Revelation is meant to be heard. More than any other book it is built of voices — a command like a trumpet, a seer who keeps saying “I heard,” the One on the throne, the slain Lamb, and choir behind choir answering: the four living creatures nearest the throne, the twenty-four elders just beyond them, then myriads of angels, then every created thing in heaven and earth and sea. Printed flat, the praise blurs into one long shout. Colored, it becomes what John actually describes — concentric rings of voice opening outward, each taking up the song in turn. This curated edition follows the hymns from the first vision to the last “Come,” and flags the places the book keeps deliberately unresolved: the voice that comes simply “from the throne,” and the Alpha-and-the-Omega — a name the Lord God speaks in chapter 1, and the Lord Jesus claims, identically, in chapter 22.
Selected passagesA selection, not the complete book: the throne-room visions and the great hymns, where the voices in heaven are richest.
The Voices
I · The first and the last · 1:8–18
Before any vision, a voice; and the figure the seer turns to find.
The Throne· Revelation 1:8
8“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
John· Revelation 1:9–10
9I John, your brother and partner with you in oppression, Kingdom, and perseverance in Christ Jesus, was on the isle that is called Patmos because of God’s Word and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, like a trumpet
The Lamb· the trumpet voice· Revelation 1:11
11saying, “What you see, write in a book and send to the seven assemblies: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
John· Revelation 1:12–16
12I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. Having turned, I saw seven golden lamp stands. 13And among the lamp stands was one like a son of man, clothed with a robe reaching down to his feet, and with a golden sash around his chest. 14His head and his hair were white as white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire. 15His feet were like burnished brass, as if it had been refined in a furnace. His voice was like the voice of many waters. 16He had seven stars in his right hand. Out of his mouth proceeded a sharp two-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
The Lamb· “the first and the last”· Revelation 1:17–18
17When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me, saying, “Don’t be afraid. I am the first and the last, 18and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever more. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades.
II · The throne · 4:1–11
The door opens, and the first ring of choirs is already singing.
John· Revelation 4:1–8
1After these things I looked and saw a door opened in heaven, and the first voice that I heard, like a trumpet speaking with me, was one saying, “Come up here, and I will show you the things which must happen after this.” 2Immediately I was in the Spirit. Behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting on the throne 3that looked like a jasper stone and a sardius. There was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald to look at. 4Around the throne were twenty-four thrones. On the thrones were twenty-four elders sitting, dressed in white garments, with crowns of gold on their heads. 5Out of the throne proceed lightnings, sounds, and thunders. There were seven lamps of fire burning before his throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. 6Before the throne was something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal. In the midst of the throne, and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind. 7The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like a man, and the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8The four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within. They have no rest day and night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come!”
The Creatures· the Sanctus· Revelation 4:8
8The four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within. They have no rest day and night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come!”
John· Revelation 4:9–10
9When the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to him who sits on the throne, to him who lives forever and ever, 10the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives forever and ever, and throw their crowns before the throne, saying,
The Elders· Revelation 4:11
11“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, the Holy One, to receive the glory, the honor, and the power, for you created all things, and because of your desire they existed, and were created!”
III · The Lamb and the new song · 5:1–14
The book's first great crescendo — the song taken up ring by ring, from the throne-circle out to every creature that exists.
John· Revelation 5:1
1I saw, in the right hand of him who sat on the throne, a book written inside and outside, sealed shut with seven seals.
The Angels· a mighty angel· Revelation 5:2
2I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to break its seals?”
John· Revelation 5:3–4
3No one in heaven above, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book, or to look in it. 4And I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look in it.
The Elders· Revelation 5:5
5One of the elders said to me, “Don’t weep. Behold, the Lion who is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome; he who opens the book and its seven seals.”
John· Revelation 5:6–8
6I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. 7Then he came, and he took it out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8Now when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
The Creatures· the new song· Revelation 5:9–10
9They sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book, and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood, out of every tribe, language, people, and nation, 10and made us kings and priests to our God, and we will reign on earth.”
The Angels· myriads of angels· Revelation 5:11–12
11I saw, and I heard something like a voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousands of ten thousands, and thousands of thousands; 12saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing!”
The Multitude· every creature· Revelation 5:13
13I heard every created thing which is in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever! Amen!”
The Creatures· Amen· Revelation 5:14
14The four living creatures said, “Amen!” The elders fell down and worshiped.
IV · The multitude no one could number · 7:9–17
A new choir the throne-circle has not seen before — and an elder turns to ask the seer who they are.
John· Revelation 7:9
9After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.
The Multitude· Revelation 7:10
10They cried with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation be to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
John· Revelation 7:11
11All the angels were standing around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before his throne, and worshiped God,
The Angels· Revelation 7:12
12saying, “Amen! Blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might, be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
The Elders· an elder asks· Revelation 7:13
13One of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are arrayed in white robes, who are they, and from where did they come?”
John· John answers· Revelation 7:14
14I told him, “My lord, you know.” He said to me, “These are those who came out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes, and made them white in the Lamb’s blood.
V · The kingdom of the world has become · 11:15–12:12
The seventh trumpet, and heaven announcing in advance a victory not yet seen on earth.
The Multitude· great voices in heaven· Revelation 11:15
15The seventh angel sounded, and great voices in heaven followed, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ. He will reign forever and ever!”
The Elders· Revelation 11:16–18
16The twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God’s throne, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17saying: “We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who was; because you have taken your great power, and reigned. 18The nations were angry, and your wrath came, as did the time for the dead to be judged, and to give your bondservants the prophets, their reward, as well as to the saints, and those who fear your name, to the small and the great; and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
The Multitude· a loud voice in heaven· Revelation 12:10–12
10I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, the power, and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ has come; for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night. 11They overcame him because of the Lamb’s blood, and because of the word of their testimony. They didn’t love their life, even to death. 12Therefore rejoice, heavens, and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and to the sea, because the devil has gone down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has but a short time.”
VI · The Hallelujah · 19:1–9
The second great crescendo, and the only place in the New Testament the word “Hallelujah” is sung — four times, ring answering ring.
The Multitude· a great multitude· Revelation 19:1–2
1After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation, power, and glory belong to our God: 2for true and righteous are his judgments. For he has judged the great prostitute, who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality, and he has avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.”
The Multitude· a second· Revelation 19:3
3A second said, “Hallelujah! Her smoke goes up forever and ever.”
The Elders· Revelation 19:4
4The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne, saying, “Amen! Hallelujah!”
The Angels· a voice from the throne· Revelation 19:5
5A voice came from the throne, saying, “Give praise to our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, the small and the great!”
The Multitude· like the voice of many waters· Revelation 19:6–8
6I heard something like the voice of a great multitude, and like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of mighty thunders, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns! 7Let us rejoice and be exceedingly glad, and let us give the glory to him. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.” 8It was given to her that she would array herself in bright, pure, fine linen: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
The Angels· the angel· Revelation 19:9
9He said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’” He said to me, “These are true words of God.”
VII · All things new, and “Come” · 21:3–8; 22:7–21
At the end the choirs fall quiet and the principals speak plainly — the Throne, the Lamb, the seer, and the bride — until the last word is a prayer.
The Angels· a loud voice from the throne· Revelation 21:3–4
3I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4He will wipe away from them every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.”
The Throne· the Throne speaks· Revelation 21:5–7
5He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” He said, “Write, for these words of God are faithful and true.” 6He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life. 7He who overcomes, I will give him these things. I will be his God, and he will be my son.
The Lamb· Revelation 22:7
7“Behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
John· Revelation 22:8
8Now I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. When I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who had shown me these things.
The Angels· Revelation 22:9
9He said to me, “See you don’t do it! I am a fellow bondservant with you and with your brothers, the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
The Lamb· the Lamb claims the name· Revelation 22:12–13
12“Behold, I come quickly. My reward is with me, to repay to each man according to his work. 13I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
The Lamb· Revelation 22:16
16I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify these things to you for the assemblies. I am the root and the offspring of David; the Bright and Morning Star.”
The Multitude· the Spirit and the bride· Revelation 22:17
17The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” He who hears, let him say, “Come!” He who is thirsty, let him come. He who desires, let him take the water of life freely.
The Lamb· “I come quickly”· Revelation 22:20
20He who testifies these things says, “Yes, I come quickly.” Amen! Yes, come, Lord Jesus.
Scripture: World English Bible · Public Domain · Wroot Press