When the lamb had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 leaders bowed in front of him. Each held a harp and a gold bowl full of incense, the prayers of God’s holy people. Then they sang a new song,
  “You deserve to take the scroll 

    and open the seals on it, 

    because you were slaughtered.
   You bought people with your 

    blood to be God’s own.
   They are from every tribe, 

    language, people, and nation.
   You made them a kingdom and 
    priests for our God. 

   They will rule as kings on the 

    earth.”