10 ^[a]Those who sealed it were:

⁹ The Levites:^(E)

¹⁴ The leaders of the people:

A Call to Return to the Lord

1 In the eighth month of the second year of Darius,^(A) the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah^(B) son of Berekiah,^(C) the son of Iddo:^(D)

² “The Lord was very angry^(E) with your ancestors. ³ Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return^(F) to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’^(G) says the Lord Almighty. ⁴ Do not be like your ancestors,^(H) to whom the earlier prophets^(I) proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways^(J) and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me,^(K) declares the Lord.^{(L) 5} Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live forever? ⁶ But did not my words^(M) and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors?^(N)

“Then they repented and said, ‘The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve,^(O) just as he determined to do.’”^(P)

The Man Among the Myrtle Trees

⁷ On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo.^(Q)

⁸ During the night I had a vision, and there before me was a man mounted on a red^(R) horse. He was standing among the myrtle trees in a ravine. Behind him were red, brown and white horses.^(S)

⁹ I asked, “What are these, my lord?”

The angel^(T) who was talking with me answered, “I will show you what they are.”^(U)

¹⁰ Then the man standing among the myrtle trees explained, “They are the ones the Lord has sent to go throughout the earth.”^(V)

¹¹ And they reported to the angel of the Lord^(W) who was standing among the myrtle trees, “We have gone throughout the earth and found the whole world at rest and in peace.”^(X)

¹² Then the angel of the Lord said, “Lord Almighty, how long^(Y) will you withhold mercy^(Z) from Jerusalem and from the towns of Judah,^(AA) which you have been angry with these seventy^(AB) years?” ¹³ So the Lord spoke^(AC) kind and comforting words^(AD) to the angel who talked with me.^(AE)

¹⁴ Then the angel who was speaking to me said, “Proclaim this word: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘I am very jealous^(AF) for Jerusalem and Zion, ¹⁵ and I am very angry with the nations that feel secure.^(AG) I was only a little angry,^(AH) but they went too far with the punishment.’^(AI)

¹⁶ “Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will return^(AJ) to Jerusalem with mercy, and there my house will be rebuilt. And the measuring line^(AK) will be stretched out over Jerusalem,’ declares the Lord Almighty.^(AL)

¹⁷ “Proclaim further: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘My towns will again overflow with prosperity, and the Lord will again comfort^(AM) Zion and choose^(AN) Jerusalem.’”^(AO)

Four Horns and Four Craftsmen

¹⁸ Then I looked up, and there before me were four horns. ¹⁹ I asked the angel who was speaking to me, “What are these?”

He answered me, “These are the horns^(AP) that scattered Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.”

²⁰ Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. ²¹ I asked, “What are these coming to do?”

He answered, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise their head, but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations who lifted up their horns^(AQ) against the land of Judah to scatter its people.”^[a](AR)

To the Church in Sardis

3 “To the angel^[a] of the church in Sardis^(A) write:

To the Church in Philadelphia

⁷ “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia^(P) write:

To the Church in Laodicea

¹⁴ “To the angel of the church in Laodicea^(AN) write:

The Throne in Heaven

4 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open^(BG) in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet^(BH) said, “Come up here,^(BI) and I will show you what must take place after this.”^{(BJ) 2} At once I was in the Spirit,^(BK) and there before me was a throne in heaven^(BL) with someone sitting on it. ³ And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper^(BM) and ruby.^(BN) A rainbow^(BO) that shone like an emerald^(BP) encircled the throne. ⁴ Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders.^(BQ) They were dressed in white^(BR) and had crowns of gold on their heads. ⁵ From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder.^(BS) In front of the throne, seven lamps^(BT) were blazing. These are the seven spirits^[c](BU) of God. ⁶ Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass,^(BV) clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures,^(BW) and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.^{(BX) 7} The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.^{(BY) 8} Each of the four living creatures^(BZ) had six wings^(CA) and was covered with eyes all around,^(CB) even under its wings. Day and night^(CC) they never stop saying:

⁹ Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne^(CF) and who lives for ever and ever,^{(CG) 10} the twenty-four elders^(CH) fall down before him^(CI) who sits on the throne^(CJ) and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: