4:3a
The One seated there looked like jasper and carnelian: These verses do not say how God looked like jasper and carnelian. It probably indicates that God shone colorfully and brightly, shining like those stones do. Other ways to translate this clause are:
The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
The one who was sitting there sparkled like precious stones of jasper and carnelian. (Contemporary English Version)
jasper: This name in Greek is spelled iaspis. This word refers to a spotted or veined stone of a variety of colors. It is often a reddish color, but can also be deep green, brown, or deep yellow. It shines brightly in the sun when polished. Light reflects off its surface. Light does not shine through this stone as it does through glass.
People of some languages are not familiar with jasper. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Use the name for a kind of stone similar to how jasper is described above. The important thing is that it should be considered bright and beautiful.
Use a descriptive phrase. For example:
a shiny, spotted/veined stone ⌊named jasper⌋
• Use the major language word. If people are not familiar with this word, explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:
Jasper is a spotted or veined stone that is deep red, green, or yellow. It shines brightly.
carnelian: This word refers to a blood-red stone that shines brightly in the sun when polished. Light reflects off the surface of this stone also.
In some languages people are not familiar with carnelian. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Use a descriptive phrase. For example:
a shiny, reddish stone ⌊named carnelian⌋
• Use the major language word. If people are not familiar with this word, explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:
Carnelian is a blood-red stone that shines brightly.
4:3b
and a rainbow that gleamed like an emerald encircled the throne: These verses do not say how the rainbow resembled an emerald. It probably refers to a ring of green light that circled around the throne. Other ways to translate this clause are:
round the throne was a rainbow that looked like an emerald (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
all around the throne there was a rainbow the color of an emerald (Good News Translation)
emerald: This word refers to a bright green precious stone that shines brightly in the sun. Light shines through this stone as it does through glass.
In some languages people are not familiar with an emerald. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Use a descriptive phrase. For example:
a clear green stone/gem ⌊named emerald⌋
• Use the major language word. If people are not familiar with this word, explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:
An emerald is a bright green precious stone that light can shine through.
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