The twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones before God fell with their faces to the ground and worshiped him.
Parallel translations
- WEB The twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God’s throne, fell on their faces and worshiped God,
- KJV And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
- BSB And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God,
- NKJV And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,
- NASB And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God,
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The twenty-four elders fall on their faces and worship God. Heaven responds to the kingdom's coming with profound worship.
Overview
The twenty-four elders, representing the redeemed people of God (Revelation 4:4), bow in worship before the throne. Their prostrate adoration is the fitting response to the announcement of God's triumphant reign. It models how creatures should answer the establishment of the kingdom—with humble worship, not pride. This scene draws the reader into the worship of the God who reigns.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 6
- Rev 4:4Around 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.
- Rev 4:10the 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,
- Rev 7:11All 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,
- Rev 19:4The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne, saying, “Amen! Hallelujah!”
- Rev 5:14The four living creatures said, “Amen!” The elders fell down and worshiped.
- Rev 5:5–8One 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.”
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Christ at the center
Revelation ends the story with the slain-yet-standing Lamb who is worthy, the Lion of Judah, the Alpha and Omega, the returning King who makes all things new and dwells with his people forever.
How Revelation 11:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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