“The things that must happen after these”
4
1 Μετὰ ταῦτα εἶδον καὶ ἰδού—θύρα ἀνεῳγμένη* ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, καὶ ἡ φωνὴ ἡ πρώτη ἣν ἤκουσα ὡς σάλπιγγος λαλούσης μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ, λέγουσα,† «Ἀνάβα ὧδε καὶ δείξω σοι ἃ δεῖ γενέσθαι μετὰ ταῦτα.»
The Throne Room
2 Καὶ‡ εὐθέως ἐγενόμην ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἰδού, θρόνος ἔκειτο ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ (καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου§ καθήμενος) 3 ὅμοιος* ὁράσει λίθῳ, ἰάσπιδι καὶ σαρδίῳ,† καὶ ἶρις κυκλόθεν τοῦ θρόνου, ὁμοία‡ ὁράσει§ σμαραγδίνῳ.* 4 Καὶ κυκλόθεν† τοῦ θρόνου θρόνοι‡ εἴκοσι τέσσαρες,§ καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς θρόνους εἶδον* τοὺς† εἴκοσι τέσσαρας‡ πρεσβυτέρους καθημένους, περιβεβλημένους ἐν ἱματίοις λευκοῖς, καὶ§ ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν στεφάνους χρυσοῦς. 5 Καὶ ἐκ τοῦ θρόνου ἐκπορεύονται ἀστραπαὶ καὶ φωναὶ καὶ βρονταί·* καὶ ἑπτὰ λαμπάδες πυρὸς καιόμεναι ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου αὐτοῦ,† αἵ εἰσιν‡ ἑπτὰ§ πνεύματα τοῦ Θεοῦ· 6 καὶ ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου ὡς* θάλασσα ὑαλίνη,† ὁμοία κρυστάλῳ.‡
The four living beings
Καὶ ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ θρόνου καὶ κύκλῳ τοῦ θρόνου τέσσαρα ζῷα γέμοντα ὀφθαλμῶν, ἔμπροσθεν καὶ ὄπισθεν. 7 Καὶ τὸ ζῷον τὸ πρῶτον ὅμοιον λέοντι, καὶ τὸ δεύτερον ζῷον ὅμοιον μόσχῳ, καὶ τὸ τρίτον ζῷον ἔχον§ τὸ πρόσωπον ὡς ἄνθρωπος,* καὶ τὸ τέταρτον ζῷον† ὅμοιον ἀετῷ πετομένῳ.‡ 8 Καὶ τὰ§ τέσσαρα ζῷα, ἓν καθ᾿ ἓν αὐτῶν,* ἔχον† ἀνὰ πτέρυγας ἕξ, κυκλόθεν καὶ ἔσωθεν γέμουσιν‡ ὀφθαλμῶν. Καὶ ἀνάπαυσιν οὐκ ἔχουσιν, ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτός, λέγοντα·§ «Ἅγιος, ἅγιος, ἅγιος· Ἅγιος, ἅγιος, ἅγιος· Ἅγιος, ἅγιος, ἅγιος·* Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ὁ Παντοκράτωρ, ὁ ἦν καὶ ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος.»
The twenty-four elders
9 Καὶ ὅταν δῶσιν† τὰ ζῷα δόξαν καὶ τιμὴν καὶ εὐχαριστίαν τῷ καθημένῳ ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου,‡ τῷ ζῶντι εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, 10 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 «Ἄξιος εἶ, ὁ Κύριος καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ Ἅγιος,‡ λαβεῖν τὴν δόξαν καὶ τὴν τιμὴν καὶ τὴν δύναμιν, ὅτι σὺ ἔκτισας τὰ§ πάντα, καὶ διὰ τὸ θέλημά σού εἰσιν* καὶ ἐκτίσθησαν.»
* 4:1 ανεωγμενη f35 Ma,b,d,e⅗,f,g,hpt,i 0169,CP,RP,HF,OC ¦ ηνεωγμενη Me⅖,hpt ℵA,NU,TR † 4:1 λεγουσα f35 Ma⅕,d,e,h¼,i⅓ CP,TR ¦ και λεγουσης Mg ¦ λεγων Ma,b,f,h,i⅔ ℵA,0169,RP,HF,OC,NU (The subject of the verb is ‘voice’, feminine.) ‡ 4:2 και f35 Mb,d,e,g,h⅓,i CP,RP,OC,TR ¦ — Ma,f,h⅔,i¼ ℵA,0169,HF,NU (OC is in small print.) § 4:2 του θρονου f35 Md,e,g¼,i⅓ CP,TR ¦ τον θρονον Ma,b,f,g,h,i⅔ ℵA,0169,RP,HF,OC,NU * 4:3 ομοιος f35 Ma,b,d,e,f,gpt,hpt,i⅗ CP,RP,HF,OC ¦ και ο καθημενος 1 Ma⅕,gpt,hpt,i⅓ ℵA,0169,NU ¦ και ο καθημενος ην 1 TR (I suppose the parenthetical observation that closes verse 2 got some copyists off the track, but it was the throne, not the One, that was like jasper.) † 4:3 σαρδιω rell ¦ σαρδινω Me⅔ TR ¦ σαρδειω Ma⅓ ‡ 4:3 ομοια f35 Mb,g CP ¦ ομοιος Md,e,fpt,hpt,i A,NU,TR ¦ ομοιως Ma,fpt,hpt RP,HF,OC (The adjective is modifying ‘rainbow’.) § 4:3 ορασει f35 Mb,d,e,fpt,g,hpt,ipt A,CP,NU,TR ¦ ορασις Ma,fpt,hpt,ipt RP,HF,OC * 4:3 σμαραγδινω f35 Md,e,fpt,g,h,i A,CP,NU,TR ¦ σμαραγδινων Ma,fpt RP,HF,OC ¦ σμαραγδω Mb † 4:4 και κυκλοθεν f35 Ma¼,b,e,f⅔,g,h⅔,i⅔ A,CP,RP,OC,NU,TR ¦ 1 κυκλω Md ¦ κυκλωθεν Ma,f⅓,h⅓,i⅓ HF (OC is in small print.) ‡ 4:4 θρονοι rell ¦ θρονους Mb,h⅓ NU § 4:4 εικοσι τεσσαρες f35¼ Mapt,d⅓,ept,f,hpt,i⅔ CP,RP,HF,OC,NU ¦ κδ΄ f35 Mapt,bpt,d⅓,ept,gpt,hpt ¦ 1 και 2 Mbpt,d⅓,gpt ℵA,TR (The split in virtually every group suggests that some factor other than conviction as to the original form was at work [especially since there is no difference in meaning]; the distribution of MSS to the three variants is roughly 40:50:10% [the abbreviation loses 15 MSS below]; the economic factor behind the use of abbreviated forms for numbers and sacred names would presumably make itself felt when copies began to be proliferated, not when the Autographs were being penned; I conclude that the abbreviation is not original.) * 4:4 ειδον f35 Mi⅓ CP,TR ¦ — Ma,b,d,e,f,g,h,i⅔ A,RP,HF,OC,NU (Are the elders to receive separate treatment, or not? Given their prominence in what follows, probably so. Verses 2-3 are without an independent verb, so it is about time. Note also that the definite article occurs with the first mention of the elders.) † 4:4 τους rell ¦ — Md⅔,e⅔,i⅓ ‡ 4:4 εικοσι τεσσαρας f35¼ Mapt,d¼,ept,f,h⅓,ipt A,CP,RP,HF,OC,NU ¦ κδ΄ f35 Mapt,b,dpt,e⅓,g ¦ 1 και 2 Md¼,e¼,h TR § 4:4 και rell ¦ 1 εσχον TR * 4:5 φωναι και βρονται rell ¦ ~ 321 TR † 4:5 αυτου f35 Ma,b,d,e⅖,f,g⅔,h¼,i CP,RP,HF ¦ — Me⅗,g⅓,h,i¼ ℵA,OC,NU,TR ‡ 4:5 αι εισιν rell ¦ α 2 Ma⅛,e⅓ NU ¦ α εστιν A ¦ ℵ omits ten words § 4:5 επτα f35 Ma,b,e⅗,f,g⅔,h⅓,i CP,RP,HF ¦ τα 1 Md,e⅖,h⅔ A,OC,NU,TR (Without the article the reference is presumably not to the Holy Spirit.) * 4:6 ως rell ¦ — Me⅔ TR ¦ αυτου 1 Mg † 4:6 υαλινη rell ¦ υελινη Ma⅙,b⅕,c¼,ept,h⅓ CP ‡ 4:6 κρυσταλω f35 Ma⅛,e⅙,g⅓,h¼ ¦ κρυσταλλω Ma,b,c3/7,d,e,f,g⅔,h,i ℵA,CP,RP,HF,OC,NU,TR (Although λλ→λ would presumably be easier as a transcriptional error than the reverse, in 21:12 John apparently invents the verb κρυσταλιζω, spelling it with a single ‘l’—I take it that he did the same thing with the noun, here and in 22:1, but the unusual spelling led copyists to ‘correct’ him, especially in a matter perceived to be of virtually no consequence.) § 4:7 εχον rell ¦ εχων Ma¼,b⅓,d⅕,e⅓,f⅕,g,h⅕,i⅖ A,NU * 4:7 το (−Mg) προσωπον ως ανθρωπος f35 Md,e,g,h⅔,i⅓ CP,TR ¦ 2 ανθρωπου Ma,b,e⅕,f,h⅓,i⅔ RP,HF ¦ 123 ανθρωπου A,OC,NU ¦ 123 ομοιον ανθρωπω ℵ † 4:7 ζωον f35 Ma⅕,d,e,g,h,ipt ℵA,CP,RP,OC,NU,TR ¦ — Ma,b,e⅕,f,h¼,ipt HF ‡ 4:7 πετομενω rell ¦ πετωμενω [15 assorted mss] CP,TR § 4:8 τα f35 Ma⅓,b,d,fpt,g,h,i⅗ ℵA,RP,HF,OC,NU ¦ — Ma⅔,e,fpt,i⅖ CP,TR * 4:8 εν αυτων f35 Md,e⅔,g,hpt,i⅓ ℵA,CP,OC,NU ¦ 12 εστως Mb ¦ 1 Ma,e⅓,f,i⅔ RP,HF ¦ εαυτο TR ¦ 1 εκαστον Mhpt ℵ † 4:8 εχον f35 Ma,bpt,d⅓,e⅗,f,h¼,i⅗ CP,RP,HF,OC ¦ εχων Ma⅕,bpt,e⅖,g,h⅕,i⅓ A,NU ¦ εχει Md ¦ ειχον ℵ,TR ¦ εχοντα Mhpt (The neuter singular is correct.) ‡ 4:8 γεμουσιν rell ¦ γεμοντα Mh⅓ TR § 4:8 λεγοντα f35 Mh⅓ CP,TR ¦ λεγοντες Ma,b,c⅓,d,e,f,g,h⅔,i ℵA,RP,HF,OC,NU (The Subject of the participle is τα ζωα, neuter, so the neuter form is correct, in spite of the slim attestation. It seems clear from verse 9 that it is only the four living beings who are repeating ‘holy’, but if copyists thought the elders were in chorus with the living beings, they would naturally change the gender to masculine. In spite of the split in f35, most of the better representatives of the family attest the first variant.) * 4:8 αγιος (nine times) f35 Ma⅔,b,f (ℵ)CP,HF ¦ αγιος (three times) Ma⅓,d,e,g,h,i A,RP,OC,NU,TR (Surely it is more likely that ‘nine’ would be changed to ‘three’ than vice versa; in fact, try reading ‘holy’ nine times in a row out loud—it starts to get uncomfortable! Since in the context the living ones are repeating themselves endlessly, the ‘nine’ is both appropriate and effective; three ‘holies’ for each member of the Trinity.) † 4:9 δωσιν f35 Ma,b,e⅖,f,h¼,ipt RP,HF,OC ¦ δωσωσιν Mept,g ℵ ¦ δωσουσιν Ma⅙,d,h,ipt A,NU,TR ¦ δωσει CP ‡ 4:9 του θρονου rell ¦ τω θρονω ℵA[+6 mss]NU § 4:10 εικοσι τεσσαρες f35¼ Mapt,b,d¼,ept,f,g⅓,hpt,ipt ℵA,CP,RP,HF,OC,NU ¦ κδ΄ f35 Mapt,d,ept,g⅔,hpt ¦ 1 και 2 TR * 4:10 προσκυνησουσιν rell ¦ προσκυνουσιν TR † 4:10 βαλουσιν rell ¦ βαλλουσιν Me¼,g⅓ ℵ,CP,TR ‡ 4:11 ο κυριος και ο θεος ημων ο αγιος f35 Ma,b,e⅕,f,h¼,i⅔ CP,RP,HF ¦ 123456 Mh⅓ A,NU ¦ 12356 ℵ,OC ¦ κυριε 456 Md,e⅔,g,h⅓ ¦ κυριε TR § 4:11 τα f35 Md,e,h,i⅓ ℵA,CP,OC,NU,TR ¦ — Ma,b,e¼,f,g,h¼,i⅔ RP,HF * 4:11 εισιν f35 Mb,d,e,g,hpt,i⅓ CP,TR ¦ ησαν Ma,f,hpt,i⅔ ℵA,RP,HF,OC,NU ¦ ουκ ησαν Mh⅓