Revelation 4 · Verse 9

Revelation 4:9

And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,
Revelation 4:9, King James Version

Revelation 4:9 in other translations

BSBAnd whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne who lives forever and ever,
WEBWhen the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to him who sits on the throne, to him who lives forever and ever,
ASVAnd when the living creatures shall give glory and honor and thanks to him that sitteth on the throne, to him that liveth for ever and ever,
YLTand when the living creatures do give glory, and honour, and thanks, to Him who is sitting upon the throne, who is living to the ages of the ages,
DARBYAnd when the living creatures shall give glory and honour and thanksgiving to him that sits upon the throne, who lives to the ages of ages,
BBEAnd when the beasts give glory and honour to him who is seated on the high seat, to him who is living for ever and ever,
WebsterAnd when those living beings give glory, and honor, and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,

What does Revelation 4:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Revelation 4:9-11
9-11. The ground of praise here is God's eternity, and God's power and glory manifested in the creation of all things for His pleasure. Creation is the foundation of all God's other acts of power, wisdom, and love, and therefore forms the first theme of His creatures' thanksgivings. The four living creatures take the lead of the twenty-four elders, both in this anthem, and in that new song which follows on the ground of their redemption (Re 5:8-10). when--that is, whensoever: as often as. A simultaneous giving of glory on the part of the beasts, and on the part of the elders. give--"shall give" in one oldest manuscript. for ever and ever--Greek, "unto the ages of the ages."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 9. And when those beasts give glory, etc. As often as those living beings ascribe glory to God. They did this continually, (Rev 4:8) and, if the above explanation be correct, then the idea is, that the ways and acts of God in his providential government are continually of such a nature as to honour him.

(b) "who liveth" Rev 5:14

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Revelation 4:9-11
All true believers wholly ascribe their redemption and conversion, their present privileges and future hopes, to the eternal and most holy God. Thus rise the for-ever harmonious, thankful songs of the redeemed in heaven. Would we on earth do like them, let our praises be constant, not interrupted; united, not divided; thankful, not cold and formal; humble, not self-confident.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Revelation 4:9 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532
ὅτανhotanwheneverG3752
δώσουσινdōsousinwill giveG1325
τὰtatheG3588
ζῷαzōaliving creaturesG2226
δόξανdoxangloryG1391
καὶkaiandG2532
τιμὴνtimēnhonorG5092
καὶkaiandG2532
εὐχαριστίανeucharistianthanksgivingG2169
τῷtōto the [One]G3588
καθημένῳkathēmenōsittingG2521
ἐπὶepiuponG1909
τῷtōtheG3588
θρόνῳ,thronōthrone,G2362
τῷtōwhoG3588
ζῶντιzōntiis livingG2198
εἰςeistoG1519
τοὺςtoustheG3588
αἰῶναςaiōnasagesG165
τῶνtōnof theG3588
αἰώνων,aiōnōnages,G165

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Revelation 4:9

  • Revelation 5:13-14

    And 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, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

  • Revelation 7:11-12

    And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

  • Revelation 10:6

    And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:

  • Revelation 15:7

    And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.

  • Psalms 47:8

    God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.

  • Revelation 1:18

    I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

  • Daniel 4:34

    And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:

  • Daniel 12:7

    And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

  • Hebrews 7:8

    And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.

  • Exodus 15:18

    The Lord shall reign for ever and ever.

  • Psalms 48:14

    For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.

  • Hebrews 7:25

    Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
when.
5:13,14; 7:11,12
who.
1:18; 5:14; 10:6; 15:7; Ex 15:18; Ps 48:14; Heb 7:8,25

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Revelation 4:8

    And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

  • Revelation 4:9

    And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,

  • Revelation 4:10

    The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

Read all of Revelation 4

Revelation 4:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y cuando aquellos animales daban gloria y honra y alabanza al que estaba sentado en el trono, al que vive para siempre jamás,
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et quand les animaux rendront gloire et honneur et action de grâces à celui qui est assis sur le trône, à celui qui vit aux siècles des siècles,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und wenn die lebendigen Wesen Herrlichkeit und Ehre und Danksagung geben werden dem, der auf dem Throne sitzt, der da lebt von Ewigkeit zu Ewigkeit,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Et cum darent illa animalia gloriam, et honorem, et benedictionem sedenti super thronum, viventi in sæcula sæculorum,