. 7 And the first creature was like a lion, the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face as of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. 8 And the four creatures had each one of them six wings about him, and they were full of eyes within. And they had no rest day or night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!
9 And when those creatures gave glory and honour and thanks to him who sat on the seat, who lives forever and ever, 10 the 24 elders fell down before him who sat on the throne and worshipped him who lives forever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 You are worthy, Lord, to receive glory and honour and power, for you have created all things, and for your will’s sake they exist and were created.
Revelation 4
International Children’s Bible
John Sees Heaven
4 After this I looked, and there before me was an open door in heaven. And I heard the same voice that spoke to me before. It was the voice that sounded like a trumpet. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” 2 Then the Spirit took control of me. There before me was a throne in heaven. Someone was sitting on the throne. 3 The One who sat on the throne looked like precious stones, like jasper and carnelian. All around the throne was a rainbow the color of an emerald. 4 Around the throne there were 24 other thrones. There were 24 elders[a] sitting on the 24 thrones. The elders were dressed in white, and they had golden crowns on their heads. 5 Lightning flashes and noises of thunder came from the throne. Before the throne there were seven lamps burning. These lamps are the seven spirits of God. 6 Also before the throne there was something that looked like a sea of glass. It was clear like crystal.
Around the throne, on each side, there were four living things. These living things had eyes all over them, in front and in back. 7 The first living thing was like a lion. The second was like a calf. The third had a face like a man. The fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of these four living things had six wings. The living things were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day and night they never stop saying:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God All-Powerful.
    He was, he is, and he is coming.”
9 These living things give glory and honor and thanks to the One who sits on the throne. He is the One who lives forever and ever. And every time the living things do this, 10 the 24 elders bow down before the One who sits on the throne. The elders worship him who lives forever and ever. They put their crowns down before the throne and say:
11 “Our Lord and God! You are worthy
    to receive glory and honor and power.
You made all things.
    Everything existed and was made
    because you wanted it.”
Footnotes
- 4:4 24 elders Elder means “older.” Here the elders probably represent God’s people.
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
