God’s Word Translation
Revelation 4:8
8Each of the four living creatures had six wings and were covered with eyes, inside and out. Without stopping day or night they were singing, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, who is, and who is coming.”
Revelation 4:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
- New International Version (NIV)Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “ ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!"
- New King James Version (NKJV)The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”
Context of Revelation 4:8
6In front of the throne, there was something like a sea of glass as clear as crystal. In the center near the throne and around the throne were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back. 7The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like a young bull, the third had a face like a human, and the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and were covered with eyes, inside and out. Without stopping day or night they were singing, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, who is, and who is coming.” 9Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, to the one who lives forever and ever, 10the 24 leaders bow in front of the one who sits on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever. They place their crowns in front of the throne and say,
Read all of Revelation 4Revelation 4:8 word by word
καὶ τὰ τέσσαρα ζῷα, ἓν καθ᾽ ἓν αὐτῶν ἔχων ἀνὰ πτέρυγας ἕξ κυκλόθεν καὶ ἔσωθεν γέμουσιν ὀφθαλμῶν καὶ ἀνάπαυσιν οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς λέγοντες· ἅγιος ἅγιος ἅγιος κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ, ὁ ἦν καὶ ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- the fourτέσσαρεςtessares tessara · fourG5064
- beastsζῷονzōon · living thingG2226
- hadἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- eachἀνάana · eachG303
- ·εἷςheis · oneG1520
- ·κατάkata · according toG2596
- of themἑαυτοῦheautou · themselfG1438
- sixἕξhex · sixG1803
- wingsπτέρυξpterux · wingG4420
- aboutκυκλόθενkuklothen · aroundG2943
- fullγέμωgemō · be fullG1073
- of eyesὀφθαλμόςophthalmos · eyeG3788
- withinἔσωθενesōthen · inwardlyG2081
- they restἀνάπαυσιςanapausis · restG372
- notοὐou · noG3756
- dayἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
- nightνύξnux · nightG3571
- sayingλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Holyἅγιοςhagios · holyG40
- Lordκύριοςkurios · lord: GodG2962
- Godὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- Almightyπαντοκράτωρpantokratōr · almightyG3841
- wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- is to comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
Cross-references for Revelation 4:8
- Isaiah 6:2Angels were standing above him. Each had six wings: With two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew.
- Ezekiel 1:6but each of them had four faces and four wings.
- Ezekiel 10:21Each had four faces and four wings, and under their wings were what looked like human hands.
- 2 Timothy 4:2Be ready to spread the word whether or not the time is right. Point out errors, warn people, and encourage them. Be very patient when you teach.
- Revelation 4:6In front of the throne, there was something like a sea of glass as clear as crystal. In the center near the throne and around the throne were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back.
- 1 Timothy 4:16Focus on your life and your teaching. Continue to do what I’ve told you. If you do this, you will save yourself and those who hear you.
- Revelation 7:15That is why they are in front of the throne of God. They serve him day and night in his temple. The one who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.
- Isaiah 62:1For Zion’s sake I will not remain silent. For Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until its righteousness shines like the dawn and its salvation burns brightly like a torch.
- Acts 20:31So be alert! Remember that I instructed each of you for three years, day and night, at times with tears in my eyes.
- 1 Thessalonians 2:9You remember, brothers and sisters, our work and what we did to earn a living. We worked night and day so that we could bring you the Good News of God without being a burden to any of you.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:8We didn’t eat anyone’s food without paying for it. Instead, we worked hard and struggled night and day in order not to be a burden to any of you.
- Revelation 3:7“To the messenger of the church in Philadelphia, write: The one who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens ⌞a door⌟ that no one can shut, and who shuts ⌞a door⌟ that no one can open, says:
- Exodus 15:11“Who is like you among the gods, O Lord? Who is like you? You are glorious because of your holiness and awe-inspiring because of your splendor. You perform miracles.
- Isaiah 6:3They called to each other and said, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory.”
- Revelation 1:8“I am the A and the Z,” says the Lord God, the one who is, the one who was, and the one who is coming, the Almighty.
- Revelation 11:17and said, “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun ruling as king.
Commentaries on Revelation 4:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8The four beasts had each of them six wings - I have already observed, in the preface to this book, that the phraseology is rabbinical; I might have added, and the imagery also. We have almost a counterpart of this description in Pirkey Elieser. chap. 4. I shall give the substance of this from Schoettgen. "Four troops of ministering angels praise the holy blessed God: the first is Michael, at the right hand; the next is Gabriel, at the left; the third is…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him - An emblem common to them all, denoting that, in reference to each and all the things here symbolized, there was one common characteristic - that in heaven there is the utmost promptness in executing the divine commands. Compare Isaiah 6:2; Psalm 18:10; Psalm 104:3; Jeremiah 48:40. No mention is made of the manner in which these wings were arranged, and conjecture in regard to that is vain. The…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8Day and night: The four beings continuously praised God's main qualities: his holiness, his power (the Almighty), and his eternity (see study note on Revelation 1:4). Holy, holy, holy comes from Isaiah 6:3 and is the highest form of worship in Scripture. Repeating something two times shows strong emphasis. Repeating it three times shows the highest level of emphasis.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. about him--Greek, "round about him." Alford connects this with the following sentence: "All round and within (their wings) they are (so two oldest manuscripts, A, B, and Vulgate read) full of eyes." John's object is to show that the six wings in each did not interfere with that which he had before declared, namely, that they were "full of eyes before and behind." The eyes were round the outside of each wing, and up the inside of each when half…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 4:8
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries