Revelation 4–5

Worship in Heaven

4At this point I had another vision and saw an open door in heaven. And the voice that sounded like a trumpet, which I had heard speaking to me before, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” ^2*At once the Spirit took control of me. There in heaven was a throne with someone sitting on it. ^3*His face gleamed like such precious stones as jasper and carnelian, and all round the throne there was a rainbow the colour of an emerald. ⁴In a circle round the throne were twenty-four other thrones, on which were seated twenty-four elders dressed in white and wearing crowns of gold. ^5*From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. In front of the throne seven lighted torches were burning, which are the seven spirits of God. ^6*Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

Surrounding the throne on each of its sides, were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and behind. ^7*The first one looked like a lion; the second looked like a bull; the third had a face like a human face; and the fourth looked like an eagle in flight. ^8*Each one of the four living creatures had six wings, and they were covered with eyes, inside and out. Day and night they never stop singing:

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,

who was, who is, and who is to come.”

⁹The four living creatures sing songs of glory and honour and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives for ever and ever. When they do so, ¹⁰the twenty-four elders fall down before the one who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They throw their crowns down in front of the throne and say:

¹¹“Our Lord and God! You are worthy

to receive glory, honour, and power.

For you created all things,

and by your will they were given existence and life.”

The Scroll and the Lamb

5^*I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who sits on the throne; it was covered with writing on both sides and was sealed with seven seals. ²And I saw a mighty angel, who announced in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” ³But there was no one in heaven or on earth or in the world below^b who could open the scroll and look inside it. ⁴I cried bitterly because no one could be found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside it. ^5*Then one of the elders said to me, “Don’t cry. Look! The Lion from Judah’s tribe, the great descendant of David, has won the victory, and he can break the seven seals and open the scroll.”

^6*Then I saw a Lamb standing in the centre of the throne, surrounded by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb appeared to have been killed. It had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God that have been sent throughout the whole earth. ⁷The Lamb went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who sits on the throne. ^8*As he did so, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each had a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. ^9*They sang a new song:

“You are worthy to take the scroll

and to break open its seals.

For you were killed, and by your sacrificial death you bought for God

people from every tribe, language, nation, and race.

^10*You have made them a kingdom of priests to serve our God,

and they shall rule on earth.”

^11*Again I looked, and I heard angels, thousands and millions of them! They stood round the throne, the four living creatures, and the elders, ¹²and sang in a loud voice:

“The Lamb who was killed is worthy

to receive power, wealth, wisdom, and strength,

honour, glory, and praise!”

¹³And I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, in the world below, and in the sea—all living beings in the universe—and they were singing:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb,

be praise and honor, glory and might,

for ever and ever!”

¹⁴The four living creatures answered, “Amen!” And the elders fell down and worshipped.