In¹⁹ the middle of the throne²⁰ and around the throne were four living creatures²¹ full of eyes in front and in back. ^4:7The²² first living creature was like a lion, the²³ second creature like an ox, the third creature had a face like a man’s, and the fourth creature looked like an eagle flying. ^4:8Each one of the four living creatures had six wings²⁴ and was full of eyes all around and inside.²⁵ They never rest day or night, saying:²⁶

“Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God, the All-Powerful,²⁷

Who was and who is, and who is still to come!”

Read in Logos

Revelation 4:8: And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

Footnotes

18 This could refer to rock crystal, but it is possible this refers to ice (an older meaning). See 571 κρύσταλλος.
19 Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
20 Perhaps, “in the middle of the throne area” (see L&N 83.10).
21 On the meaning of ζῴον (zōon) 431 2 states, “Of the four peculiar beings at God’s throne, whose description Rv 4:6–9 reminds one of the ζῷα in Ezk 1:5ff, the cherubim. S. also Rv 5:6, 8, 11, 14; 6:1, 3, 5–7; 7:11; 14:3; 15:7; 19:4.”
22 Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
23 Both here and before the phrase “the third,” καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
24 Grk “six wings apiece,” but this is redundant with “each one” in English.
25 Some translations render ἔσωθεν (esōthen) as “under [its] wings,” but the description could also mean “filled all around on the outside and on the inside with eyes.” Since the referent is not available to the interpreter, the exact force is difficult to determine.
26 Or “They never stop saying day and night.”
27 On this word 755 παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God … (ὁ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π.… Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22.” A quotation from (or an allusion to) Isa 6:3.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.

And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight. And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,

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

who was and is and is to come!”

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 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. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“ ‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,’

who was, and is, and is to come.”

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal, was also before the throne.

Four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back were around the throne on each side. 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 man; and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings; they were covered with eyes around and inside. Day and night they never stop, saying,

Holy, holy, holy,

Lord God, the Almighty,

who was, who is, and who is to come.

NLTNew Living Translation

In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal.

In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying,

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

the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal, and in the midst of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. And the first living creature was similar to a lion, and the second living creature was similar to an ox, and the third living creature had a face like a man’s, and the fourth living creature was similar to an eagle flying. And the four living creatures, each one of them, had six wings apiece, full of eyes around and inside, and they do not have rest day and night, saying,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God All-Powerful,

the one who was and the one who is and the one who is coming!”

KJV 1900King James Version

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 beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

Public Domain