Chapter
Verse
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Revelation 4:8

ESV And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!"
NIV Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: " ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come."
NASB And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, 'HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is the Lord God, THE ALMIGHTY, who was and who is and who is to come.'
CSB Each of the four living creatures had six wings; they were covered with eyes around and inside. Day and night they never stop, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, the Almighty, who was, who is, and who is to come.
NLT Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered all over with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty — the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.'
KJV 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.
NKJV The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”

What does Revelation 4:8 mean?

John describes each of the four living creatures as having six wings. His description is reminiscent of Isaiah' description of the seraphim he saw above God's throne (Isaiah 6:2–3). Probably the living creatures, like the seraphim, use two wings to cover the face, two to cover the feet, and two to fly. The living creatures possess multiple eyes, emphasizing their guard duty. Also, they praise God day and night. They sing about God's holiness.

Perhaps their threefold repetition of His holiness is intended to extol the holiness of each of the three persons of the Trinity. The Bible refers to the Father as holy (John 17:11), to the Son as holy (Luke 1:35), and to the Spirit as holy (Ephesians 4:30). The living creatures' song of praise also extols God as eternal. They refer to Him as "who was and is and is to come." We, too, ought to praise God for His absolute holiness and eternal existence.
Expand
Expand
Expand
What is the Gospel?
Download the app: