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 these things I saw a door standing open in heaven. I heard the first voice like a trumpet speaking to me. It said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” 2Instantly, I came under the Spirit’s power. I saw a throne in heaven, and someone was sitting on it. The one sitting there looked like gray quartz and red quartz. There was a rainbow around the throne which looked like an emerald. 4Around that throne were 24 other thrones, and on these thrones sat 24 leaders wearing white clothes. They had gold crowns on their heads. 5Lightning, noise, and thunder came from the throne. Seven flaming torches were burning in front of the throne. These 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 glory of God. Its light was like a valuable gem, like gray quartz, as clear as crystal.
• Exodus 24:10They saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made out of sapphire as clear and blue as the sky itself.
• Ezekiel 1:26Above the dome over their heads was something that looked like a throne made of sapphire. On the throne was a figure that looked like a human.
• Ezekiel 28:13You were in Eden, God’s garden. You were covered with every kind of precious stone: red quartz, topaz, crystal, beryl, onyx, gray quartz, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald. Your settings and your sockets were made of gold when you were created.
• Revelation 10:1I saw another powerful angel come down from heaven. He was dressed in a cloud, and there was a rainbow over his head. His face was like the sun, and his feet were like columns of fire.
• Genesis 9:13I will put my rainbow in the clouds to be a sign of my promise to the earth.
• Isaiah 54:9“To me this is like Noah’s floodwaters, when I swore an oath that Noah’s floodwaters would never cover the earth again. So now I swear an oath not to be angry with you or punish you.
• Ezekiel 1:28The brightness all around him looked like a rainbow in the clouds. It was like the Lord’s glory. When I saw it, I immediately bowed down, and I heard someone speaking.
• Revelation 21:19The foundations of the city wall were beautifully decorated with all kinds of gems: The first foundation was gray quartz, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald,
• Exodus 28:18In the second row put turquoise, sapphire, and crystal.
• Exodus 39:11In the second row they put turquoise, sapphire, and crystal.

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