Revelation 4
New Testament · English Majority Text Version with Greek parallel
Revelation chapter 4 is given here in full, verse by verse, in the English Majority Text Version (EMTV), with the Byzantine Majority Text set beneath each verse. The text follows the Byzantine textual tradition used in the Orthodox Church.
8 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Victorinus of Pettau.
Revelation 4
1After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you the things which must take place after this.”Μετὰ ταῦτα εἶδον, καὶ ἰδού, θύρα ἀνεῳγμένη ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, καὶ ἡ φωνὴ ἡ πρώτη ἣν ἤκουσα ὡς σάλπιγγος λαλούσης μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ λέγων, Ἀνάβα ὧδε, καὶ δείξω σοι ἃ δεῖ γενέσθαι μετὰ ταῦτα.
2Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was set in heaven (and One sitting on the throne)εὐθέως ἐγενόμην ἐν Πνεύματι, καὶ ἰδού, θρόνος ἔκειτο ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν θρόνον καθήμενος,
3similar in appearance to a jasper and sardius stone, and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.ὅμοιος ὁράσει λίθῳ ἰάσπιδι καὶ σαρδίῳ, καὶ ἶρις κυκλόθεν τοῦ θρόνου ὁμοίως ὅρασις σμαραγδίνων.
4Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw the twenty-four elders sitting, having been clothed in white robes; and on their heads were crowns of gold.κυκλόθεν τοῦ θρόνου θρόνοι εἴκοσι τέσσαρες, καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς θρόνους τοὺς εἴκοσι τέσσαρας πρεσβυτέρους καθημένους, περιβεβλημένους ἐν ἱματίοις λευκοῖς, καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν στεφάνους χρυσοῦς.
5And from the throne proceeded lightnings and voices and thunders. And seven torches of fire were burning before His throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.καὶ ἐκ τοῦ θρόνου ἐκπορεύονται ἀστραπαὶ καὶ φωναὶ καὶ βρονταί· καὶ ἑπτὰ λαμπάδες πυρὸς καιόμεναι ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου αὐτοῦ, αἵ εἰσιν ἑπτὰ πνεύματα τοῦ Θεοῦ·
6And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living beings full of eyes in front and in back.καὶ ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου ὡς θάλασσα ὑαλίνη ὁμοία κρυστάλλῳ. Καὶ ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ θρόνου καὶ κύκλῳ τοῦ θρόνου τέσσαρα ζῷα γέμοντα ὀφθαλμῶν ἔμπροσθεν καὶ ὄπισθεν.
7The first living being was like a lion, the second living being was like a calf, the third living being had a face of a man, and the fourth living being was like a flying eagle.καὶ τὸ ζῷον τὸ πρῶτον ὅμοιον λέοντι, καὶ τὸ δεύτερον ζῷον ὅμοιον μόσχῳ, καὶ τὸ τρίτον ζῷον ἔχον πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπου, καὶ τὸ τέταρτον ζῷον ὅμοιον ἀετῷ πετομένῳ·
8And the four living beings, each one having six wings apiece, were full of eyes around and within. And they never rest day or night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, He who was, and who is, and who is to come!”καὶ τέσσαρα ζῷα, ἓν καθ᾽ ἓν ἔχον ἀνὰ πτέρυγας ἕξ, κυκλόθεν καὶ ἔσωθεν γέμουσιν ὀφθαλμῶν. καὶ ἀνάπαυσιν οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς λέγοντες, Ἅγιος, ἅγιος, ἅγιος, ἅγιος, ἅγιος, ἅγιος, ἅγιος, ἅγιος, ἅγιος, Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ, ὁ ἦν καὶ ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος.
9Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanksgiving to Him that sits on the throne, to Him that lives forever and ever,καὶ ὅταν δῶσι τὰ ζῷα δόξαν καὶ τιμὴν καὶ εὐχαριστίαν τῷ καθημένῳ ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου, τῷ ζῶντι εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων,
10the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and they worship Him that lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:πεσοῦνται οἱ εἴκοσι τέσσαρες πρεσβύτεροι ἐνώπιον τοῦ καθημένου ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου, καὶ προσκυνήσουσι τῷ ζῶντι εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, καὶ βαλοῦσι τοὺς στεφάνους αὐτῶν ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου λέγοντες,
11“You are worthy, our Lord and God, the Holy One, To receive glory and honor and power; Because You created all things, And by Your will they existed and were created.”Ἄξιος εἶ, ὁ Κύριος καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ ἅγιος, λαβεῖν τὴν δόξαν καὶ τὴν τιμὴν καὶ τὴν δύναμιν, ὅτι σὺ ἔκτισας πάντα, καὶ διὰ τὸ θέλημά σου ἦσαν καὶ ἐκτίσθησαν.
The Fathers on Revelation 4
Victorinus of Pettau comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On Revelation 4:1Victorinus of Pettau1. “After this, I beheld, and, lo, a door was opened in heaven.”] The new testament is announced as an open door in heaven. “And the first voice which I heard was, as it were, of a trumpet talking with me, saying, Come up hither.”] Since the door is shown to be opened, it is manifest that previously it had been closed...
Read Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John →
On Revelation 4:2Victorinus of Pettau2. “Immediately I was in the Spirit.”] And since the mind of the faithful is opened by the Holy Spirit, and that is manifested to them which was also foretold to the fathers, he distinctly says:— “And, behold, a throne was set in heaven.”] The throne set: what is it but the throne of judgment and of the King?
Read Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John →
On Revelation 4:3Victorinus of Pettau3. “And He that sat upon the throne was, to look upon, like a jasper and a sardine stone.”] Upon the throne he says that he saw the likeness of a jasper and a sardine stone. The jasper is of the colour of water, the sardine of fire. These two are thence manifested to be placed as judgments upon God’s tribunal until...
Read Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John →
On Revelation 4:6Victorinus of Pettau6. “And before the throne there was, as it were, a sea of glass like to crystal.”] That is the gift of baptism which He sheds forth through His Son in time of repentance, before He executes judgment. It is therefore before the throne, that is, the judgment. And when he says a sea of glass like to crystal, he shows...
Read Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John →
On Revelation 4:7–10Victorinus of Pettau7–10. “The first living creature was like to a lion, and the second was like to a calf, and the third had a face like to a man, and the fourth was like to a flying eagle; and they had six wings, and round about and within they were full of eyes; and they had no rest, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord Omnipotent. And the...
Read Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John →
On Revelation 4:8Victorinus of Pettau8. “Six wings.”] These are the testimonies of the books of the Old Testament. Thus, twenty and four make as many as there are elders sitting upon the thrones. But as an animal cannot fly unless it have wings, so, too, the announcement of the New Testament gains no faith unless it have the fore-announced testimonies of...
Read Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John →
On Revelation 4:10Victorinus of Pettau10. “And they cast their crowns under His feet.”] That is, on account of the eminent glory of Christ’s victory, they cast all their victories under His feet. This is what in the Gospel the Holy Spirit consummated by showing, For when about finally to suffer, our Lord had come to Jerusalem, and the people had gone...
Read Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John →
On Revelation 4:5Open Revelation 4 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Victorinus of Pettau5. “And from the throne proceeded lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and seven torches of fire burning.”] And the lightnings, and voices, and thunders proceeding from the throne of God, and the seven torches of fire burning, signify announcements, and promises of adoption, and threatenings. For lightnings signify...
Read Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John →