EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Revelation 4:6
6Also in front of the throne there was something like a sea of glass that shone with light. In the middle, round the throne, there were four other beings that were alive. They had eyes all over them, on their fronts and on their backs.
Revelation 4:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
- New International Version (NIV)Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.
- English Standard Version (ESV)and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And around the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind:
- New King James Version (NKJV)Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.
Context of Revelation 4:6
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. Also in front of the throne there was something like a sea of glass that shone with light. In the middle, round the throne, there were four other beings that were alive. They had eyes all over them, on their fronts and on their backs. 7The first of these beings was like a lion. The second being was like an ox. The third being had a face like a man's face. And the fourth being was like an eagle that was flying. 8Each of these four beings had six wings. They had eyes all over them, even under their wings. All day and all night they never stop saying: ‘The Lord God has all power and authority. He has no bad thing in him. He is completely good. He has always been alive. He is alive now. He will continue to be alive for ever.’
Read all of Revelation 4Revelation 4:6 word by word
καὶ ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου ὡς θάλασσα ὑαλίνη, ὁμοία κρυστάλλῳ, καὶ ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ θρόνου καὶ κύκλῳ τοῦ θρόνου τέσσαρα ζῷα γέμοντα ὀφθαλμῶν ἔμπροσθεν καὶ ὄπισθεν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- beforeἐνώπιονenōpion · beforeG1799
- the throneὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the throneθρόνοςthronos · throneG2362
- a seaθάλασσαthalassa · seaG2281
- of glassὑάλινοςhualinos · glassG5193
- like untoὅμοιοςhomoios · likeG3664
- crystalκρύσταλλοςkrustallos · crystalG2930
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the midstμέσοςmesos · midstG3319
- round aboutκύκλῳkuklō · surroundingG2945
- fourτέσσαρεςtessares tessara · fourG5064
- beastsζῷονzōon · living thingG2226
- full ofγέμωgemō · be fullG1073
- eyesὀφθαλμόςophthalmos · eyeG3788
- beforeἔμπροσθενemprosthen · beforeG1715
- behindὄπισθενopisthen · afterG3693
Cross-references for Revelation 4:6
- Revelation 15:2Then I saw what seemed to be a glass sea. Fire was mixed in it. I also saw people who were standing at the edge of the glass sea. Those people had fought against the wild animal and they had won. They had won against its image and the number that means its name. They had fought and they had won. God had given them harps. They held the harps to make music.
- Exodus 38:8He used bronze to make a large bowl for water, and a base for it to stand on. He used the bronze from small mirrors to make these things. The mirrors had belonged to women who worked at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.
- 1 Kings 7:23Hiram also used bronze to make a big bath which they called ‘the Sea’. It was in the shape of a circle 4.5 metres across. It was 2.3 metres deep. It was 14 metres around the outside.
- Revelation 21:11It had the bright glory of God. It shone like a valuable jewel that is called jasper. It shone like clean glass.
- Revelation 22:1Then the angel showed me a river. It had water that gives true life to people. The water shone like clean glass. The river of water started from the throne where God and the Lamb sit to rule. It ran from the throne
- Job 28:17Neither gold nor beautiful glass is as valuable as wisdom. A whole pot full of gold could not buy it.
- Ezekiel 1:22I saw something over the heads of the living things. It looked like a high roof that shone brightly like ice.
- Revelation 5:6Then I saw a Lamb. He was standing in the middle of the throne. The four beings that are alive and the leaders were around him. The Lamb appeared to be like a lamb that someone had killed. He had seven horns and seven eyes. His eyes are the seven spirits of God, that God has sent into all parts of the world.
- Revelation 7:17The Lamb is there with them, near to God's throne. He will take care of them, like a shepherd with his sheep. He will take them to drink fresh water that gives people life. They will no longer be sad. God will take away all the tears from their eyes.’
- Ezekiel 1:4As I looked, I saw a great storm that was coming from the north. It was a large cloud, with bright lightning. Light shone all around the cloud. It was like a fire that had bright metal in the centre of it.
- Revelation 4:8Each of these four beings had six wings. They had eyes all over them, even under their wings. All day and all night they never stop saying: ‘The Lord God has all power and authority. He has no bad thing in him. He is completely good. He has always been alive. He is alive now. He will continue to be alive for ever.’
- Revelation 6:1Then I watched while the Lamb opened one of the seven seals on the book. I heard one of the four beings say, ‘Come!’ It spoke very loudly with a voice like thunder.
- Revelation 7:11All the angels were standing around the throne, and around the leaders and the four beings. The angels all bent down so that their faces touched the ground. They worshipped God who was on the throne in front of them.
- Revelation 14:3The 144,000 people were singing a new song that they had learned. They sang it in front of the throne. They sang in front of the four beings that are alive and in front of the leaders. Only these 144,000 people could learn the new song. They are the people that God had saved from among the people who lived on the earth.
- Revelation 15:7Then one of the four beings that were alive gave seven gold bowls to the seven angels. God had poured his anger into the bowls. He is the God who is alive for ever.
- Revelation 19:4The 24 leaders and the four beings that are alive then threw themselves down on the ground. They worshipped God, who was sitting on the throne. They said, ‘It is true! Praise the Lord God!’
Commentaries on Revelation 4:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6Four beasts - · Four living creatures or four animals. The word beast is very improperly used here and elsewhere in this description. Wiclif first used it, and translators in general have followed him in this uncouth rendering. A beast before the throne of God in heaven sounds oddly.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6And before the throne there was a sea of glass - An expanse spread out like a sea composed of glass: that is, that was pellucid and transparent like glass. It is not uncommon to compare the sea with glass. See numerous examples in Wetstein, in loco. The point of the comparison here seems to be its transparent appearance. It was perfectly clear - apparently stretching out in a wide expanse, as if it were a sea. Like unto crystal - The word “crystal” means…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6a sea of glass, as clear as crystal: The most noticeable part of ancient theaters was the bright mosaic floor where the orchestra performed. This design helped people see the scene clearly (compare Revelation 15:2–4). The four living beings represent all of creation. covered with eyes: This phrase likely means they had knowledge or understanding. In the ancient world, figures were often covered with a feature to highlight a quality (for example, statues…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. Two oldest manuscripts, A, B, Vulgate, Coptic, and Syriac read, "As it were a sea of glass." like ... crystal--not imperfectly transparent as the ancient common glass, but like rock crystal. Contrast the turbid "many waters" on which the harlot "sitteth" (Re 17:1, 15). Compare Job 37:18, "the sky ... as a molten looking-glass." Thus, primarily, the pure ether which separates God's throne from John, and from all things before it, may be meant…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 4:6
In the dictionaries
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
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