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After this I looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven; and the first voice which I heard was, as it were, of a trumpet talking with me, which said, “Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter.”

And immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was set in Heaven, and One sat on the throne.

And He that sat thereon was to look upon like a jasper and a sardius stone; and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in appearance like unto an emerald.

And round about the throne were four and twenty seats; and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment, and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God;

and before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four living beings full of eyes in front and behind.

And the first being was like a lion, and the second being like a calf, and the third being had the face of a man, and the fourth being was like a flying eagle.

And each of the four living beings had six wings about him, and they were full of eyes within; and they rested not day and night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come!”

And when those living beings give glory and honor and thanks to Him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,

10 the four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sits on the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

11 “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are, and were created.”

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)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 4:5 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
  2. Revelation 4:8 Isaiah 6:3