Revelation 4-5

Expanded Bible

John Sees Heaven

4 After the vision of these things I looked, and [^Llook; ^Tbehold] there before me was an open door in heaven. And the ·same [^Lfirst] voice that spoke to me before, that sounded like a trumpet [1:8], said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” ² Immediately I was in the ·Spirit [or spirit; ^Ca state of deep spiritual communion with God; 1:10], and [^Llook; ^Tbehold] before me was a throne in heaven, and someone was sitting on it. ³ The One who sat on the throne looked like precious stones, like jasper and carnelian [^Ca symbol of great beauty, purity and value]. All around the throne was a ·rainbow [or halo] ·the color of [or that looked like] an emerald. ⁴ Around the throne there were twenty-four other thrones with twenty-four elders sitting on them [^Cprobably angelic leaders]. They were dressed in white and had golden crowns [^Cwreaths symbolizing honor or victory; see 2:10] on their heads. ⁵ Lightning flashes and ·noises and thunder [or the rumbling of thunder; ^Cphenomena associated with God’s appearance at Mount Sinai; Ex. 19:16–18] came from the throne. Before the throne seven lamps were burning, which are the seven spirits [^Ceither angels or the “sevenfold Spirit”—the Holy Spirit portrayed in his perfection; 3:1] of God. ⁶ Also 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 [full of eyes], in front and in back. ⁷ The first living creature was like a lion. The second was like an ·ox [or calf]. The third had a face like a man. The fourth was like a flying eagle [Ezek. 1:10; ^Cangelic beings identified with the most powerful example of various species]. ⁸ Each of these four living creatures had six wings and was ·covered all over with eyes [full of eyes], inside and out. Day and night they never ·stop [rest from] saying:

⁹ [^LWhenever] These living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever. ¹⁰ Then 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 [cast/lay their crowns; 4:4] before the throne and say:

5 Then 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 [^Lsealed] with seven seals [^Ca wax stamp that sealed a document shut]. ² And I saw a ·powerful [mighty] angel ·calling [proclaiming] in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” ³ But there was no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth who could open the scroll or look inside it. ⁴ I cried ·bitterly [^Lmuch] because there was no one who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. ⁵ But one of the elders said to me, “Do not cry! [^LLook; ^TBehold] The Lion from the tribe of Judah [^Ca messianic title; Gen. 49:9–10], ·David’s descendant [^Lthe root of David; ^Ca messianic title applied to Christ; Is. 11:10], has ·won the victory [overcome; conquered] so that he is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

⁶ Then I saw a Lamb [^CJesus] standing ·in the center of the throne and in the middle of the four living creatures and the elders [or between the throne and the living creatures and among the elders]. The Lamb looked as if he had been ·killed [slaughtered; slain]. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God [^Ceither angels or the “sevenfold Spirit”; see 1:4] that were sent into all the world. ⁷ The Lamb came and ·took [received] the scroll from the right hand of the One sitting on the throne. ⁸ When he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders [4:4] ·bowed down [fell] 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 [Ps. 141:2]. ⁹ And they all sang a new song [Ps. 33:3; 40:3; 98:1] to the Lamb:

¹¹ Then 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 [^Lmyriads of myriads and thousands of thousands; ^Ca myriad can mean either ten thousand or many thousands; here means “countless”] of angels, ¹² saying in a loud voice:

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

¹⁴ The four living creatures said, “Amen [^CHebrew for “so be it”],” and the elders ·bowed down [fell] and worshiped.