DIE OPENBARING 4
God sit op die troon
1 Hierna het ek, Johannes, in die hemel 'n deur gesien wat oopgemaak is, en die stem, soos die geluid van 'n trompet, wat ek die eerste keer met my hoor praat het, het gesê: “Kom op hierheen, en Ek sal vir jou wys wat hierna moet gebeur.”
2 Onmiddellik is ek deur die Gees meegevoer. Ek het gesien daar staan 'n troon in die hemel en op die troon sit daar Iemand. 3 Sy voorkoms was soos opaal en karneool. Om die troon was daar 'n reënboog met die glans van smarag. 4 Reg rondom die troon was daar vier en twintig ander trone, en op die trone het daar vier en twintig ouderlinge gesit. Hulle het wit klere aangehad, en op hulle koppe was daar goue krone. 5 Daar het weerligstrale, dreunings en donderslae van die troon af gekom. Vlak voor die troon het sewe fakkels helder gebrand. Dit is die sewe Geeste van God. 6 Voor die troon was dit soos 'n spieëlgladde see, helder soos kristal. Naby, rondom die troon, was daar vier lewende wesens, vol oë van voor en van agter.
7 Die eerste lewende wese het soos 'n leeu gelyk en die tweede soos 'n bul; die derde het 'n gesig soos dié van 'n mens gehad en die vierde het gelyk soos 'n arend wat vlieg. 8 Elkeen van die vier lewende wesens het ses vlerke gehad, wat aan die bokant en aan die onderkant vol oë was. Hulle het dag en nag sonder om te rus, gesê: “Heilig, heilig, heilig is die Here God, die Almagtige, Hy wat was en wat is en wat kom.”
9 Elke keer wanneer die lewende wesens heerlikheid, eer en dank toebring aan Hom wat op die troon sit, wat tot in alle ewigheid lewe, 10 kniel die vier en twintig ouderlinge voor Hom wat op die troon sit, en aanbid Hom wat tot in alle ewigheid lewe. Hulle sit dan hulle krone voor die troon neer en sê:
11 “Here, ons God, U is waardig om die heerlikheid en die eer en die mag te ontvang omdat U alles geskep het; deur u wil het alles ontstaan en is dit geskep.”
Revelation 4
1 After these things I looked, and behold a door was opened in heaven, and the first voice which I heard, as it were, of a trumpet speaking with me, said: Come up hither, and I will shew thee the things which must be done hereafter.2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and behold there was a throne set in heaven, and upon the throne one sitting.3 And he that sat, was to the sight like the jasper and the sardine stone; and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats; and upon the seats, four and twenty ancients sitting, clothed in white garments, and on their heads were crowns of gold.5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, and voices, and thunders; and there were seven lamps burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.6 And in the sight of the throne was, as it were, a sea of glass like to crystal; and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four living creatures, full of eyes before and behind.7 And the first living creature was like a lion: and the second living creature like a calf: and the third living creature, having the face, as it were, of a man: and the fourth living creature was like an eagle flying.8 And the four living creatures had each of them six wings; and round about and within they are full of eyes. And they rested not day and night, saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.9 And when those living creatures gave glory, and honour, and benediction to him that sitteth on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever;10 The four and twenty ancients fell down before him that sitteth on the throne, and adored him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:11 Thou art worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory, and honour, and power: because thou hast created all things; and for thy will they were, and have been created.