天上的敬拜
1此后，我再观看，见天上有一扇门开了，又听见刚才那个像号角般响亮的声音对我说：“你上这里来，我要把以后必发生的事指示给你看。” 2我便立刻被圣灵感动，看见天上安设着一个宝座，有一位坐在宝座上， 3闪耀着碧玉和红宝石般的光彩。有一道翡翠般的彩虹围绕着宝座。 4宝座的周围设有二十四个座位，有二十四位长老坐在上面，他们身穿白袍，头戴金冠。 5从宝座中有闪电、响声、雷鸣发出，宝座前面燃烧着七把火炬，代表4:5 “代表”希腊文是“就是”。上帝的七灵。 6宝座前还有一个水晶般的玻璃海，宝座的四周有四个活物，他们前后都长满了眼睛。 7第一个活物像狮子，第二个像牛犊，第三个有人的面孔，第四个像飞鹰。 8这四个活物各有三对翅膀，翅膀内外都长满眼睛。他们昼夜不停地说：
“圣哉！圣哉！圣哉！
主上帝是昔在、今在、
以后永在的全能者。”
9每逢这些活物将荣耀、尊贵、感谢献给坐在宝座上、活到永永远远的那位时， 10二十四位长老就俯伏在坐宝座的那位面前，敬拜那位永活者，又摘下他们头上的冠冕，放在宝座前，说：
11“我们的主，我们的上帝，
你配得荣耀、尊贵和权能，
因你创造了万物，
万物都因你的旨意被创造而存在。”
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.”
