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 looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.” 2Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and someone was sitting on the throne. And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. 4Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads. 5Out from the throne came flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which 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

• And He who was sittingκάθημαιkathēmai · to sitG2521
• likeὅμοιοςhomoios · likeG3664
• jasperἴασπιςiaspis · jasperG2393
• stoneλίθοςlithos · stoneG3037
• sardiusσάρδιονsardios · gemG4556
• in appearanceὅρασιςhorasis · appearance/visionG3706
• rainbowἶριςiris · rainbowG2463
• the throneθρόνοςthronos · throneG2362
• emeraldσμαράγδινοςsmaragdinos · emeraldG4664

Cross-references for Revelation 4:3

• Revelation 21:11having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very valuable stone, like a stone of crystal-clear jasper.
• Exodus 24:10and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself.
• Ezekiel 1:26Now above the expanse that was over their heads there was something resembling a throne, like lapis lazuli in appearance; and on that which resembled a throne, high up, was a figure with the appearance of a man.
• Ezekiel 28:13You were in Eden, the garden of God; Every precious stone was your covering: The ruby, the topaz and the diamond; The beryl, the onyx and the jasper; The lapis lazuli, the turquoise and the emerald; And the gold, the workmanship of your settings and sockets, Was in you. On the day that you were created They were prepared.
• Revelation 10:1I saw another strong angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was on his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire;
• Genesis 9:13I have set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall serve as a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth.
• Isaiah 54:9“For this is like the days of Noah to Me, When I swore that the waters of Noah Would not flood the earth again; So I have sworn that I will not be angry with you Nor rebuke you.
• Ezekiel 1:28Like the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking.
• Revelation 21:19The foundation stones of the city wall were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald;
• Exodus 28:18and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond;
• Exodus 39:11and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond;

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