Revelation 4

The Throne in Heaven

4After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing openⁱ in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet^j said, “Come up here,^k and I will show you what must take place after this.”^{l 2}At once I was in the Spirit,^m and there before me was a throne in heavenⁿ with someone sitting on it. ³And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper^o and ruby.^p A rainbow^q that shone like an emerald^r encircled the throne. ⁴Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders.^s They were dressed in white^t and had crowns of gold on their heads. ⁵From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder.^u In front of the throne, seven lamps^v were blazing. These are the seven spirits^aw of God. ⁶Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass,^x clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures,^y and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.^{z 7}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.^{a 8}Each of the four living creatures^b had six wings^c and was covered with eyes all around,^d even under its wings. Day and night^e they never stop saying:

“ ‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,’^bf

who was, and is, and is to come.”^g

⁹Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne^h and who lives for ever and ever,^{i 10}the twenty-four elders^j fall down before him^k who sits on the throne^l 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,^m

for you created all things,

and by your will they were created

and have their being.”ⁿ