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The Throne in Heaven

After (A)these things I looked, and behold, (B)a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, (C)like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “(D)Come up here, and I will (E)show you what must take place after these things.” Immediately I was [a](F)in the Spirit, and behold, (G)a throne was standing in heaven, and (H)One sitting on the throne. And He who was sitting was like a (I)jasper stone and a (J)sardius in appearance; and there was a [b](K)rainbow around the throne, like an (L)emerald in appearance. (M)Around the throne were (N)twenty-four thrones, and upon those thrones I saw (O)twenty-four elders (P)sitting, clothed in (Q)white garments, and (R)golden crowns on their heads. And out from the throne come (S)flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were (T)seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are (U)the seven Spirits of God. And before the throne there was something like a (V)sea of glass, like crystal. And in the [c]center and (W)around the throne, (X)four living creatures (Y)full of eyes in front and behind. (Z)And the first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. And the (AA)four living creatures, each one of them having (AB)six wings, are (AC)full of eyes around and within, and (AD)day and night [d]they do not cease to say,

(AE)Holy, holy, holy is the [e](AF)Lord God, the Almighty, (AG)who was and who is and who [f]is to come.”

And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who (AH)sits on the throne, to (AI)Him who lives forever and ever, 10 the (AJ)twenty-four elders will (AK)fall down before Him who (AL)sits on the throne, and will worship (AM)Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their (AN)crowns before the throne, saying,

11 (AO)Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You (AP)created all things, and because of Your will they [g]existed, and were created.”

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 4:2 Or in spirit
  2. Revelation 4:3 Or halo
  3. Revelation 4:6 Lit middle of the throne and around
  4. Revelation 4:8 Lit they have no rest, saying,
  5. Revelation 4:8 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Is 6:3
  6. Revelation 4:8 Or is coming
  7. Revelation 4:11 Lit were

John sees God’s heavenly throne

After this I looked and there was a door that had been opened in heaven. The first voice that I had heard, which sounded like a trumpet, said to me, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” At once I was in a Spirit-inspired trance and I saw a throne in heaven, and someone was seated on the throne. The one seated there looked like jasper and carnelian, and surrounding the throne was a rainbow that looked like an emerald. Twenty-four thrones, with twenty-four elders seated upon them, surrounded the throne. The elders were dressed in white clothing and had gold crowns on their heads. From the throne came lightning, voices, and thunder. In front of the throne were seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God. Something like a glass sea, like crystal, was in front of the throne.

In the center, by the throne, were four living creatures encircling the throne. These creatures were covered with eyes on the front and on the back. The first living creature was like a lion. The second living creature was like an ox. The third living creature had a face like a human being. And the fourth living creature was like an eagle in flight. Each of the four living creatures had six wings, and each was covered all around and on the inside with eyes. They never rest day or night, but keep on saying,

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

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one seated on the throne, who lives forever and always, 10 the twenty-four elders fall before the one seated on the throne. They worship the one who lives forever and always. They throw down their crowns before the throne and say,

11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
        to receive glory and honor and power,
            because you created all things.
                It is by your will that they existed and were created.”

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