Book of Common Prayer

In the throne room

4 After this I looked—and there was a door in heaven, standing open! The voice like a trumpet, which I had heard speaking with me at the beginning, spoke again. “Come up here,” it said, “and I will show you what must take place after these things.”

² At once I was in the spirit. There in heaven stood a throne, and someone was sitting on it. ³ The seated figure had the appearance of a jasper stone or a carnelian, and there was a rainbow around the throne, looking like an emerald. ⁴ Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and sitting on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white robes, and with golden crowns on their heads. ⁵ Flashes of lightning, rumblings and thunderclaps were coming from the throne, and in front of the throne seven lampstands, which are the seven spirits of God, were burning with fire. ^6a In front of the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal.

Praise to the creator

^6b In the middle of the throne, and all around the throne, were four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind. ⁷ The first creature was like a lion, the second creature was like an ox, the third creature had a human face, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. ⁸ Each of the four creatures had six wings, and they were full of eyes all round and inside. Day and night they take no rest, as they say,

The wise and wicked slaves

⁴⁵ “So,” Jesus went on, “who then is the trustworthy and sensible slave, the one the master will set over his household, so that he will give them their meals at the right time? ⁴⁶ Blessings on the servant whom the master finds doing just that when he comes. ⁴⁷ I’m telling you the truth: he’ll promote him to be over all his property. ⁴⁸ But if the wicked slave says in his heart, ‘My master’s taking his time,’ ⁴⁹ and starts to beat the other slaves, and to feast and drink with the drunkards, ⁵⁰ the master of that slave will come on a day he doesn’t expect, and at a time he doesn’t know. ⁵¹ He will cut him in two, and put him along with the hypocrites, where people will weep and grind their teeth.”