The early church
The Heavenly Throne Room
The apostle John sees in a vision God's throne in heaven, surrounded by twenty-four elders and four living creatures. The entire heavenly assembly worships God who created all things.
Revelation 4,1-11
1After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this."
Μετὰ ταῦτα εἶδον, καὶ ἰδοὺ θύρα ἠνεῳγμένη ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, καὶ ἡ φωνὴ ἡ πρώτη ἣν ἤκουσα ὡς σάλπιγγος λαλούσης μετʼ ἐμοῦ, λέγων· Ἀνάβα ὧδε, καὶ δείξω σοι ἃ δεῖ γενέσθαι. μετὰ ταῦτα
2At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me stood a throne in heaven, with someone seated on it.
⸀εὐθέως ἐγενόμην ἐν πνεύματι· καὶ ἰδοὺ θρόνος ἔκειτο ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν θρόνον καθήμενος,
3The one seated there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and a rainbow encircled the throne, gleaming like emerald.
⸂καὶ ὁ καθήμενος⸃ ὅμοιος ὁράσει λίθῳ ἰάσπιδι καὶ σαρδίῳ, καὶ ἶρις κυκλόθεν τοῦ θρόνου ⸂ὅμοιος ὁράσει σμαραγδίνῳ⸃.
4Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders clothed in white robes, with crowns of gold on their heads.
καὶ κυκλόθεν τοῦ θρόνου ⸀θρόνοι εἴκοσι τέσσαρες, καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς ⸀θρόνους εἴκοσι τέσσαρας πρεσβυτέρους καθημένους περιβεβλημένους ⸀ἐν ἱματίοις λευκοῖς, καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν στεφάνους χρυσοῦς.
5From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. Before the throne seven lamps were blazing, which are the seven spirits of God,
καὶ ἐκ τοῦ θρόνου ἐκπορεύονται ἀστραπαὶ καὶ φωναὶ καὶ βρονταί· καὶ ἑπτὰ λαμπάδες πυρὸς καιόμεναι ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου, ⸀ἅ εἰσιν ⸀τὰ ἑπτὰ πνεύματα τοῦ θεοῦ,
6and before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, and all around the throne, were four living creatures, covered with eyes in front and behind.
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·
7The first living creature was like a lion, the second like an ox, the third had a face like a man's, and the fourth was like an eagle in flight.
καὶ τὸ ζῷον τὸ πρῶτον ὅμοιον λέοντι, καὶ τὸ δεύτερον ζῷον ὅμοιον μόσχῳ, καὶ τὸ τρίτον ζῷον ⸀ἔχων ⸂τὸ πρόσωπον ὡς⸃ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ τὸ τέταρτον ζῷον ὅμοιον ἀετῷ πετομένῳ·
8Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was full of eyes all around and within. Day and night they never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come."
καὶ τὰ τέσσαρα ζῷα, ἓν ⸂καθʼ ἓν⸃ ⸀αὐτῶν ⸀ἔχων ἀνὰ πτέρυγας ἕξ, κυκλόθεν καὶ ἔσωθεν γέμουσιν ὀφθαλμῶν· καὶ ἀνάπαυσιν οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς λέγοντες· Ἅγιος ἅγιος ἅγιος κύριος, ὁ θεός, ὁ παντοκράτωρ, ὁ ἦν καὶ ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος.
9Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
καὶ ὅταν ⸀δώσουσιν τὰ ζῷα δόξαν καὶ τιμὴν καὶ εὐχαριστίαν τῷ καθημένῳ ἐπὶ ⸂τῷ θρόνῳ⸃, τῷ ζῶντι εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων,
10the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
πεσοῦνται οἱ εἴκοσι τέσσαρες πρεσβύτεροι ἐνώπιον τοῦ καθημένου ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου, καὶ προσκυνήσουσιν τῷ ζῶντι εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, καὶ βαλοῦσιν τοὺς στεφάνους αὐτῶν ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου, λέγοντες·
11"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."
Ἄξιος εἶ, ὁ κύριος καὶ ὁ θεὸς ⸀ἡμῶν, λαβεῖν τὴν δόξαν καὶ τὴν τιμὴν καὶ τὴν δύναμιν, ὅτι σὺ ἔκτισας ⸀τὰ πάντα, καὶ διὰ τὸ θέλημά σου ἦσαν καὶ ἐκτίσθησαν.