Revelation 4:1-5:14 After this, in my vision, I saw an open door in the heavens, and the first voice that I heard was like the blast of a trumpet speaking to me. It said-- 'Come up here and I will show you what must take place.'

Twentieth_Century⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ After this, in my vision, I saw an open door in the heavens, and the first voice that I heard was like the blast of a trumpet speaking to me. It said-- 'Come up here and I will show you what must take place.' ² Immediately after this I fell into a trance. There stood a throne in Heaven, and on the throne was One seated. ³ He who was seated on it was in appearance like a jasper and a sardius; and 'round the throne there was a rainbow' of the color of an emerald. ⁴ And round the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and on these I saw twenty-four Councillors sitting clothed in white robes; and on their heads they had crowns of gold. ⁵ Out from the throne 'come flashes of lightning, cries, and peals of thunder'! There are seven torches burning in front of the throne, which are the seven spirits of God; ⁶ and in front of the throne is what seemed to be a sea of glass, 'resembling crystal, while within the space before the throne and round the throne are four Creatures full of eyes' in front and behind. ⁷ The first Creature is like a lion, the second Creature like a calf, the third Creature has a face like a man's, and the fourth Creature is like an eagle on the wing. ⁸ These four Creatures have each of them six wings, and all round, and within, they are full of eyes; and day and night they never cease to say-- 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord, our God, the Almighty, who was, and who is, and who shall be.' ⁹ And, whenever these Creatures give praise and honour and thanks to him who is 'seated on the throne, to him who lives for ever and ever,' ¹⁰ the twenty-four Councillors prostrate themselves before him who is seated on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever, and throw down their crowns before the throne, saying-- ¹¹ 'Worthy art thou, our Lord and God, to receive all praise, and honour, and power, for thou didst create all things, and at thy bidding they came into being and were created.' ⁵ ¹ Then I saw at the right hand of him who was 'seated on the throne a book, with writing inside and out, and sealed' with seven seals; ² and I saw a mighty angel who was proclaiming in a loud voice-- 'Who is worthy to open the book and break its seals?' ³ But no one either in Heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the book or look within it. ⁴ At this I wept long, because no one could be found who was worthy to open the book or look within it. ⁵ But one of the Councillors said to me--'Do not weep. The Lion conquered--the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Scion of David--and can therefore open the book with its seven seals.' ⁶ Then, within the space between the throne and the four Creatures, and in the midst of the Councillors, I saw, standing, a Lamb, which seemed to have been sacrificed. It had seven horns and seven eyes. (These eyes are the seven Spirits of God, and they are sent into all the world.) ⁷ The Lamb came forward; and he has taken the book from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. ⁸ And, when he had taken the book, the four Creatures and the twenty-four Councillors prostrated themselves before the Lamb, each of them holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense. (These are the prayers of Christ's People.) ⁹ And they are singing a new song--'Thou art worthy to take the book and break its seals, for thou wast sacrificed, and with thy blood thou didst buy for God men of every tribe, and language, and people, and nation, ¹⁰ and didst make them a Kingdom of Priests in the service of our God, and they are reigning upon the earth.' ¹¹ Then, in my vision, I heard the voices of many angels round the throne, and of the Creatures, and of the Councillors. In number they were 'ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands,' ¹² and they cried in a loud voice--'Worthy is the Lamb that was sacrificed to receive all power, and wealth, and wisdom, and might, and honour, and praise, and blessing.' ¹³ And I heard every created thing in the air, and on the earth, and under the earth, and on the sea, and all that is in them crying--'To him who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb be ascribed all blessing, and honour, and praise, and dominion for ever and ever.' ¹⁴ And the four Creatures said 'Amen,' and the Councillors prostrated themselves and worshiped.