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:

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)

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:

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:

¹⁴ The four living creatures^(BO) said, “Amen,”^(BP) and the elders^(BQ) fell down and worshiped.^(BR)

The Seals

6 I watched as the Lamb^(BS) opened the first of the seven seals.^(BT) Then I heard one of the four living creatures^(BU) say in a voice like thunder,^(BV) “Come!” ² I looked, and there before me was a white horse!^(BW) Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown,^(BX) and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.^(BY)

³ When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature^(BZ) say, “Come!” ⁴ Then another horse came out, a fiery red one.^(CA) Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth^(CB) and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.

⁵ When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature^(CC) say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse!^(CD) Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. ⁶ Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures,^(CE) saying, “Two pounds^[e] of wheat for a day’s wages,^[f] and six pounds^[g] of barley for a day’s wages,^[h](CF) and do not damage^(CG) the oil and the wine!”

⁷ When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature^(CH) say, “Come!” ⁸ I looked, and there before me was a pale horse!^(CI) Its rider was named Death, and Hades^(CJ) was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.^(CK)

⁹ When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under^(CL) the altar^(CM) the souls of those who had been slain^(CN) because of the word of God^(CO) and the testimony they had maintained. ¹⁰ They called out in a loud voice, “How long,^(CP) Sovereign Lord,^(CQ) holy and true,^(CR) until you judge the inhabitants of the earth^(CS) and avenge our blood?”^{(CT) 11} Then each of them was given a white robe,^(CU) and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,^[i] were killed just as they had been.^(CV)

¹² I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake.^(CW) The sun turned black^(CX) like sackcloth^(CY) made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, ¹³ and the stars in the sky fell to earth,^(CZ) as figs drop from a fig tree^(DA) when shaken by a strong wind. ¹⁴ The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up,^(DB) and every mountain and island was removed from its place.^(DC)

¹⁵ Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free,^(DD) hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains.^{(DE) 16} They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us^(DF) and hide us^[j] from the face of him who sits on the throne^(DG) and from the wrath of the Lamb! ¹⁷ For the great day^(DH) of their^[k] wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”^(DI)

144,000 Sealed

7 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners^(DJ) of the earth, holding back the four winds^(DK) of the earth to prevent^(DL) any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. ² Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal^(DM) of the living God.^(DN) He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea:^{(DO) 3} “Do not harm^(DP) the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads^(DQ) of the servants of our God.” ⁴ Then I heard the number^(DR) of those who were sealed: 144,000^(DS) from all the tribes of Israel.

The Great Multitude in White Robes

⁹ After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language,^(DT) standing before the throne^(DU) and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes^(DV) and were holding palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ And they cried out in a loud voice:

¹¹ All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders^(DY) and the four living creatures.^(DZ) They fell down on their faces^(EA) before the throne and worshiped God, ¹² saying:

¹³ Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes^(EC)—who are they, and where did they come from?”

¹⁴ I answered, “Sir, you know.”

And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes^(ED) and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.^{(EE) 15} Therefore,

Psalm 148