A Revelation to John, 4

¹ After this I saw, and look! an opened door in heaven, and the first voice that I heard speaking with me was like a trumpet, saying: “Come up here, and I will show you the things that must take place.”

² After this I immediately came to be in the power of the spirit, and look! a throne was in its position in heaven, and someone was seated on the throne.

³ And the One seated had the appearance of a jasper stone and a sardius stone,^*1 and all around the throne was a rainbow like an emerald in appearance.

⁴ All around the throne were 24 thrones, and on these thrones I saw seated 24 elders dressed in white garments, and on their heads golden crowns.

⁵ From the throne were coming lightning and voices and thunders; and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, and these mean the seven spirits of God.

⁶ Before the throne was something resembling a glassy sea, like crystal. In the midst of the throne^*1 and around the throne were four living creatures that were full of eyes in front and behind.

⁷ The first living creature was like a lion, and the second living creature was like a young bull, and the third living creature had a face like a man’s, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.

⁸ As for the four living creatures, each one of them had six wings; they were full of eyes all around and underneath. And continuously, day and night, they say: “Holy, holy, holy is Jehovah^*1 God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is coming.”

⁹ Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanksgiving to the One seated on the throne, the One who lives forever and ever,

¹⁰ the 24 elders fall down before the One seated on the throne and worship the One who lives forever and ever, and they cast their crowns before the throne, saying:

¹¹ “You are worthy, Jehovah^*1 our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and because of your will they came into existence and were created.”