1 After this, in my vision, I saw an open door in the heavens, and the first voice that I heard was like the blast of a trumpet speaking to me. It said-- 'Come up here and I will show you what must take place.'
2 Immediately after this I fell into a trance. There stood a throne in Heaven, and on the throne was One seated.
3 He who was seated on it was in appearance like a jasper and a sardius; and 'round the throne there was a rainbow' of the color of an emerald.
4 And round the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and on these I saw twenty-four Councillors sitting clothed in white robes; and on their heads they had crowns of gold.
5 Out from the throne 'come flashes of lightning, cries, and peals of thunder'! There are seven torches burning in front of the throne, which are the seven spirits of God;
6 and in front of the throne is what seemed to be a sea of glass, 'resembling crystal, while within the space before the throne and round the throne are four Creatures full of eyes' in front and behind.
7 The first Creature is like a lion, the second Creature like a calf, the third Creature has a face like a man's, and the fourth Creature is like an eagle on the wing.
8 These four Creatures have each of them six wings, and all round, and within, they are full of eyes; and day and night they never cease to say-- 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord, our God, the Almighty, who was, and who is, and who shall be.'
9 And, whenever these Creatures give praise and honour and thanks to him who is 'seated on the throne, to him who lives for ever and ever,'
10 the twenty-four Councillors prostrate themselves before him who is seated on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever, and throw down their crowns before the throne, saying--