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 there was a door standing open in heaven! And the first voice I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said: “Come up here so that I can show you what must happen after these things.” 2Immediately I was in the Spirit, and a throne was standing in heaven with someone seated on it! And the one seated on it was like jasper and carnelian in appearance, and a rainbow looking like it was made of emerald encircled the throne. 4In a circle around the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on those thrones were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white clothing and had golden crowns on their heads. 5From the throne came out flashes of lightning and roaring and crashes of thunder. Seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God, were burning in front of the throne

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 21:11The city possesses the glory of God; its brilliance is like a precious jewel, like a stone of crystal-clear jasper.
• Exodus 24:10and they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear like the sky itself.
• Ezekiel 1:26Above the platform over their heads was something like a sapphire shaped like a throne. High above on the throne was a form that appeared to be a man.
• Ezekiel 28:13You were in Eden, the garden of God. Every precious stone was your covering, the ruby, topaz, and emerald, the chrysolite, onyx, and jasper, the sapphire, turquoise, and beryl; your settings and mounts were made of gold. On the day you were created they were prepared.
• Revelation 10:1Then I saw another powerful angel descending from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun and his legs were like pillars of fire.
• Genesis 9:13I will place my rainbow in the clouds, and it will become a guarantee of the covenant between me and the earth.
• Isaiah 54:9“As far as I am concerned, this is like in Noah’s time, when I vowed that the waters of Noah’s flood would never again cover the earth. In the same way I have vowed that I will not be angry at you or shout at you.
• Ezekiel 1:28like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds after the rain. This was the appearance of the surrounding brilliant light; it looked like the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I threw myself face down, and I heard a voice speaking.
• Revelation 21:19The foundations of the city’s wall are decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation is jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald,
• Exodus 28:18and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald;
• Exodus 39:11and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and an emerald;

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