CHAPTER 4
After these things I saw, and lo! a door was opened in heaven. And the first voice that I heard, was as of a trump speaking with me, and said, Ascend thou up hither, and I shall show to thee which things it behooveth to be done soon after these things. (After these things I saw, and behold! a door was opened in heaven. And the voice like a trumpet, that I had heard before, (was) speaking to me, and it said, Come up here, and I shall show thee what it behooveth to be done next.)
And anon I was in (the) Spirit, and lo! a seat was set in heaven, and upon the seat one sitting. (And at once I was in the Spirit, and behold! there was a throne in heaven, and (One) sitting upon the throne.)
And he that sat (there), was like the sight of a stone jasper, and to sardine; and a rainbow was in [the] compass of the seat, (or and a rainbow was all around, or encompassed, the throne), like the sight of (an) emerald.
And in the compass of the seat were four and twenty small seats; and above [or upon] the thrones four and twenty elder men sitting, covered about with white clothes, and in the heads of them golden crowns. (And all around the throne were twenty-four small thrones; and sitting upon those thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white clothes, and with gold crowns on their heads.)
And lightnings, and voices (or and sounds), and thunderings came out of the throne; and seven lamps burning before the throne, which be the seven spirits of God.
And before the seat as a sea of glass, like crystal, and in the middle of the seat, and in the compass of the seat, [were] four beasts, full of eyes before and behind. (And in front of the throne was a sea of glass, like crystal, and in the midst of the throne, and around it, were four creatures, covered with eyes, in front and behind.)
And the first beast like a lion; and the second beast like a calf; and the third beast having a face as of a man; and the fourth beast like an eagle flying. (And the first creature was like a lion; and the second creature was like a calf; and the third creature had a face like a man; and the fourth creature was like an eagle in flight.)
And the four beasts had each of them six wings; and all about and within they were full of eyes; and they had not rest day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God almighty, that was, and that is, and that is to coming [or and that is to come]. (And each of the four creatures had six wings; and all about, inside and out, they were covered with eyes; and they had no rest day or night, but were always saying, Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.)
And when those four beasts gave glory, and honour, and blessing to him that sat on the throne, that liveth into (the) worlds of worlds, (And when those four creatures gave glory, and honour, and blessing to Him who sat on the throne, who liveth forever and ever,)
10 the four and twenty elder men fell down before him that sat on the throne, and worshipped him that liveth into (the) worlds of worlds. And they cast their crowns before the throne, and said, (the twenty-four elders fell down before Him who sat on the throne, and worshipped Him who liveth forever and ever. And they threw their crowns before the throne, and said,)
11 Thou, Lord our God, art worthy to take glory, and honour, and virtue; for thou madest of nought all things, and for thy will those were, and be made of nought. (Thou, Lord our God, art worthy to receive glory, and honour, and power; for thou madest everything out of nothing, yea, because of thy will, they were made out of nothing, and they be.)