Revelation 4:3

Revelation 4:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.
• New International Version (NIV)And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.

Context of Revelation 4:3

1After this, I looked. There in front of me was an open door in heaven. I heard the same voice that I had heard before. It spoke like the sound of a trumpet. It said to me, ‘Come up here. I will show you the things that must happen after this.’ 2Immediately God's Spirit caused me to see and to hear more things. I saw a throne in heaven, with someone sitting on it. The person who sat there shone with bright red and white light, like jewels called jasper and ruby. Around the throne there was a rainbow that shone with bright green light like an emerald jewel. 4All around the throne there were 24 other thrones. 24 leaders were sitting on these thrones. They were wearing white clothes and they had gold crowns on their heads. 5A storm with bright lightning came from the throne. There was the loud noise of thunder. In front of the throne there were seven lights of fire burning brightly. These lights are the seven spirits of God.

Revelation 4:3 word by word

καὶ ὁ καθήμενος ὅμοιος ὁράσει λίθῳ ἰάσπιδι καὶ σαρδίῳ καὶ ἶρις κυκλόθεν τοῦ θρόνου ὅμοιος ὁράσει σμαραγδίνῳ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• heὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• that satκάθημαιkathēmai · to sitG2521
• wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• to look uponὅρασιςhorasis · appearance/visionG3706
• likeὅμοιοςhomoios · likeG3664
• a jasperἴασπιςiaspis · jasperG2393
• a sardineσάρδινοςsardinos · gemG4555
• stoneλίθοςlithos · stoneG3037
• a rainbowἶριςiris · rainbowG2463
• round aboutκυκλόθενkuklothen · aroundG2943
• the throneθρόνοςthronos · throneG2362
• an emeraldσμαράγδινοςsmaragdinos · emeraldG4664

Cross-references for Revelation 4:3

• Revelation 21:11It had the bright glory of God. It shone like a valuable jewel that is called jasper. It shone like clean glass.
• Exodus 24:10They saw the God of Israel there. Under his feet was something like a jewel called sapphire. It was as bright as a clear blue sky.
• Ezekiel 1:26Above the roof, there was something that looked like a throne. It was made of a blue jewel called sapphire. On the throne, high above, I saw something that looked like the shape of a man.
• Ezekiel 28:13You lived in God's beautiful garden, Eden. You wore valuable jewels on your clothes. The jewels were ruby, topaz, emerald, chrysolite, onyx, jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl. They were fixed to pieces of gold. They were ready for you to wear on the day that you were born.
• Revelation 10:1Then I saw another powerful angel. He was coming down from heaven. He had a cloud all round him, like his clothes. There was a rainbow above his head. His face was like the sun and his legs shone like fire.
• Genesis 9:13I have put my rainbow among the clouds in the sky. It will show you clearly that I have made this covenant with everything on the earth.
• Isaiah 54:9‘This is like what I did in Noah's time. At that time, I promised that a flood of water would never again destroy the earth. Now, at this time, I have promised that I will not be angry with you again. I will not speak against you again.
• Ezekiel 1:28It shone with the colours of a rainbow in the clouds when there is rain. This bright light showed the glory of the Lord, who was there. When I saw this, I bent down low with my face on the ground. I heard a voice that was speaking to me.
• Revelation 21:19The strong stones that were the foundation of the city's wall were very beautiful. They had valuable jewels in them that were different colours. Each great stone had its own special jewel. They were called: 1. Jasper; 2. Sapphire; 3. Agate; 4. Emerald;
• Exodus 28:18a turquoise, a sapphire and an emerald in the second row;
• Exodus 39:11A turquoise, a sapphire and an emerald in the second row.

Commentaries on Revelation 4:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3And he that sat - There is here no description of the Divine Being, so as to point out any similitude, shape, or dimensions. The description rather aims to point out the surrounding glory and effulgence than the person of the almighty King. See a similar description Numbers 24:10, etc., and the notes there.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3And he that sat was to look upon - Was in appearance; or, as I looked upon him, this seemed to be his appearance. He does not describe his form, but his splendor. Like a jasper - ̓́ iaspidiThe jasper, properly, is “an opaque, impure variety of quartz, of red, yellow, and also of some dull colors, breaking with a smooth surface. It admits of a high polish, and is used for vases, seals, snuff-boxes, etc. When the colors are in stripes or bands, it is called…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3Instead of creating a visual image of God (Exodus 20:4; Deuteronomy 4:15–19), John uses gemstones and the rainbow (Genesis 9:8–17; Ezekiel 1:28) to suggest God's qualities. The rainbow represents God's grace, reminding us of God's promise to Noah (Genesis 9:13–17) that he would never again flood the earth. However, in Revelation, the earth is destroyed by fire (Genesis 19:24–29).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. was--omitted in the two oldest manuscripts but supported by Vulgate and Coptic. to look upon--Greek, "in sight," or "appearance." jasper--From Re 21:11, where it is called most precious, which the jasper was not, Ebrard infers it was a diamond. Ordinarily, the jasper is a stone of various wavy colors, somewhat transparent: in Re 21:11 it represents watery crystalline brightness. The sardine, our cornelian, or else a fiery red. As the watery brightness…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 4:3

• Bow
• Emerald
• Rainbow
• Sardius
• Throne
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• Sardine stone
• Living creatures
• Rainbow
• Receive
• 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