Revelation 4–5

The Throne Room of Heaven

4After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing ^aopen in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a ^btrumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

²Immediately ^cI was in the Spirit; and behold, ^da throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. ³¹And He who sat there was ^elike a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; ^fand there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. ^4gAround the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, ^hclothed in white ²robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. ⁵And from the throne proceeded ⁱlightnings, ³thunderings, and voices. ^jSeven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are ^kthe ⁴seven Spirits of God.

⁶Before the throne there ⁵was ^la sea of glass, like crystal. ^mAnd in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. ⁷ⁿThe first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. ⁸The four living creatures, each having ^osix wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:

^p“Holy, ⁶holy, holy,

^qLord God Almighty,

^rWho was and is and is to come!”

⁹Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, ^swho lives forever and ever, ^10tthe twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:

¹¹“You ^uare worthy, ⁷O Lord,

To receive glory and honor and power;

^vFor You created all things,

And by ^wYour will they ⁸exist and were created.”

The Lamb Takes the Scroll

5And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne ^aa scroll written inside and on the back, ^bsealed with seven seals. ²Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ^c“Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” ³And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.

⁴So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open ¹and read the scroll, or to look at it. ⁵But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, ^dthe Lion of the tribe of ^eJudah, ^fthe Root of David, has ^gprevailed to open the scroll ^hand ²to loose its seven seals.”

⁶And I looked, ³and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood ⁱa Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and ^jseven eyes, which are ^kthe seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand ^lof Him who sat on the throne.

Worthy is the Lamb

⁸Now when He had taken the scroll, ^mthe four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the ⁿprayers of the saints. ⁹And ^othey sang a new song, saying:

^p“You are worthy to take the scroll,

And to open its seals;

For You were slain,

And ^qhave redeemed us to God ^rby Your blood

Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

¹⁰And have made ⁴us ^skings ⁵and ^tpriests to our God;

And ⁶we shall reign on the earth.”

¹¹Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, ¹²saying with a loud voice:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain

To receive power and riches and wisdom,

And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

¹³And ^uevery creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:

^v“Blessing and honor and glory and power

Be to Him ^wwho sits on the throne,

And to the Lamb, forever and ⁷ever!”

¹⁴Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the ⁸twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped ⁹Him who lives forever and ever.