The Throne in Heaven

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) At once I was in the Spirit,(E) and there before me was a throne in heaven(F) with someone sitting on it. And 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. Surrounding 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. From 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. Also 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) The 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) Each 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)

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

The Scroll and the Lamb

Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne(AG) a scroll with writing on both sides(AH) and sealed(AI) with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel(AJ) proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion(AK) of the tribe of Judah,(AL) the Root of David,(AM) has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Then I saw a Lamb,(AN) looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures(AO) and the elders.(AP) The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes,(AQ) which are the seven spirits[c](AR) of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.(AS) And when he had taken it, the four living creatures(AT) and the twenty-four elders(AU) fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp(AV) and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers(AW) of God’s people. And they sang a new song, saying:(AX)

“You are worthy(AY) to take the scroll
    and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
    and with your blood(AZ) you purchased(BA) for God
    persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.(BB)
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests(BC) to serve our God,
    and they will reign[d] on the earth.”(BD)

11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand.(BE) They encircled the throne and the living creatures(BF) and the elders.(BG) 12 In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb,(BH) who was slain,(BI)
    to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
    and honor and glory and praise!”(BJ)

13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth(BK) and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne(BL) and to the Lamb(BM)
    be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”(BN)

14 The four living creatures(BO) said, “Amen,”(BP) and the elders(BQ) fell down and worshiped.(BR)

The Seals

I watched as the Lamb(BS) opened the first of the seven seals.(BT) Then I heard one of the four living creatures(BU) say in a voice like thunder,(BV) “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a white horse!(BW) Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown,(BX) and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.(BY)

When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature(BZ) say, “Come!” Then another horse came out, a fiery red one.(CA) Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth(CB) and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.

When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature(CC) say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse!(CD) Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures,(CE) saying, “Two pounds[e] of wheat for a day’s wages,[f] and six pounds[g] of barley for a day’s wages,[h](CF) and do not damage(CG) the oil and the wine!”

When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature(CH) say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse!(CI) Its rider was named Death, and Hades(CJ) was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.(CK)

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under(CL) the altar(CM) the souls of those who had been slain(CN) because of the word of God(CO) and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long,(CP) Sovereign Lord,(CQ) holy and true,(CR) until you judge the inhabitants of the earth(CS) and avenge our blood?”(CT) 11 Then each of them was given a white robe,(CU) and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,[i] were killed just as they had been.(CV)

12 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake.(CW) The sun turned black(CX) like sackcloth(CY) made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth,(CZ) as figs drop from a fig tree(DA) when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up,(DB) and every mountain and island was removed from its place.(DC)

15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free,(DD) hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains.(DE) 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us(DF) and hide us[j] from the face of him who sits on the throne(DG) and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day(DH) of their[k] wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”(DI)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 4:5 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
  2. Revelation 4:8 Isaiah 6:3
  3. Revelation 5:6 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
  4. Revelation 5:10 Some manuscripts they reign
  5. Revelation 6:6 Or about 1 kilogram
  6. Revelation 6:6 Greek a denarius
  7. Revelation 6:6 Or about 3 kilograms
  8. Revelation 6:6 Greek a denarius
  9. Revelation 6:11 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 12:10; 19:10.
  10. Revelation 6:16 See Hosea 10:8.
  11. Revelation 6:17 Some manuscripts his

Saying 20

24 Do not envy(A) the wicked,
    do not desire their company;
for their hearts plot violence,(B)
    and their lips talk about making trouble.(C)

Saying 21

By wisdom a house is built,(D)
    and through understanding it is established;
through knowledge its rooms are filled
    with rare and beautiful treasures.(E)

Saying 22

The wise prevail through great power,
    and those who have knowledge muster their strength.
Surely you need guidance to wage war,
    and victory is won through many advisers.(F)

Saying 23

Wisdom is too high for fools;
    in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths.

Saying 24

Whoever plots evil
    will be known as a schemer.
The schemes of folly are sin,
    and people detest a mocker.

Saying 25

10 If you falter in a time of trouble,
    how small is your strength!(G)
11 Rescue those being led away to death;
    hold back those staggering toward slaughter.(H)
12 If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,”
    does not he who weighs(I) the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
    Will he not repay(J) everyone according to what they have done?(K)

Saying 26

13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good;
    honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.
14 Know also that wisdom is like honey for you:
    If you find it, there is a future hope for you,
    and your hope will not be cut off.(L)

Saying 27

15 Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous,
    do not plunder their dwelling place;
16 for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again,
    but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.(M)

Saying 28

17 Do not gloat(N) when your enemy falls;
    when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice,(O)
18 or the Lord will see and disapprove
    and turn his wrath away from them.(P)

Saying 29

19 Do not fret(Q) because of evildoers
    or be envious of the wicked,
20 for the evildoer has no future hope,
    and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.(R)

Saying 30

21 Fear the Lord and the king,(S) my son,
    and do not join with rebellious officials,
22 for those two will send sudden destruction(T) on them,
    and who knows what calamities they can bring?

Further Sayings of the Wise

23 These also are sayings of the wise:(U)

To show partiality(V) in judging is not good:(W)
24 Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent,”(X)
    will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations.
25 But it will go well with those who convict the guilty,
    and rich blessing will come on them.

26 An honest answer
    is like a kiss on the lips.

27 Put your outdoor work in order
    and get your fields ready;
    after that, build your house.

28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause(Y)
    would you use your lips to mislead?
29 Do not say, “I’ll do to them as they have done to me;
    I’ll pay them back for what they did.”(Z)

30 I went past the field of a sluggard,(AA)
    past the vineyard of someone who has no sense;
31 thorns had come up everywhere,
    the ground was covered with weeds,
    and the stone wall was in ruins.
32 I applied my heart to what I observed
    and learned a lesson from what I saw:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
    a little folding of the hands to rest(AB)
34 and poverty will come on you like a thief
    and scarcity like an armed man.(AC)

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