Revelation
Chapter 5
Overview
John’s vision centers on God’s throne, where a sealed scroll holds everyone’s attention. A powerful angel asks who is worthy to open it, but no one in all creation can do so. John weeps until an elder announces that a victorious figure has appeared. Yet the promised Lion is seen as a Lamb—slaughtered, but standing. The Lamb takes the scroll, and sorrow gives way to music. First the throne’s attendants sing, then countless angels join them, and finally every creature praises God and the Lamb.
1Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. It had writing on both sides and was tightly sealed with seven seals.
2I also saw a powerful angel announcing in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?”
3But no one in heaven, on earth, or beneath the earth was able to open the scroll or even look inside it.
4I wept bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or even look inside it.
5Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Look! The Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David’s family, has won the victory. He can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6Then I saw a Lamb standing at the center of the throne, surrounded by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb looked as though it had been slaughtered. It had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent throughout the whole earth.
7The Lamb came and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne.
8When the Lamb took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before him. Each elder held a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which represent the prayers of God’s people.
9They sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because you were slaughtered. With your blood you purchased people for God from every tribe, language, people, and nation.
10You made them a kingdom and priests serving our God, and they reign on the earth.”
11Then I looked and heard the voices of many angels surrounding the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. There were tens of thousands upon tens of thousands—thousands upon thousands.
12They proclaimed in a loud voice, “The Lamb who was slaughtered is worthy to receive power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and praise!”
13Then I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, beneath the earth, and in the sea—everything in all those places—say, “May praise, honor, glory, and ruling power belong forever and ever to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb!”
14The four living creatures said, “Yes—let it be so!” Then the elders fell down and worshiped.