Revelation 4:4-5

4:4 In ¹  a circle around the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on those thrones were twenty-four elders. They were ²  dressed in white clothing and had golden crowns ³  on their heads. 4:5 From ⁴  the throne came out flashes of lightning and roaring ⁵  and crashes of thunder. Seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God, ⁶  were burning in front of the throne

[4:4]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[4:4]  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.

[4:4]  ³ sn See the note on the word crown in Rev 3:11.

[4:5]  ⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[4:5]  ⁵ tn Or “sounds,” “voices.” It is not entirely clear what this refers to. BDAG 1071 s.v. φωνή 1 states, “In Rv we have ἀστραπαὶ καὶ φωναὶ καὶ βρονταί (cp. Ex 19:16) 4:5; 8:5; 11:19; 16:18 (are certain other sounds in nature thought of here in addition to thunder, as e.g. the roar of the storm?…).”

[4:5]  ⁶ sn Some interpret the seven spirits of God as angelic beings, while others see them as a reference to the sevenfold ministry of the Holy Spirit.