The big picture
Revelation 4 opens in verse 1 with “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 6 with “And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of…”, and closes in verse 11 with “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created…” Repeated or prominent terms include throne, beast, beasts, holy, round. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Revelation · King James Version · 11Revelation 4:1-6
1–6: After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the…
Revelation 4:1–6 opens with “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard…” and reaches “And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on An open door into heaven, the throne environment, living creatures, elders, lightning, lamps, and unending worship, with particular weight carried by throne, round, heaven.
Context that brings the passage to life
“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…” The command cannot be understood from the verb alone. Its recipient, purpose, and place in the larger covenant or argument define the responsibility.
“And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.” The number one makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
Revelation 4:1-6
King James Version1After 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 hereafter.
2And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.
3And 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 unto an emerald.
4And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.
5And 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 Spirits of God.
6And 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.
Revelation 4:7-11
7–11: The first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and…
Revelation 4:7–11 opens with “And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a…” and reaches “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on An open door into heaven, the throne environment, living creatures, elders, lightning, lamps, and unending worship, with particular weight carried by beast, holy, throne.
Context that brings the passage to life
“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 line’s distinctive content terms include beast, calf, eagle. Its relationship to verses 8 shows what work it does in this passage.
Revelation 4:7-11
King James Version7And 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.
8And 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, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
9And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
10The 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 throne, saying,
11Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Revelation 4:1 begins with “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…”
Where the chapter turns
Revelation 4:1 forms a natural hinge: “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…”
The final note
Revelation 4:11 leaves the reader with “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words throne, beast, beasts, holy, round, twenty help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What opportunity exists before the murder?
Cain receives a warning and a call to resist sin in verse 7. Anger is not treated as an irresistible excuse.
What do the two speeches about vengeance reveal?
God limits retaliation against Cain; Lamech celebrates escalation.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thee
- you
- thou
- you
- thy
- your
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.