1After these things, I looked and saw a door opened in heaven. The first voice that I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me. It was saying, “Come up here, and I will show you the things which must happen after this.”
2Immediately I was in the Spirit, and behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting on the throne 3who had the appearance of jasper and ruby. There was a rainbow around the throne with the appearance of an emerald. 4Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones were twenty-four presbyters sitting, vested in white robes, with crowns of gold on their heads. 5From the throne came lightnings, voices, and thunders. There were seven lamps of fire burning before the2463 throne, which are the seven spirits of God. 6Before the throne, there was something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal. In the center and around the throne, there were four living creatures full of eyes on all sides. 7The first creature was like a lion, the second creature like a calf, the third creature had a human face, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. 8Each one of the four living creatures had six wings, full of eyes around and within. They have no rest day and night, saying:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty,
who was and who is and who is to come!”
9When the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to him who sits on the throne, to him who lives unto ages of ages, 10the twenty-four presbyters will fall down before him who sits on the throne and they will express adoration to2464 him who lives unto ages of ages. They will cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
11”Worthy are you, our Lord and God, the holy one,2465
to receive the glory, the honor, and the power,
for you created all things,
and because of your will2466 they existed, and were created!”
The scroll and the Lamb
- MT reads “his throne”—PT agrees with CT and TR
- proskuneo can also be translated “worship (in the broad sense),” “venerate,” “fall down in reverence,” “do obeisance” (see NT introduction regarding proskuneo)
- Other manuscripts omit “and God, the Holy One,”
- Or “desire”
Text: The Eastern / Greek Orthodox Bible, New Testament (EOB). Used with permission.
