Revelation 4
Amplified Bible
Scene in Heaven
4 After this I looked, and behold, [a]a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a [war] trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.” 2 At once I was in [special communication with] the Spirit; and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with One seated on the throne.(A) 3 And He who sat there appeared like [the crystalline sparkle of] [b]a jasper stone and [the fiery redness of] a sardius stone, and encircling the throne there was a rainbow that looked like [the color of an] emerald.(B) 4 Twenty-four [other] thrones surrounded the throne; and seated on these thrones were [c]twenty-four elders dressed in white clothing, with crowns of gold on their heads.
The Throne and Worship of the Creator
5 From the throne came flashes of lightning and [rumbling] sounds and peals of thunder. Seven lamps of fire were burning in front of the throne, which are [d]the seven Spirits of God;(C) 6 and in front of the throne there was something like a sea or large expanse of glass, like [the clearest] crystal. In the center and around the throne were four living [e]creatures who were full of eyes in front and behind [seeing everything and knowing everything that is around them].(D) 7 [f]The first living creature was like a lion, the second creature like a calf (ox), the third creature had the face of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle.(E) 8 And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes all over and within [underneath their wings]; and day and night they never stop saying,
“Holy, holy, holy [is the] Lord God, the Almighty [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all], who was and who is and who is to come [the unchanging, eternal God].”(F)
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanksgiving to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever,(G) 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and they worship Him who lives forever and ever; and they throw down their crowns before the throne, saying,
11
“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they exist, and were created and brought into being.”(H)
Footnotes
- Revelation 4:1 This chapter begins the revelation to John of future events.
- Revelation 4:3 In antiquity this name was given to various kinds and colors of precious stones, while the sardius was a reddish stone. The gems are indicative of royalty.
- Revelation 4:4 The twenty-four elders may indicate the twelve tribes of Israel together with the twelve apostles, representing redeemed humanity. Others say the twenty-four may be an angelic order of worship akin to the Aaronic priests.
- Revelation 4:5 See note 1:4.
- Revelation 4:6 Some scholars identify these creatures as cherubim glorifying God and guarding the throne of heaven; others suggest the creatures represent God’s attributes (especially His omniscience and omnipresence).
- Revelation 4:7 Jewish tradition suggests that during the exodus the four standards of the tribal triads depicted these images: the triad led by Judah, the lion; the triad led by Reuben, the man; the triad led by Ephraim, the ox; the triad led by Dan, the eagle.
Revelation 4
Easy-to-Read Version
John Sees Heaven
4 Then 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. It said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” 2 Immediately the Spirit took control of me, and there in heaven was a throne with someone sitting on it. 3 The one sitting there was as beautiful as precious stones, like jasper and carnelian. All around the throne was a rainbow with clear colors like an emerald.
4 In a circle around the throne were 24 other thrones with 24 elders sitting on them. 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, which are the seven Spirits of God. 6 Also before the throne there was something that looked like a sea of glass, as clear as crystal.
In front of the throne and on each side of it there were four living beings. They had eyes all over them, in front and in back. 7 The first living being was like a lion. The second was like a bull. The third had a face like a man. The fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of these four living beings had six wings. They were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day and night they never stopped saying,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God All-Powerful.
He always was, he is, and he is coming.”
9 These living beings were giving glory and honor and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, the one who lives forever and ever. And every time they did this, 10 the 24 elders bowed down before the one who sits on the throne. They worshiped him who lives forever and ever. They put their crowns down before the throne and said,
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.”
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