4:2a

At once I was in the Spirit: The Greek clause is literally “Immediately I was in spirit.” John’s experience of being “in spirit” continues from 1:10, but John feels it anew. Translate the phrase in the Spirit similarly to the way that you did there. For example:

Again I was in the Spirit
-or-
At once I found myself again in the Spirit
-or-
Again the Spirit began speaking to my spirit

4:2b

and I saw: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and I saw is literally “look.” The word emphasizes or calls attention to the words that follow. The word “look” is not a command to look at something. Other ways to translate the Greek phrase are:

indeed/hey,
-or-
suddenly/unexpectedly

a throne: A throne is the official chair where a king sits. From his throne, he rules his people and his country. Therefore, the word throne is a symbol for the authority the king has to rule. This throne is God’s throne, because he rules heaven.

See how you translated this word in 1:4.

in heaven: Here the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as heaven refers to the place where God lives. Some languages do not have a word for this place. If that is true in your language, you may need to:

• Use a word that can refer figuratively to the place where God lives. For example:

sky
-or-
the place beyond the stars

• Use the major language word. If people from your language are not familiar with the meaning of this word, you may want to include a footnote to explain it:

Heaven is the place where God lives.

• Translate it using a descriptive phrase. For example:

the place where God lives

with someone seated on it: Here the word someone is general, but it refers to God. By not naming God, this phrase emphasizes that the person sitting on the throne has all the authority that the main throne in heaven symbolizes. John may also be copying the style of the Old Testament prophets in not naming God.

In some languages a literal translation would wrongly refer to someone other than God. If that is true in your language, translate in a way that clearly refers to God. If possible, speak indirectly of God. For example:

with the one ⌊who rules everything⌋ sitting on it
-or-
with the ⌊great/greatest⌋ One sitting there

But in some languages speaking indirectly about God will still be unclear. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Translate literally and put in a footnote to explain the meaning. An example footnote is:

This refers to God.
-or-
The word “someone” refers to God here.

• Speak directly about God. For example:

with God himself sitting on it

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