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The Woman and the Dragon

12 Something important appeared in the sky. It was a woman whose clothes were the sun. The moon was under her feet, and a crown made of twelve stars was on her head. She was about to give birth, and she was crying because of the great pain.

(A) Something else appeared in the sky. It was a huge red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, and a crown on each of its seven heads. (B) With its tail, it dragged a third of the stars from the sky and threw them down to the earth. Then the dragon turned toward the woman, because it wanted to eat her child as soon as it was born.

(C) The woman gave birth to a son, who would rule all nations with an iron rod. The boy was snatched away. He was taken to God and placed on his throne. The woman ran into the desert to a place that God had prepared for her. There she would be taken care of for 1,260 days.

Michael Fights the Dragon

(D) A war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels were fighting against the dragon and its angels. But the dragon lost the battle. It and its angels were forced out of their places in heaven (E) and were thrown down to the earth. Yes, that old snake and his angels were thrown out of heaven! That snake, who fools everyone on earth, is known as the devil and Satan. 10 (F) Then I heard a voice from heaven shout,

“Our God has shown
his saving power,
    and his kingdom has come!
God's own Chosen One
    has shown his authority.
Satan accused our people
in the presence of God
    day and night.
Now he has been thrown out!

11 “Our people defeated Satan
    because of the blood[a]
of the Lamb
    and the message of God.
They were willing
    to give up their lives.

12 “The heavens should rejoice,
together with everyone
    who lives there.
But pity the earth
    and the sea,
because the devil
was thrown down
    to the earth.
He knows his time is short,
    and he is very angry.”

13 When the dragon realized it had been thrown down to the earth, it tried to make trouble for the woman who had given birth to a son. 14 (G) But the woman was given two wings like those of a huge eagle, so she could fly into the desert. There she would escape from the snake and be taken care of for a time, two times, and half a time.

15 The snake then spewed out water like a river to sweep the woman away. 16 But the earth helped her and swallowed the water that had come from the dragon's mouth. 17 This made the dragon terribly angry with the woman. So it started a war against the rest of her children. They are the people who obey God and are faithful to what Jesus did and taught. 18 The dragon[b] stood on the beach beside the sea.

The Two Beasts

13 (H) I looked and saw a beast coming up from the sea. This one had ten horns and seven heads, and a crown was on each of its ten horns. On each of its heads were names that were an insult to God. (I) The beast I saw had the body of a leopard, the feet of a bear, and the mouth of a lion. The dragon handed over its own power and throne and great authority to this beast. One of its heads seemed to have been fatally wounded, but now it was well. Everyone on earth marveled at this beast, and they worshiped the dragon who had given its authority to the beast. They also worshiped the beast and said, “No one is like this beast! No one can fight against it.”

(J) The beast was allowed to brag and claim to be God, and for 42 months it was allowed to rule. The beast cursed God, and it cursed the name of God. It even cursed the place where God lives, as well as everyone who lives in heaven with God. (K) It was allowed to fight against God's people and defeat them. It was also given authority over the people of every tribe, nation, language, and race. (L) The beast was worshiped by everyone whose name wasn't written before the time of creation in the book of the Lamb who was killed.[c]

If you have ears,
    then listen!
10 (M) If you are doomed
to be captured,
    you will be captured.
If you are doomed
    to be killed by a sword,
you will be killed
    by a sword.

This means God's people must learn to endure and be faithful!

11 I now saw another beast. This one came out of the ground. It had two horns like a lamb, but spoke like a dragon. 12 It worked for the beast whose fatal wound had been healed. And it used all its authority to force the earth and its people to worship that beast. 13 It worked mighty miracles, and while people watched, it even made fire come down from the sky.

14 This second beast fooled people on earth by working miracles for the first one. Then it talked them into making an idol in the form of the beast that did not die after being wounded by a sword. 15 It was allowed to put breath into the idol, so it could speak. Everyone who refused to worship the idol of the beast was put to death. 16 (N) All people were forced to put a mark on their right hand or forehead. Whether they were powerful or weak, rich or poor, free people or slaves, 17 they all had to have this mark, or else they could not buy or sell anything. This mark stood for the name of the beast and for the number of its name.

18 You need wisdom to understand the number of the beast! But if you are smart enough, you can figure this out. Its number is 666, and it stands for a person.

The Lamb and His 144,000 Followers

14 (O) I looked and saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion![d] With him were 144,000, who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. (P) Then I heard a sound from heaven that was like a roaring flood or loud thunder or even like the music of harps. And a new song was being sung in front of God's throne and in front of the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn that song, except the 144,000 who had been rescued from the earth. All of these are pure virgins, and they follow the Lamb wherever he leads. They have been rescued to be presented to God and the Lamb as the most precious people[e] on earth. (Q) They never tell lies, and they are innocent.

The Messages of the Three Angels

I saw another angel. This one was flying across the sky and had the eternal good news to announce to the people of every race, tribe, language, and nation on earth. The angel shouted, “Worship and honor God! The time has come for him to judge everyone. Kneel down before the one who created heaven and earth, the oceans, and every stream.”

(R) A second angel followed and said, “The great city of Babylon has fallen! This is the city that made all nations drunk and immoral. Now God is angry, and Babylon has fallen.”

Finally, a third angel came and shouted:

Here is what will happen if you worship the beast and the idol and have the mark of the beast on your hand or forehead. 10 (S) You will have to drink the wine that God gives to everyone who makes him angry. You will feel his mighty anger, and you will be tortured with fire and burning sulfur, while the holy angels and the Lamb look on.

11 (T) If you worship the beast and the idol and accept the mark of its name, you will be tortured day and night. The smoke from your torture will go up forever and ever, and you will never be able to rest.

12 God's people must learn to endure. They must also obey his commands and have faith in Jesus.

13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Put this in writing. From now on, the Lord will bless everyone who has faith in him when they die.”

The Spirit answered, “Yes, they will rest from their hard work, and they will be rewarded for what they have done.”

The Earth Is Harvested

14 (U) I looked and saw a bright cloud, and someone who seemed to be the Son of Man[f] was sitting on the cloud. He wore a gold crown on his head and held a sharp sickle[g] in his hand. 15 (V) An angel came out of the temple and shouted, “Start cutting with your sickle! Harvest season is here, and all crops on earth are ripe.” 16 The one on the cloud swung his sickle and harvested the crops.

17 Another angel with a sharp sickle then came out of the temple in heaven. 18 After this, an angel with power over fire came from the altar and shouted to the angel who had the sickle. He said, “All grapes on earth are ripe! Harvest them with your sharp sickle.” 19 The angel swung his sickle on earth and cut off its grapes. He threw them into a pit[h] where they were trampled on as a sign of God's anger. 20 (W) The pit was outside the city, and when the grapes were mashed, blood flowed out. The blood turned into a river that was about 300 kilometers long and almost deep enough to cover a horse.

The Last of the Terrible Troubles

15 After this, I looked at the sky and saw something else that was strange and important. Seven angels were bringing the seven last terrible troubles. When these are ended, God will no longer be angry.

Then I saw something that looked like a glass sea mixed with fire, and people were standing on it. They were the ones who had defeated the beast and the idol and the number that tells the name of the beast. God had given them harps, (X) and they were singing the song his servant Moses and the Lamb had sung. They were singing,

“Lord God All-Powerful,
you have done great
    and marvelous things.
You are the ruler
    of all nations,
and you do what is
    right and fair.
(Y) Lord, who doesn't honor
    and praise your name?
You alone are holy,
and all nations will come
    and worship you,
because you have shown
that you judge
    with fairness.”

(Z) After this, I noticed something else in heaven. The sacred tent used for a temple was open. And the seven angels who were bringing the terrible troubles were coming out of it. They were dressed in robes of pure white linen and wore belts made of pure gold. One of the four living creatures gave each of the seven angels a bowl made of gold. These bowls were filled with the anger of God who lives forever and ever. (AA) The temple quickly filled with smoke from the glory and power of God. No one could enter it until the seven angels had finished pouring out the seven last troubles.

The Bowls of God's Anger

16 From the temple I heard a voice shout to the seven angels, “Go and empty the seven bowls of God's anger on the earth.”

(AB) The first angel emptied his bowl on the earth. At once ugly and painful sores broke out on everyone who had the mark of the beast and worshiped the idol.

The second angel emptied his bowl on the sea. At once the sea turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.

(AC) The third angel emptied his bowl into the rivers and streams. At once they turned to blood. Then I heard the angel, who has power over water, say,

“You have always been,
and you always will be
    the holy God.
You had the right
    to judge in this way.
They poured out the blood[i]
of your people
    and your prophets.
So you gave them blood
    to drink as they deserve!”
After this, I heard
    the altar shout,
“Yes, Lord God All-Powerful,
your judgments are honest
    and fair.”

The fourth angel emptied his bowl on the sun, and it began to scorch people like fire. Everyone was scorched by its great heat, and all of them cursed the name of God who had power over these terrible troubles. But no one turned to God and praised him.

10 (AD) The fifth angel emptied his bowl on the throne of the beast. At once darkness covered its kingdom, and its people began biting their tongues in pain. 11 And because of their painful sores, they cursed the God who rules in heaven. But still they did not stop doing evil things.

12 (AE) The sixth angel emptied his bowl on the great Euphrates River, and it completely dried up to make a road for the kings from the east. 13 An evil spirit that looked like a frog came out of the mouth of the dragon. One also came out of the mouth of the beast, and another out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 These evil spirits had the power to work miracles. They went to every king on earth, to bring them together for a war against God All-Powerful. But that will be the day of God's great victory.

15 (AF) Remember Christ says, “When I come, it will surprise you like a thief! But God will bless you, if you are awake and ready. Then you won't have to walk around naked and be ashamed.”

16 (AG) Those armies came together in a place that in Hebrew is called Armagedon.[j]

17 As soon as the seventh angel emptied his bowl in the air, a loud voice from the throne in the temple shouted, “It's done!” 18 (AH) There were flashes of lightning, roars of thunder, and the worst earthquake in all history. 19 (AI) The great city of Babylon split into three parts, and the cities of other nations fell. So God made Babylon drink from the wine cup filled with his anger. 20 (AJ) Every island ran away, and the mountains disappeared. 21 (AK) Hailstones, weighing about 50 kilograms each, fell from the sky on people. Finally, the people cursed God, because the hail was so terrible.

The Prostitute and the Beast

17 (AL) One of the seven angels who had emptied the bowls came over and said to me, “Come on! I will show you how God will punish that shameless prostitute who sits on many oceans. (AM) Every king on earth has slept with her, and her shameless ways are like wine that has made everyone on earth drunk.”

(AN) With the help of the Spirit, the angel took me into a desert, where I saw a woman sitting on a red beast. The beast was covered with names that were an insult to God, and it had seven heads and ten horns. (AO) The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet robes, and she wore jewelry made of gold, precious stones, and pearls. In her hand she held a gold cup filled with the filthy and nasty things she had done. On her forehead a mysterious name was written:

I AM THE GREAT CITY OF BABYLON, THE MOTHER OF EVERY IMMORAL AND FILTHY THING ON EARTH.

I could tell that the woman was drunk on the blood of God's people who had given their lives for Jesus. This surprising sight amazed me, and the angel said:

Why are you so amazed? I will explain the mystery about this woman and about the beast she is sitting on, with its seven heads and ten horns. (AP) The beast you saw is one that used to be and no longer is. It will come back from the deep pit, but only to be destroyed. Everyone on earth whose names were not written in the book of life[k] before the time of creation will be amazed. They will see this beast that used to be and no longer is, but will be once more.

Anyone with wisdom can figure this out. The seven heads that the woman is sitting on stand for seven hills. These heads are also seven kings. 10 Five of the kings are dead. One is ruling now, and the other one has not yet come. But when he does, he will rule for only a little while.

11 You also saw a beast that used to be and no longer is. That beast is one of the seven kings who will return as the eighth king, but only to be destroyed.

12 (AQ) The ten horns you saw are ten more kings, who have not yet come into power, and they will rule with the beast for only a short time. 13 They all think alike and will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 (AR) These kings will go to war against the Lamb. But he will defeat them, because he is Lord over all lords and King over all kings. His followers are chosen and special and faithful.

15 The oceans you saw the prostitute sitting on are crowds of people from all races and languages. 16 The ten horns and the beast will start hating the shameless woman. They will strip off her clothes and leave her naked. Then they will eat her flesh and throw the rest of her body into a fire. 17 God is the one who made these kings all think alike and decide to give their power to the beast. And they will do this until what God has said comes true.

18 The woman you saw is the great city that rules over all kings on earth.

The Fall of Babylon

18 I saw another angel come from heaven. This one had great power, and the earth was bright because of his glory. (AS) The angel shouted,

“Fallen! Powerful Babylon
    has fallen
and is now the home
    of demons.
It is the den
    of every filthy spirit
and of all unclean birds,
and every dirty
    and hated animal.
(AT) Babylon's evil and immoral wine
    has made all nations drunk.
Every king on earth
    has slept with her,
and every merchant on earth
is rich because of
    her evil desires.”

(AU) Then I heard another voice
    from heaven shout,
“My people, you must escape
    from Babylon.
Don't take part in her sins
    and share her punishment.
(AV) Her sins are piled
    as high as heaven.
God has remembered the evil
    she has done.
(AW) Treat her as she
    has treated others.
Make her pay double
    for what she has done.
Make her drink twice as much
of what she mixed
    for others.
(AX) That woman honored herself
    with a life of luxury.
Reward her now
    with suffering and pain.

“Deep in her heart
Babylon said,
    ‘I am the queen!
Never will I be a widow
or know what it means
    to be sad.’
And so, in a single day
she will suffer the pain
    of sorrow, hunger, and death.
Fire will destroy
    her dead body,
because her judge
    is the powerful Lord God.”

(AY) Every king on earth who slept with her and shared in her luxury will mourn. They will weep, when they see the smoke from that fire. 10 Her sufferings will frighten them, and they will stand at a distance and say,

“Pity that great
    and powerful city!
Pity Babylon!
In a single hour
    her judgment has come.”

11 (AZ) Every merchant on earth will mourn, because there is no one to buy their goods. 12 (BA) There won't be anyone to buy their gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, sweet-smelling wood, fancy carvings of ivory and wood, as well as things made of bronze, iron, or marble. 13 No one will buy their cinnamon, spices, incense, myrrh, frankincense,[l] wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots, slaves, and other humans.

14 Babylon, the things
    your heart desired
have all escaped
    from you.
Every luxury
and all your glory
    will be lost forever.
You will never
    get them back.

15 (BB) The merchants had become rich because of her. But when they saw her sufferings, they were terrified. They stood at a distance, crying and mourning. 16 Then they shouted,

“Pity the great city
    of Babylon!
She dressed in fine linen
and wore purple
    and scarlet cloth.
She had jewelry
    made of gold
and precious stones
    and pearls.
17 (BC) Yet in a single hour
    her riches disappeared.”

Every ship captain and passenger and sailor stood at a distance, together with everyone who does business by traveling on the sea. 18 (BD) When they saw the smoke from her fire, they shouted, “This was the greatest city ever!”

19 (BE) They cried loudly, and in their sorrow they threw dust on their heads, as they said,

“Pity the great city
    of Babylon!
Everyone who sailed the seas
became rich
    from her treasures.
But in a single hour
    the city was destroyed.
20 (BF) The heavens should be happy
with God's people
    and apostles and prophets.
God has punished her
    for them.”

21 (BG) A powerful angel then picked up a huge stone and threw it into the sea. The angel said,

“This is how the great city
    of Babylon
will be thrown down,
    never to rise again.
22 (BH)(BI) The music of harps and singers
and of flutes and trumpets
    will no longer be heard.
No workers will ever
    set up shop in that city,
and the sound
of grinding grain
    will be silenced forever.
23 Lamps will no longer shine
    anywhere in Babylon,
and couples will never again
    say wedding vows there.
Her merchants ruled
    the earth,
and by her witchcraft
    she fooled all nations.
24 (BJ) On the streets of Babylon
is found the blood
    of God's people
    and of his prophets,
    and everyone else.”

Footnotes

  1. 12.11 blood: Or “death.”
  2. 12.18 The dragon: The text has “he,” and some manuscripts have “I.”
  3. 13.8 wasn't written … was killed: Or “not written in the book of the Lamb who was killed before the time of creation.”
  4. 14.1 Mount Zion: Another name for Jerusalem.
  5. 14.4 the most precious people: The Greek text has “the first people.” The Law of Moses taught that the first-born of all animals and the first part of the harvest were special and belonged to the Lord.
  6. 14.14 Son of Man: See the note at 1.13.
  7. 14.14 sickle: A knife with a long curved blade, used to cut grain and other crops.
  8. 14.19 pit: It was the custom to put grapes in a pit (called a wine press) and trample on them to make juice that would later turn to wine.
  9. 16.6 They poured out the blood: A way of saying, “They murdered.”
  10. 16.16 Armagedon: The Hebrew form of the name would be “Har Megiddo,” meaning “Hill of Megiddo,” where many battles were fought in ancient times (see Judges 5.19; 2 Kings 23.29,30).
  11. 17.8 book of life: See the note at 3.5.
  12. 18.13 myrrh, frankincense: Myrrh was a valuable sweet-smelling powder often used in perfume. Frankincense was a valuable powder that was burned to make a sweet smell.

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