Revelation 4

After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

1After that, I looked. I saw a door standing open in heaven. The voice I heard before spoke to me again. It sounded like a loud horn. It said, "Come up here. I will show you what must happen later."

2And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

2Right away God's Spirit took hold of me. I saw a throne standing in heaven. A throne is the special seat a king sits on. Someone was sitting on it.

3And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

3The one sitting there shone like precious stones, jasper and carnelian. A rainbow circled the throne. It gleamed green like an emerald.

Note"Sardine stone" in the old wording is carnelian, a deep red gem. Jasper is another precious stone.

4And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

4Around the throne were twenty-four more thrones. On them sat twenty-four elders, leaders who are older and respected. They wore white clothes. They had gold crowns on their heads.

5And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

5Lightning flashed out of the throne. There were rumbles and loud claps of thunder. Seven torches of fire burned in front of the throne. These are the seven Spirits of God.

6And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

6In front of the throne was something like a sea of glass. It was clear as crystal. In the middle, around the throne, were four living creatures. They were covered with eyes, in front and in back.

NoteThe old wording says "beasts," but the word means living creatures, not wild animals.

7And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.

7The first creature looked like a lion. The second looked like a young ox. The third had a face like a man. The fourth looked like an eagle flying.

8And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

8Each of the four creatures had six wings. They were covered with eyes all over, inside too. Day and night they never stop saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. He always was. He is here now. He is coming."

9And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,

9The four creatures praise the one who sits on the throne. They give him glory and honor and thanks. He lives forever and ever.

10The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

10Every time they do this, the twenty-four elders bow down low before him. They worship the one who lives forever and ever. They lay their crowns down in front of the throne. They say,

11Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

11"You are worthy, our Lord and God. Glory and honor and power belong to you. You made everything there is. You wanted them, so they were made and they are here."

Note"For thy pleasure" in the old wording does not mean fun. It means "because you wanted it."