Revelation 4-5

Easy-to-Read Version

John Sees Heaven

4 Then I looked, and there before me was an open door in heaven. And I heard the same voice that spoke to me before. It was the voice that sounded like a trumpet. It said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” ² Immediately the Spirit took control of me, and there in heaven was a throne with someone sitting on it. ³ The one sitting there was as beautiful as precious stones, like jasper and carnelian. All around the throne was a rainbow with clear colors like an emerald.

⁴ In a circle around the throne were 24 other thrones with 24 elders sitting on them. The elders were dressed in white, and they had golden crowns on their heads. ⁵ Lightning flashes and noises of thunder came from the throne. Before the throne there were seven lamps burning, which are the seven Spirits of God. ⁶ Also before the throne there was something that looked like a sea of glass, as clear as crystal.

In front of the throne and on each side of it there were four living beings. They had eyes all over them, in front and in back. ⁷ The first living being was like a lion. The second was like a bull. The third had a face like a man. The fourth was like a flying eagle. ⁸ Each of these four living beings had six wings. They were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day and night they never stopped saying,

⁹ These living beings were giving glory and honor and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, the one who lives forever and ever. And every time they did this, ¹⁰ the 24 elders bowed down before the one who sits on the throne. They worshiped him who lives forever and ever. They put their crowns down before the throne and said,

Who Can Open the Scroll?

5 Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. The scroll had writing on both sides and was kept closed with seven seals. ² And I saw a powerful angel, who called in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” ³ But there was no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth who could open the scroll or look inside it. ⁴ I cried and cried because there was no one who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. ⁵ But one of the elders said to me, “Don’t cry! The Lion^[a] from the tribe of Judah has won the victory. He is David’s descendant. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

⁶ Then I saw a Lamb standing in the center near the throne with the four living beings around it. The elders were also around the Lamb. The Lamb looked as if it had been killed. It had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God that were sent into all the world. ⁷ The Lamb came and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. ⁸ After the Lamb took the scroll, the four living beings and the 24 elders bowed down before the Lamb. Each one of them had a harp. Also, they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s holy people. ⁹ And they all sang a new song to the Lamb:

¹¹ Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels. The angels were around the throne, the four living beings, and the elders. There were thousands and thousands of angels—10,000 times 10,000. ¹² The angels said in a loud voice,

¹³ Then I heard every created being that is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, everything in all these places, saying,

¹⁴ The four living beings said, “Amen!” And the elders bowed down and worshiped.