After this I looked, and there before me was a door
standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a
trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place
after this." At once I was in the
Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. And
the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow,
resembling an emerald, encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other
thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white
and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning,
rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing.
These are the seven spirits of God. Also
before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living
creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 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. Each of the four living
creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his
wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord
God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."
Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and
thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the
twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him
who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: "You
are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you
created all things, and by your will they were created and have their
being."
Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the
throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud
voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" But no one in heaven or on earth or under the
earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no
one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the
elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the
Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven
seals."
Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain,
standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures
and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits
of God sent out into all the earth. He
came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living
creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a
harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers
of the saints. And they sang a new song:
"You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were
slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and
language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests
to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth."
Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels,
numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They
encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice
they sang: "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and
glory and praise!"
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth
and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the
throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and
ever!"
The four living creatures said, "Amen," and
the elders fell down and worshiped.
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