In 5 the middle of the throne 6 and around the throne were four living creatures 7 full of eyes in front and in back.
4:9 And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, 8 and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 4:10 the twenty-four elders throw themselves to the ground 9 before the one who sits on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever, and they offer their crowns 10 before his 11 throne, saying:
1 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
2 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the words “They were” to indicate the connection to the preceding material.
3 sn See the note on the word crown in Rev 3:11.
4 tn This could refer to rock crystal, but it is possible this refers to ice (an older meaning). See BDAG 571 s.v. κρύσταλλος.
5 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
6 tn Perhaps, “in the middle of the throne area” (see L&N 83.10).
7 tn On the meaning of ζῴον (zwon) BDAG 431 s.v. 2 states, “Of the four peculiar beings at God’s throne, whose description Rv 4:6-9 reminds one of the ζῷα in Ezk 1:5ff, the cherubim. S. also Rv 5:6, 8, 11, 14; 6:1, 3, 5-7; 7:11; 14:3; 15:7; 19:4.”
8 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
9 tn Grk “the twenty-four elders fall down.” BDAG 815 s.v. πίπτω 1.b.α.ב. has “fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion or humility, before high-ranking persons or divine beings.”
10 sn See the note on the word crown in Rev 3:11.
11 tn The pronoun “his” is understood from the demonstrative force of the article τοῦ (tou) before θρόνου (qronou).