天上的寶座

這些事以後,我觀看,看哪,天上有一個敞開的門。我先前所聽見的,那如同號角對我說話的聲音就說:「你上到這裡來!我要把此後必須發生的事指示給你。」

我立刻就在靈裡了,看哪,有一個寶座安放在天上,有一位坐在寶座上。 坐著的那一位,[a]看起來彷彿碧玉和紅寶石;又有一道彩虹[b]圍著寶座,看起來彷彿綠寶石。 座位[c]的周圍,還有二十四個座位[d][e]在那些寶座上,坐著二十四位長老,身穿白衣,頭戴金冠冕; 從寶座中發出閃電、聲音和雷鳴;在寶座前,有七支燃燒著的火把,就是神的七個靈; 寶座前面,好像玻璃海,彷彿水晶;在寶座中間和寶座周圍,有四個活物,遍體前後布滿眼睛。 第一個活物彷彿獅子,第二個活物彷彿牛犢,第三個活物有像人一樣的臉,第四個活物彷彿飛翔的鷹。 那四個活物,各個都有六個翅膀,遍體內外都布滿了眼睛。他們日夜不停地[f]說:

「聖哉!聖哉!聖哉![g]
主、神、全能者,
昔在、今在、將要來臨的[h]那一位!」

每當四個活物把榮耀、尊貴和感謝歸給坐在寶座上、活到永永遠遠的那一位時, 10 二十四位長老就俯伏在坐寶座的那一位面前,敬拜活到永永遠遠的那一位,並且把自己的冠冕放在寶座前,說:

11 「我們的主、我們的神哪[i]
你配接受榮耀、尊貴和權能,
因為你創造了萬有;
萬有是因著你的旨意而存在、被創造的。」

Footnotes

  1. 啟示錄 4:3 有古抄本沒有「坐著的那一位,」。
  2. 啟示錄 4:3 彩虹——或譯作「光輪」或「光環」。
  3. 啟示錄 4:4 座位——原文直譯「寶座」。
  4. 啟示錄 4:4 座位——原文直譯「寶座」。
  5. 啟示錄 4:4 有古抄本附「我看見」。
  6. 啟示錄 4:8 不停地——或譯作「不歇息地」。
  7. 啟示錄 4:8 有古抄本重複「聖哉!」9次。
  8. 啟示錄 4:8 將要來臨的——或譯作「以後永在的」。
  9. 啟示錄 4:11 我們的主、我們的神哪——有古抄本作「主啊」;另有古抄本附「那位神聖的啊」。

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.

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

And 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.

And 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.

And 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.

And 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.

And 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.

And 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.

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

10 The 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,

11 Thou 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.

The Throne in Heaven

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) At once I was in the Spirit,(E) and there before me was a throne in heaven(F) with someone sitting on it. 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. 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. 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. 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) 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) 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:

“‘Holy, holy, holy

is the Lord God Almighty,’[b](X)

who was, and is, and is to come.”(Y)

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)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 4:5 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
  2. Revelation 4:8 Isaiah 6:3