天上的敬拜
1此後，我再觀看，見天上有一扇門開了，又聽見剛才那個像號角般響亮的聲音對我說：「你上這裡來，我要把以後必發生的事指示給你看。」 2我便立刻被聖靈感動，看見天上安設著一個寶座，有一位坐在寶座上， 3閃耀著碧玉和紅寶石般的光彩。有一道翡翠般的彩虹圍繞著寶座。 4寶座的周圍設有二十四個座位，有二十四位長老坐在上面，他們身穿白袍，頭戴金冠。 5從寶座中有閃電、響聲、雷鳴發出，寶座前面燃燒著七把火炬，代表4·5 「代表」希臘文是「就是」。上帝的七靈。 6寶座前還有一個水晶般的玻璃海，寶座的四周有四個活物，他們前後都長滿了眼睛。 7第一個活物像獅子，第二個像牛犢，第三個有人的面孔，第四個像飛鷹。 8這四個活物各有三對翅膀，翅膀內外都長滿眼睛。他們晝夜不停地說：
「聖哉！聖哉！聖哉！
主上帝是昔在、今在、
以後永在的全能者。」
9每逢這些活物將榮耀、尊貴、感謝獻給坐在寶座上、活到永永遠遠的那位時， 10二十四位長老就俯伏在坐寶座的那位面前，敬拜那位永活者，又摘下他們頭上的冠冕，放在寶座前，說：
11「我們的主，我們的上帝，
你配得榮耀、尊貴和權能，
因你創造了萬物，
萬物都因你的旨意被創造而存在。」
1After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. 2And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. 3And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. 4And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. 5And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 6And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. 7And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. 8And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. 9And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, 10The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
