Revelation 4:9

Revelation 4:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
• New International Version (NIV)Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever,
• English Standard Version (ESV)And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,

Context of Revelation 4:9

7The first living creature was like a lion, the second creature like a calf (ox), the third creature had the face of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. 8And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes all over and within [underneath their wings]; and day and night they never stop saying, “Holy, holy, holy [is the] Lord God, the Almighty [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all], who was and who is and who is to come [the unchanging, eternal God].” Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanksgiving to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, 10the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and they worship Him who lives forever and ever; and they throw down their crowns before the throne, saying, 11“Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they exist, and were created and brought into being.”

Revelation 4:9 word by word

καὶ ὅταν δώσουσιν τὰ ζῷα δόξαν καὶ τιμὴν καὶ εὐχαριστίαν τῷ καθημένῳ ἐπὶ τῷ θρόνῳ, τῷ ζῶντι εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων,Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• whenὅτανhotan · when(-ever)G3752
• thoseὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• beastsζῷονzōon · living thingG2226
• giveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• gloryδόξαdoxa · gloryG1391
• honourτιμήtimē · honorG5092
• thanksεὐχαριστίαeucharistia · thankfulnessG2169
• that satκάθημαιkathēmai · to sitG2521
• onἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• the throneθρόνοςthronos · throneG2362
• livethζάωzaō · to liveG2198
• forεἰςeis · towardG1519
• everαἰώνaiōn · an age: eternityG165

Cross-references for Revelation 4:9

• Revelation 5:13And I heard every created thing that is in heaven or on earth or under the earth [in Hades, the realm of the dead] or on the sea, and everything that is in them, saying [together], “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb (Christ), be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”
• Revelation 7:11And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the [twenty-four] elders and the four living creatures; and they fell to their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
• Revelation 1:18and the Ever-living One [living in and beyond all time and space]. I died, but see, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of [absolute control and victory over] death and of Hades (the realm of the dead).
• Revelation 5:14And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped [Him who lives forever and ever].
• Revelation 10:6and swore [an oath] by [the name of] Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there will be delay no longer,
• Revelation 15:7Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath and indignation of God, who lives forever and ever.
• Exodus 15:18The Lord shall reign to eternity and beyond.”
• Psalms 48:14For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even until death.
• Hebrews 7:8Furthermore, here [in the Levitical priesthood] tithes are received by men who are subject to death; but in that case [concerning Melchizedek], they are received by one of whom it is testified that he lives on [perpetually].

Commentaries on Revelation 4:9

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9And when those beasts give glory … - As often as those living beings ascribe glory to God. They did this continually Revelation 4:8; and, if the above explanation be correct, then the idea is that the ways and acts of God in his providential government are continually of such a nature as to honor him.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-11Verses 9-11 All true believers wholly ascribe their redemption and conversion, their present privileges and future hopes, to the eternal and most holy God. Thus rise the for-ever harmonious, thankful songs of the redeemed in heaven. Would we on earth do like them, let our praises be constant, not interrupted; united, not divided; thankful, not cold and formal; humble, not self-confident.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9-11The twenty-four elders, who speak in an antiphonal chorus (two groups taking turns), give a divine perspective on creation. One seated on the throne: This shows a common Jewish practice of not speaking God’s name directly.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 9-119-11. The ground of praise here is God's eternity, and God's power and glory manifested in the creation of all things for His pleasure. Creation is the foundation of all God's other acts of power, wisdom, and love, and therefore forms the first theme of His creatures' thanksgivings. The four living creatures take the lead of the twenty-four elders, both in this anthem, and in that new song which follows on the ground of their redemption (Re 5:8-10)…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 4:9

• Angel (a Spirit)
• Animals
• God
• Praise
• Thankfulness
• Throne

In the dictionaries

• Living creatures
• Receive
• Adoration
• Cherubim (1)
• Ethics
• Isaiah
• Luke, the Evangelist
• Revelation of John
• Seraphim

Commentaries on Revelation 4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings