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。」
The Throne in Heaven
1After this I looked, and there in front of me was a door standing open in heaven. I heard the voice I had heard before. It sounded like a trumpet. The voice said, “Come up here. I will show you what must happen after this.” 2At once the Holy Spirit gave me a vision. There in front of me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3The one who sat there shone like jasper and ruby. Around the throne was a rainbow shining like an emerald. 4Twenty-four other thrones surrounded that throne. Twenty-four elders were sitting on them. The elders were dressed in white. They had gold crowns on their heads. 5From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and thunder. Seven lamps were blazing in front of the throne. These stand for the seven spirits of God. 6There was something that looked like a sea of glass in front of the throne. It was as clear as crystal.
In the inner circle, around the throne, were four living creatures. They were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7The first creature looked like a lion. The second looked like an ox. The third had a man’s face. The fourth looked like a flying eagle. 8Each of the four living creatures had six wings. Each creature was covered all over with eyes. It had eyes even under its wings. Day and night, they never stop saying,
“ ‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God who rules over all.’ (Isaiah 6:3)
He was, and he is, and he will come.”
9The living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to the one who sits on the throne. He lives for ever and ever. 10At the same time, the 24 elders fall down and worship the one who sits on the throne. He lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns in front of the throne. They say,
11“You are worthy, our Lord and God!
You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power.
You are worthy because you created all things.
They were created and they exist.
This is the way you planned it.”
