THEOSISAndrew of Caesarea
"The twenty-four elders fell down." These words mean that the elders mentioned are fellow participants in the hymnody of the heavenly powers. They confess that they received from God the strength for victory over the evil spirits.
Revelation 4:9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers
And when those living creatures gave glory and honour and benediction to him that sitteth on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever:
και οταν δωσιν τα ζωα δοξαν και τιμην και ευχαριστιαν τω καθημενω επι του θρονου τω ζωντι εις τους αιωνας των αιωνων
The Church Fathers on this verse
2 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Borodin P.M.
They lay down their crowns to show that the Lord was the cause of their glory, and not they themselves. Powerless and infirm, they can accomplish nothing without Him. To Him alone thanksgiving is due from all creatures for all things, as the Creator of all. He alone can accomplish everything in them, for them, and through them.
Cross references
Passages read together with this verse.
- Rev 5:13And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard all saying: To him that sitteth on the throne and to the Lamb, benediction and honour and glory and power, for ever and ever.
- Rev 5:14And the four living creatures said: Amen. And the four and twenty ancients fell down on their faces and adored him that liveth for ever and ever.
- Rev 10:6And he swore by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven and the things which are therein, and the earth and the things which are in it, and the sea and the things which are therein: That time shall be no longer.
- Rev 7:11And all the angels stood round about the throne and the ancients and the four living creatures. And they fell down before the throne upon their faces and adored God,
- Rev 7:12Saying: Amen. Benediction and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving, honour and power and strength, to our God, for ever and ever. Amen.
- Rev 15:7And one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden vials, full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
- Ps 47 (46):8
- Rev 1:18And alive, and was dead. And behold I am living for ever and ever and have the keys of death and of hell.
The original text
Greek text, 22 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
- ΚαὶkaiandG2532 · καί
- ὅτανhotanwhenG3752 · ὅταν
- δώσουσινdōsousinI offerG1325 · δίδωμι
- τὰtatheG3588 · ὁ
- ζῷαzōaan animalG2226 · ζῷον
- δόξανdoxanhonorG1391 · δόξα
- καὶkaiandG2532 · καί
- τιμὴνtimēna priceG5092 · τιμή
- καὶkaiandG2532 · καί
- εὐχαριστίανeucharistianthankfulnessG2169 · εὐχαριστία
- τῷtōtheG3588 · ὁ
- καθημένῳkathēmenōI sitG2521 · κάθημαι
- ἐπὶepionG1909 · ἐπί
- τῷtōtheG3588 · ὁ
- θρόνῳthronōa throneG2362 · θρόνος
- τῷtōtheG3588 · ὁ
- ζῶντιzōntiI liveG2198 · ζάω
- εἰςeisintoG1519 · εἰς
- τοὺςtoustheG3588 · ὁ
- αἰῶναςaiōnasan ageG165 · αἰών
- τῶνtōntheG3588 · ὁ
- αἰώνωνaiōnōnan ageG165 · αἰών