Revelation 4–5

John Sees Heaven

4After the vision of these things I looked, and there before me was an open door in heaven. And the same voice that spoke to me before, that sounded like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” ²Immediately I was in the Spirit, and before me was a throne in heaven, and someone was sitting on it. ³The One who sat on the throne looked like precious stones, like jasper and carnelian. All around the throne was a rainbow the color of an emerald. ⁴Around the throne there were twenty-four other thrones with twenty-four elders sitting on them. They were dressed in white and had golden crowns on their heads. ⁵Lightning flashes and noises and thunder came from the throne. Before the throne seven lamps were burning, which are the seven spirits of God. ⁶Also before the throne there was something that looked like a sea of glass, clear like crystal.

In the center and around the throne were four living creatures with eyes all over them, in front and in back. ⁷The first living creature was like a lion. The second was like a calf. The third had a face like a man. The fourth was like a flying eagle. ⁸Each of these four living creatures had six wings and was covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day and night they never stop saying:

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

He was, he is, and he is coming.”

⁹These living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever. ¹⁰Then the twenty-four elders bow down before the One who sits on the throne, and they worship him who lives forever and ever. They put their crowns down before the throne and say:

¹¹“You are worthy, our Lord and God,

to receive glory and honor and power,

because you made all things.

Everything existed and was made,

because you wanted it.”

5Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the One sitting on the throne. The scroll had writing on both sides and was kept closed with seven seals. ²And I saw a powerful angel calling 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 under the earth who could open the scroll or look inside it. ⁴I cried bitterly because there was no one who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. ⁵But one of the elders said to me, “Do not cry! The Lion ⁿ from the tribe of Judah, David’s descendant, has won the victory so that he is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

⁶Then I saw a Lamb standing in the center of the throne and in the middle of the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb looked as if he had been killed. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God that were sent into all the world. ⁷The Lamb came and took the scroll from the right hand of the One sitting on the throne. ⁸When he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders bowed down before the Lamb. Each one of them had a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s holy people. ⁹And they all sang a new song to the Lamb:

“You are worthy to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

because you were killed,

and with the blood of your death you bought people for God

from every tribe, language, people, and nation.

¹⁰You made them to be a kingdom of priests for our God,

and they will rule on the earth.”

¹¹Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels around the throne, and the four living creatures, and the elders. There were thousands and thousands of angels, ¹²saying in a loud voice:

“The Lamb who was killed is worthy

to receive power, wealth, wisdom, and strength,

honor, glory, and praise!”

¹³Then I heard all creatures in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea saying:

“To the One who sits on the throne

and to the Lamb

be praise and honor and glory and power

forever and ever.”

¹⁴The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders bowed down and worshiped.