Worship in Heaven
1 After this, I looked and saw a door that opened into heaven. Then the voice that had spoken to me at first and that sounded like a trumpet said, “Come up here! I will show you what must happen next.” 2 Right then the Spirit took control of me, and there in heaven I saw a throne and someone sitting on it. 3 The one who was sitting there sparkled like precious stones of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow that looked like an emerald surrounded the throne.
4 Twenty-four other thrones were in a circle around that throne. And on each of these thrones there was an elder dressed in white clothes and wearing a gold crown. 5 Flashes of lightning and roars of thunder came out from the throne in the center of the circle. Seven torches, which are the seven spirits of God, were burning in front of the throne. 6 Also in front of the throne was something that looked like a glass sea, clear as crystal.
Around the throne in the center were four living creatures covered front and back with eyes. 7 The first creature was like a lion, the second one was like a bull, the third one had the face of a human, and the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings, and their bodies were covered with eyes. Day and night they never stopped singing,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord,
the all-powerful God,
who was and is
and is coming!”
9 The living creatures kept praising, honoring, and thanking the one who sits on the throne and who lives forever and ever. 10 At the same time the 24 elders knelt down before the one sitting on the throne. And as they worshiped the one who lives forever, they placed their crowns in front of the throne and said,
11 “Our Lord and God,
you are worthy
to receive glory,
honor, and power.
You created all things,
and by your decision they are
and were created.”
1 After this I looked, and beholde, a doore was open in heauen, and the first voyce which I heard, was as it were of a trumpet talking with mee, saying, Come vp hither, and I will shewe thee things which must be done hereafter. 2 And immediatly I was rauished in the spirit, and behold, a throne was set in heauen, and one sate vpon the throne. 3 And he that sate, was to looke vpon, like vnto a iasper stone, and a sardine, and there was a rainbowe rounde about the throne, in sight like to an emeraude. 4 And round about the throne were foure and twentie seates, and vpon the seates I sawe foure and twentie Elders sitting, clothed in white raiment, and had on their heads crownes of golde. 5 And out of the throne proceeded lightnings, and thundrings, and voyces, and there were seuen lampes of fire burning before the throne, which are the seuen spirits of God. 6 And before the throne there was a sea of glasse like vnto chrystall: and in the middes of the throne, and round about the throne were foure beasts full of eyes before and behinde. 7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calfe, and the thirde beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying Eagle. 8 And the foure beasts had eche one of them sixe wings about him, and they were full of eyes within, and they ceased not day nor night, saying, Holy, holy, holy Lord God almighty, Which Was, and Which Is, and Which Is to come. 9 And when those beasts gaue glorie, and honour, and thanks to him that sate on the throne, which liueth for euer and euer, 10 The foure and twentie Elders fell downe before him that sate on the throne and worshipped him that liueth for euermore, and cast their crownes before the throne, saying, 11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receiue glory and honour, and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy wils sake they are, and haue beene created.