New Living Translation
Revelation 4:6
6In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal. In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back.
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
4Twenty-four thrones surrounded him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads. 5From the throne came flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder. And in front of the throne were seven torches with burning flames. This is the sevenfold Spirit of God. In front of the throne was a shiny sea of glass, sparkling like crystal. In the center and around the throne were four living beings, each covered with eyes, front and back. 7The first of these living beings was like a lion; the second was like an ox; the third had a human face; and the fourth was like an eagle in flight. 8Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty— the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”
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 15:2I saw before me what seemed to be a glass sea mixed with fire. And on it stood all the people who had been victorious over the beast and his statue and the number representing his name. They were all holding harps that God had given them.
- Exodus 38:8Bezalel made the bronze washbasin and its bronze stand from bronze mirrors donated by the women who served at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
- 1 Kings 7:23Then Huram cast a great round basin, 15 feet across from rim to rim, called the Sea. It was 7-1/2 feet deep and about 45 feet in circumference.
- Revelation 21:11It shone with the glory of God and sparkled like a precious stone—like jasper as clear as crystal.
- Revelation 22:1Then the angel showed me a river with the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
- Job 28:17Wisdom is more valuable than gold and crystal. It cannot be purchased with jewels mounted in fine gold.
- Ezekiel 1:22Spread out above them was a surface like the sky, glittering like crystal.
- Revelation 5:6Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spirit of God that is sent out into every part of the earth.
- Revelation 7:17For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”
- Ezekiel 1:4As I looked, I saw a great storm coming from the north, driving before it a huge cloud that flashed with lightning and shone with brilliant light. There was fire inside the cloud, and in the middle of the fire glowed something like gleaming amber.
- Revelation 4:8Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty— the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”
- Revelation 6:1As I watched, the Lamb broke the first of the seven seals on the scroll. Then I heard one of the four living beings say with a voice like thunder, “Come!”
- Revelation 7:11And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God.
- Revelation 14:3This great choir sang a wonderful new song in front of the throne of God and before the four living beings and the twenty-four elders. No one could learn this song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
- Revelation 15:7Then one of the four living beings handed each of the seven angels a gold bowl filled with the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever.
- Revelation 19:4Then the twenty-four elders and the four living beings fell down and worshiped God, who was sitting on the throne. They cried out, “Amen! Praise the Lord!”
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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