δον, καὶ ἰδὲ, θύο ρα ἀνεῳμένη ἐν τῷ ὐρανῷ, καὶ ἡ φωνὴ ἡ πρώτη, ἣν ήκεσα ὡς σαλπιγα λα λύσης με ἐμᾶ, λέγων Ανάβα ὧδε, καὶ δείξω σοι ἃ δεῖ γενέσθαι μετὰ ταῦ · τα· Καὶ εὐθέως έχε νόμην ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἰδὲ, θρόνος ἔκειτο ἐν τῷ ἐρανῷ, καὶ ἐπὶ το θρόνο καθήμενος. 3 Καὶ ὁ καθήμενα [την] ὅμοια δράσει λίθω ἰάσπιδι, καὶ σαρδίων και τρις και κλόθεν τῷ θρόνε ὅμοι Θ. ὁρασεί σμα 4 ραγδίνω. Καὶ κυτ κλόθεν το θρόνο θεός νοι εἴκοσι τέσσα CHAPTER iv. 1 After these things, I looked; and behold, there was a door opened in the heaven; and the former voice,which I had heard as of a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up hither, and I will "shew thee the things "which must happen 2" after these." And immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a Throne was set in heaven; and upon the Throne one sitting; 3 And He that sate [was] like in appearance to a jasper, even a sardine stone. And a radiance round about the Throne, like in appearance to an eme gas' »jini rès Dpó-4 rald. And round about 1 After this I looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard, was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be here2 after. And immedi ately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a Throne was set in heaven, and one sat on 3 the Throne. 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 4 unto an emerald. And round about the Throne were four and twenty της εἴκοσι τέσσαρας πρεσβυτέροις καθημένος, περιβεβλη μένος ἐν ἱμαλίοις λει κοῖς· καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὑτῶν δε5 φάνες χρυσές. Καὶ ἐκ τὸ θρόνε ἐκποξεύονται ἀςραπαὶ καὶ Εροναὶ καὶ φωναί καὶ ἑπτὰ λαμπάδες πυρός καιόμεναι ἐνώπιον το θρόνε, αἳ εἰσι τὰ ἑπιὰ πνεύ 6 μαλα τὰ Θεῖ. Καὶ ἐνώπιον τῷ θρόνε ὡς θάλασσα θαλίνη, ομοία κρυςάλλων και ἐν μέσω το θρό με καὶ κύκλῳ τὸ θρό να τέσσαρα ζῶα γέμονία ὀφθαλμῶν ἔμ Η προσθεν και όπισ θεν. Καὶ τὸ ζῶον τὸ πρῶτον ὅμοιον λέοντι, καὶ τὸ δεύ τερον ζῶον ὅμοιον μόσχῳ, καὶ τὸ τρίτον ζῶον ἔχον τὸ πρόσω ωπον ὡς ἄνθρωπος, καὶ τὸ τέταρον ζῶον ὅμοιον ἀελῶ πελωμέ 8 νω· Καὶ τέσσαρα ζῶα, ἓν καθ ̓ ἐν αὐτ τῶν, ἔχον ἀνὰ πλέ ρυγας ἓξη κυκλόθεν καὶ ἔσωθεν γέμεσιν ὀφθαλμῶν· καὶ ἀνάπαισιν ἐκ ἔχεσιν ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς, λέγοντες "Αγιον, 7 as it were, a Sea, glassy, like unto crystal; and in the midst of the Throne, and around the Throne, four living creatures, full of eyes, before and behind. And the first living creature like a lion; and the second living creature like a steer; and the third . living creature having the aspect as a man; and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle. 8 And the four living creatures, having each of them six wings, are full of eyes, around and within; and they cease not day and night, saying," Holy, “ holy, holy, the Lord 66 God, the Almighty, "which was, and which seats and upon the seats I saw four and twenty Elders, sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of 5 gold. And out of the Throne proceeded lightnings, and thunderings, and voices: And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the Throne, which are the seven 6 Spirits of God. 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, be7 fore and behind. And the first beast was like a lion; and the second beast like a calf; and the third beast had a face as a man; and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle. 8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him, and they were full of eyes within; and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, boly, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and 9 is to come. And when those beasts give glory, για το Κύριος "is, and which is to come !” And when the living creatures give glory and honour and thanksgiving to Him who sitteth on the Throne, who liveth for 10 ever and ever, The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sitteth on the Throne, and worship Him who liveth for ever andever; and cast their crowns before the 11 Throne, saying, “ Wor ὁ Θεὸς ὁ παντοκρά- 19 τωρ, ὁ ἦν, καὶ ὁ ὢν, καὶ ὁ ἐρχόμενΘ. 9 Καὶ ὅταν δώσεσι τὰ ζῶα δόξαν καὶ τιμὴν καὶ εὐχαρισίαν τῷ καθημένῳ ἐπὶ τῇ θρόνο, τῷ ζωνι εἰς τὰς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, 10 Πεσεναι οἱ εἴκοσι τέσσαρες πρεσβύ τεροι ἐνώπιον τῷ και θημένε ἐπὶ τῇ θρό νε, καὶ προσκυνη σεσι τῷ ζῶν, εἰς | τὰς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, καὶ βαλέσι τὰς σεφάνες αὑτῶν ἐνώπιον τῷ θρόνο, 11 λέγοντες "Αξιος εἶ, Κύριε, λαβεῖν τὴν δόξαν, καὶ τὴν τις μὴν, καὶ τὴν δύναμιν· ὅτι σὺ ἔκλισας τὰ πάνα, καὶ διὰ " thy art thou, Ο Lord, " to receive the glory, "and the honour, and "the power; for thou "hast created all "things, and by thy “ will they were, and and honour, and thanks to Him that sat on the Throne, who liveth for 10 ever and ever, The four and twenty Elders fall down before Him that sat on the Throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the 11 Throne, saying, Thou art worthy, Ο Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are, and were created. Ver. 1. After these things.] In the 19th verse of the first chapter, the Prophet is ordered to write both the things which were then present, & εισι, and the events which were to happen afterwards, à 5 δει λειζε 1 μελλει γενεσθαι μετα ταυλα. Into these two parts the whole book of the Apocalypse is divided. The first, containing . the present state of the seven Churches, as discovered by their all-seeing Lord, is now completed; and we enter upon the second, which contains the disclosure of events which were then to come. Accordingly it is a new vision which is now presented; and the words "immediately I was in the spirit," shew it to be such; for they needed not to have been repeated from chap. i. 10, if it had been otherwise. Ib. In the heaven.] The same kind of opening in the heaven, is described by other Prophets, who were favoured with such visions*. This opening of the heaven was previous to Saint John's ascent thither, and seems to have been seen by him, before he was carried in the Spirit to become a spectator of the sublime scene which he is going to describe. Ver. 2. I was in the Spirit.] The celerity with which the Apostle, rapt in the Spirit, is presented before the scenery in heaven, is sublime. It is like that alluded to by Saint Paul, who knew not whether he was bodily or only spiritually present f. It is not like the fabled ascent of Mahomet, on the beast Alborakt. Ib. A throne.] This representation has a near resemblance to what it pleased the Holy Spirit to display, at other times, of the majesty of Jehovah §. The ineffable presence of God, as Bishop Lowth remarks ||, can only be represented by sensible and earthly images. Here is displayed the utmost magnificence of eastern state. Ib. Upon the throne one sitting.] There is great sublimity in this nameless majesty of God; and ipsum Ezek. i. 2. x. 1. † 2 Cor. xii. 2. & 3. ¡ Prideaux' Life of Mahomet. || On Isaiah vi. Isaiah vi. Ezek. i. 26, &c. xliii. i. 9. verbum sedere, the very word, sitting, says Jerome, shews the power and authority of his rule *. Ver. 3. Jasper-sardine-stone.] The jasper is represented to be a pellucid, watery gem, its colour various †, the sardine also transparent, but of a fiery tinge. So, to express in some measure, by sensible images, the ineffable brightness of Him who sate upon the throne, the clear jasper first presented itself in the Prophet's mind, but a fiery glow was wanting to complete the description; he therefore adds the sardine. There is a resemblance to this in Exod. xxiv. 10, 17. Ib. Radiance.] In the vision of Ezekiel+, there is a throne, and one sitting, and around him "as it were "the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round "about, as the appearance of the bow that is in the "clouds on the day of rain." Such was this circular glory; it was not a rainbow, but like it; and of a green hue and lustre, like an emerald. Ver. 4. Twenty-four thrones-twenty-four elders.] Comparing this vision, so far as we have proceeded, with those exhibited m the Old Testament to the Prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel, we cannot hesitate to declare, that it represents (to use the words of these Prophets) "the King, the Lord of Hosts, the Glory "of the God of Israel!" But who are these, whom we behold on the twenty-four thrones, seated in state, and dignified with crowns? They are admitted to distinguishing honour in the Divine presence; and yet they are certainly servants, for they officiate as such (v. 10, and ch. 'xi. 16.) in postures of adoration, as before an eastern monarch, with crowns abased, doing homage to the Supreme King. Yet they are not angels, the • Hieron. Comm. in Ephes. i. 20. + Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. xxvii. Ch. i. 27, 28. R 2 usual |