Revelation 4:6

4:6 and in front of the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal. ¹ 

In ²  the middle of the throne ³  and around the throne were four living creatures ⁴  full of eyes in front and in back.

Revelation 4:9

4:9 And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, ⁵  and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,

Revelation 19:4

19:4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures threw themselves to the ground ⁶  and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne, saying: “Amen! Hallelujah!”

Revelation 5:8

5:8 and when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders threw themselves to the ground ⁷  before the Lamb. Each ⁸  of them had a harp and golden bowls full of incense (which are the prayers of the saints). ⁹ 

Revelation 5:11

5:11 Then ¹⁰  I looked and heard the voice of many angels in a circle around the throne, as well as the living creatures and the elders. Their ¹¹  number was ten thousand times ten thousand ¹²  – thousands times thousands –

Revelation 6:1

The Seven Seals

6:1 I looked on when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a thunderous voice, ¹³  “Come!” ¹⁴ 

Revelation 6:5-6

6:5 Then ¹⁵  when the Lamb opened the third seal I heard the third living creature saying, “Come!” So ¹⁶  I looked, ¹⁷  and here came ¹⁸  a black horse! The ¹⁹  one who rode it ²⁰  had a balance scale ²¹  in his hand. 6:6 Then ²²  I heard something like a voice from among the four living creatures saying, “A quart ²³  of wheat will cost a day’s pay ²⁴  and three quarts of barley will cost a day’s pay. But ²⁵  do not damage the olive oil and the wine!”

Revelation 7:11

7:11 And all the angels stood ²⁶  there in a circle around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground ²⁷  before the throne and worshiped God,

Revelation 14:3

14:3 and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No ²⁸  one was able to learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth.

Revelation 15:7

15:7 Then ²⁹  one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath ³⁰  of God who lives forever and ever,

[4:6]  ¹ tn This could refer to rock crystal, but it is possible this refers to ice (an older meaning). See BDAG 571 s.v. κρύσταλλος.

[4:6]  ² tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[4:6]  ³ tn Perhaps, “in the middle of the throne area” (see L&N 83.10).

[4:6]  ⁴ 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.”

[4:9]  ⁵ 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.

[19:4]  ⁹ tn Grk “creatures fell 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.”

[5:8]  ¹³ tn Grk “fell 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.”

[5:8]  ¹⁴ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[5:8]  ¹⁵ sn This interpretive comment by the author forms a parenthesis in the narrative.

[5:11]  ¹⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[5:11]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “elders, and the number of them was.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[5:11]  ¹⁹ tn Or “myriads of myriads.” Although μυριάς (murias) literally means “10,000,” the point of the combination here may simply be to indicate an incalculably huge number. See L&N 60.9.

[6:1]  ²¹ tn Grk “saying like a voice [or sound] of thunder.”

[6:1]  ²² tc The addition of “and see” (καὶ ἴδε or καὶ βλέπε [kai ide or kai blepe]) to “come” (ἔρχου, ercou) in 6:1, 3-5, 7 is a gloss directed to John, i.e., “come and look at the seals and the horsemen!” But the command ἔρχου is better interpreted as directed to each of the horsemen. The shorter reading also has the support of the better witnesses.

[6:5]  ²⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[6:5]  ²⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the summons by the third creature.

[6:5]  ²⁷ tc The reading “and I looked” (καὶ εἶδον, kai eidon) or some slight variation (e.g., ἶδον, idon) has excellent ms support ({א A C P 1611}) and its omission seems to have come through the mss that have already placed “and look” (καὶ ἴδε or καὶ βλέπε [kai ide or kai blepe]) after the verb “come” (ἔρχου, ercou) in 6:1. Thus, for these copyists it was redundant to add “and I looked” again.

[6:5]  ²⁸ tn The phrase “and here came” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou).

[6:5]  ²⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[6:5]  ³⁰ tn Grk “the one sitting on it.”

[6:5]  ³¹ sn A balance scale would have been a rod held by a rope in the middle with pans attached to both ends for measuring.

[6:6]  ²⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[6:6]  ³⁰ tn BDAG 1086 s.v. χοῖνιξ states, “a dry measure, oft. used for grain, approximately equivalent to one quart or one liter, quart. A χ.of grain was a daily ration for one pers.…Rv 6:6ab.”

[6:6]  ³¹ tn Grk “a quart of wheat for a denarius.” A denarius was one day’s pay for an average worker. The words “will cost” are used to indicate the genitive of price or value; otherwise the English reader could understand the phrase to mean “a quart of wheat to be given as a day’s pay.”

[6:6]  ³² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[7:11]  ³³ tn The verb is pluperfect, but the force is simple past. See ExSyn 586.

[7:11]  ³⁴ tn Grk “they fell down on their faces.” 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.”

[14:3]  ³⁷ tn Grk “elders, and no one.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text, but because of the length and complexity of the sentence a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[15:7]  ⁴¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[15:7]  ⁴² tn Or “anger.”