New Testament
Revelation 5
Overview
In the right hand of the One on the throne John sees a scroll sealed with seven seals, and a mighty angel asks, "Who is worthy to open the scroll?" No one in heaven, on earth, or under the earth can do it, and John weeps loudly. An elder comforts him: "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered." But when John looks, he sees not a lion but a Lamb standing as though slain, with seven horns and seven eyes — the slaughtered yet living Christ. The Lamb takes the scroll, and at once the four living creatures and the elders fall down with harps and bowls of incense, the prayers of the saints, singing a new song: "Worthy are you, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and tongue." The circle of praise widens to myriads of angels and then to every creature in the universe, all ascribing blessing and honor to the One on the throne and to the Lamb together.
1I saw, in the right hand of him who sat on the throne, a book written inside and outside, sealed shut with seven seals.
2I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to break its seals?”
3No one in heaven above, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book or to look in it.
4Then I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look in it.
5One of the elders said to me, “Don’t weep. Behold, the Lion who is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome: he who opens the book and its seven seals.”
6I saw in the middle of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.
7Then he came, and he took it out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne.
8Now when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
9They sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals, for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood out of every tribe, language, people, and nation,
10and made us kings and priests to our God; and we will reign on the earth.”
11I looked, and I heard something like a voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. The number of them was ten thousands of ten thousands, and thousands of thousands,
12saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing!”
13I heard every created thing which is in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever! Amen!”
14The four living creatures said, “Amen!” Then the elders fell down and worshiped.