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Revelation 4-5
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Revelation 4-5
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Heavenly Worship
4 After this I looked, and there in heaven a door stood open! And the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”(A) 2 At once I was in the spirit,[a] and there in heaven stood a throne, with one seated on the throne!(B) 3 And the one seated there looks like jasper and carnelian, and around the throne is a rainbow that looks like an emerald. 4 Around the throne are twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones are twenty-four elders, dressed in white robes, with golden crowns on their heads.(C) 5 Coming from the throne are flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder, and in front of the throne burn seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God,(D) 6 and in front of the throne there is something like a sea of glass, like crystal.
Around the throne, and on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and back:(E) 7 the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with a face like a human, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle.(F) 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and inside. Day and night without ceasing they sing,
“Holy, holy, holy,
the Lord God the Almighty,
who was and is and is to come.”(G)
9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever,(H) 10 the twenty-four elders fall before the one who is seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever; they cast their crowns before the throne, singing,(I)
11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created.”(J)
The Scroll and the Lamb
5 Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed[b] with seven seals,(K) 2 and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. 4 And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”(L)
6 Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered, with seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.(M) 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne. 8 When he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.(N) 9 They sing a new song:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to break its seals,
for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God
saints from[c] every tribe and language and people and nation;(O)
10 you have made them a kingdom and priests serving[d] our God,
and they will reign[e] on earth.”(P)
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,(Q) 12 singing with full voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”
13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea and all that is in them, singing,
“To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might
forever and ever!”(R)
14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the elders fell down and worshiped.
Revelation 4-5
New International Version
Revelation 4-5
New International Version
The Throne in Heaven
4 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open(A) in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet(B) said, “Come up here,(C) and I will show you what must take place after this.”(D) 2 At once I was in the Spirit,(E) and there before me was a throne in heaven(F) with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper(G) and ruby.(H) A rainbow(I) that shone like an emerald(J) encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders.(K) They were dressed in white(L) and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder.(M) In front of the throne, seven lamps(N) were blazing. These are the seven spirits[a](O) of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass,(P) clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures,(Q) and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.(R) 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.(S) 8 Each of the four living creatures(T) had six wings(U) and was covered with eyes all around,(V) even under its wings. Day and night(W) they never stop saying:
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne(Z) and who lives for ever and ever,(AA) 10 the twenty-four elders(AB) fall down before him(AC) who sits on the throne(AD) 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,(AE)
for you created all things,
and by your will they were created
and have their being.”(AF)
The Scroll and the Lamb
5 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne(AG) a scroll with writing on both sides(AH) and sealed(AI) with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel(AJ) proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion(AK) of the tribe of Judah,(AL) the Root of David,(AM) has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 Then I saw a Lamb,(AN) looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures(AO) and the elders.(AP) The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes,(AQ) which are the seven spirits[c](AR) of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.(AS) 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures(AT) and the twenty-four elders(AU) fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp(AV) and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers(AW) of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:(AX)
“You are worthy(AY) to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood(AZ) you purchased(BA) for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.(BB)
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests(BC) to serve our God,
and they will reign[d] on the earth.”(BD)
11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand.(BE) They encircled the throne and the living creatures(BF) and the elders.(BG) 12 In a loud voice they were saying:
“Worthy is the Lamb,(BH) who was slain,(BI)
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”(BJ)
13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth(BK) and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:
“To him who sits on the throne(BL) and to the Lamb(BM)
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”(BN)
14 The four living creatures(BO) said, “Amen,”(BP) and the elders(BQ) fell down and worshiped.(BR)
Footnotes
- Revelation 4:5 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
- Revelation 4:8 Isaiah 6:3
- Revelation 5:6 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
- Revelation 5:10 Some manuscripts they reign
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.