The Throne in Heaven

¹After this I looked and saw a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had previously heard speak to me like a trumpet was saying, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after these things.”

²At once I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne standing in heaven, with someone seated on it.

³The One seated there looked like jasper and carnelian, and a rainbow that gleamed like an emerald encircled the throne.

⁴Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and on these thrones sat twenty-four elders dressed in white, with golden crowns on their heads.

Worship of the Creator

⁵From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. Before the throne burned seven torches of fire. These are the seven spiritsof God.

⁶And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, as clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, covered with eyes in front and back.

⁷The first living creature was like a lion, the second like a calf, the third had a face like a man, and the fourth was like an eagle in flight.

⁸And each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around and within. Day and night they never stop saying:“Holy, Holy, Holy,is the Lord God Almighty,who was and is and is to come!”

⁹And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever,

¹⁰the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, and they worship Him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying:

¹¹“Worthy are You, our Lord and God,to receive glory and honor and power,for You created all things;by Your will they exist and were created.”

Instructions to Elders

¹As a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings, and a partaker of the glory to be revealed, I appeal to the eldersamong you:

²Be shepherds of God’s flock that is among you, watching over themnot out of compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you;not out of greed, but out of eagerness;

³not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

⁴And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.

Cast Your Cares on Him

⁵Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because,“God opposes the proud,but gives grace to the humble.”

⁶Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, so that in due time He may exalt you.

⁷Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

⁸Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

⁹Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.

Benediction and Farewell

¹⁰And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ,will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish you.

¹¹To Him be the power forever and ever. Amen.

¹²Through Silvanus,whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it.

¹³The church in Babylon,chosen together with you, sends you greetings, as does my son Mark.

¹⁴Greet one another with a kiss of love.Peace to all of you who are in Christ.

Carry One Another’s Burdens

¹Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.

²Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

³If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

⁴Each one should test his own work. Then he will have reason to boast in himself alone, and not in someone else.

⁵For each one should carry his own load.

⁶Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word must share in all good things with his instructor.

⁷Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.

⁸The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

⁹Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

¹⁰Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to the family of faith.

Final Warnings and Blessings

¹¹See what large letters I am using to write to you with my own hand!

¹²Those who want to make a good impression outwardly are trying to compel you to be circumcised. They only do this to avoid persecution for the cross of Christ.

¹³For the circumcised do not even keep the law themselves, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast in your flesh.

¹⁴But as for me, may I never boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whichthe world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

¹⁵For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything. What counts is a new creation.

¹⁶Peace and mercy to all who walk by this rule, even to the Israel of God.

¹⁷From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

¹⁸The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers.Amen.

I Will Sing of His Love Forever

¹I will sing of the loving devotion of the LORD forever;with my mouth I will proclaim Your faithfulness to all generations.

²For I have said, “Loving devotion is built up forever;in the heavens You establish Your faithfulness.”

³You said, “I have made a covenant with My chosen one,I have sworn to David My servant:

⁴‘I will establish your offspring foreverand build up your throne for all generations.’”Selah

⁵The heavens praise Your wonders, O LORD—Your faithfulness as well—in the assembly of the holy ones.

⁶For who in the skies can compare with the LORD?Who among the heavenly beingsis like the LORD?

⁷In the council of the holy ones, God is greatly feared,and awesome above all who surround Him.

⁸O LORD God of Hosts, who is like You?O mighty LORD, Your faithfulness surrounds You.

⁹You rule the raging sea;when its waves mount up, You still them.

¹⁰You crushed Rahab like a carcass;You scattered Your enemies with Your mighty arm.

¹¹The heavens are Yours, and also the earth.The earth and its fullness You founded.

¹²North and south You created;Tabor and Hermon shout for joy at Your name.

¹³Mighty is Your arm; strong is Your hand.Your right hand is exalted.

¹⁴Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;loving devotion and faithfulness go before You.

¹⁵Blessed are those who know the joyful sound,who walk, O LORD, in the light of Your presence.

¹⁶They rejoice in Your name all day long,and in Your righteousness they exult.

¹⁷For You are the glory of their strength,and by Your favor our horn is exalted.

¹⁸Surely our shield belongs to the LORD,and our king to the Holy One of Israel.

¹⁹You once spoke in a vision;to Your godly ones You said,“I have bestowed help on a warrior;I have exalted one chosen from the people.

²⁰I have found My servant David;with My sacred oil I have anointed him.

²¹My hand will sustain him;surely My arm will strengthen him.

²²No enemy will exact tribute;no wicked man will oppress him.

²³I will crush his foes before himand strike down those who hate him.

²⁴My faithfulness and loving devotion will be with him,and through My name his horn will be exalted.

²⁵I will set his hand over the sea,and his right hand upon the rivers.

²⁶He will call to Me, ‘You are my Father,my God, the Rock of my salvation.’

²⁷I will indeed appoint him as My firstborn,the highest of the kings of the earth.

²⁸I will forever preserve My loving devotion for him,and My covenant with him will stand fast.

²⁹I will establish his line forever,his throne as long as the heavens endure.

³⁰If his sons forsake My lawand do not walk in My judgments,

³¹if they violate My statutesand fail to keep My commandments,

³²I will attend to their transgression with the rod,and to their iniquity with stripes.

³³But I will not withdraw My loving devotion from him,nor ever betray My faithfulness.

³⁴I will not violate My covenantor alter the utterance of My lips.

³⁵Once and for all I have sworn by My holiness—I will not lie to David—

³⁶his offspring shall endure forever,and his throne before Me like the sun,

³⁷like the moon, established forever,a faithful witness in the sky.”Selah

³⁸Now, however, You have spurned and rejected him;You are enraged by Your anointed one.

³⁹You have renounced the covenant with Your servantand sullied his crown in the dust.

⁴⁰You have broken down all his walls;You have reduced his strongholds to rubble.

⁴¹All who pass by plunder him;he has become a reproach to his neighbors.

⁴²You have exalted the right hand of his foes;You have made all his enemies rejoice.

⁴³You have bent the edge of his swordand have not sustained him in battle.

⁴⁴You have ended his splendorand cast his throne to the ground.

⁴⁵You have cut short the days of his youth;You have covered him with shame.Selah

⁴⁶How long, O LORD?Will You hide Yourself forever?Will Your wrath keep burning like fire?

⁴⁷Remember the briefness of my lifespan!For what futility You have created all men!

⁴⁸What man can live and never see death?Can he deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?Selah

⁴⁹Where, O Lord, is Your loving devotion of old,which You faithfully swore to David?

⁵⁰Remember, O Lord, the reproach of Your servants,which I bear in my heart from so many people—

⁵¹how Your enemies have taunted, O LORD,and have mocked every step of Your anointed one!

⁵²Blessed be the LORD forever!Amen and amen.