Add parallel Print Page Options

Seven Angels with Seven Troubles

15 Then I saw something else special in heaven that was great and made me wonder. There were seven angels with the seven last kinds of trouble. With these, God’s anger is finished.

Then I saw something that looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire. I saw many standing on the sea of glass. They were those who had won their fight with the wild animal and his false god and with his mark. All of them were holding harps that God had given to them. They were singing the song of Moses, who was a servant owned by God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “The things You do are great and powerful. You are the All-powerful Lord God. You are always right and true in everything You do. You are King of all nations. Who will not honor You, Lord, with love and fear? Who will not tell of the greatness of Your name? For You are the only One Who is holy. All nations will come and worship before You. Everyone sees that You do the right things.”

After this I looked and saw that the Holiest Place of All in the house of God was opened. The seven angels who had the seven last kinds of trouble came out of the house of God. They were wearing clothes made of clean white linen. They were wearing belts made of gold around their chests. Then one of the four living beings gave to each of the seven angels a jar made of gold. These jars were filled with the anger of God Who lives forever. The house of God was filled with smoke from the shining-greatness and power of God. No one was able to go into the house of God until the seven angels had completed the seven kinds of trouble.

The First Jar—Painful Sores

16 Then I heard a loud voice coming from the house of God. The voice said to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the seven jars of God’s anger onto the earth!”

The first angel poured out his jar of God’s anger onto the earth. Painful sores were given to everyone who had the mark of the wild animal and who worshiped his god.

The Second Jar—Death in the Sea

The second angel poured out his jar of God’s anger onto the sea. The water became like the blood of a dead man. Every living thing in the sea died.

The Third Jar—Water Turns to Blood

The third angel poured out his jar of God’s anger onto the rivers and places where water comes out of the earth. The water turned to blood. I heard the angel of the waters saying, “You are right in punishing by sending this trouble. You are the Holy One Who was and is and will be. They have poured out the blood of God’s people and of the early preachers. You have given them blood to drink. They are getting the pay that is coming to them.” I heard a voice from the altar saying, “Lord God, the All-powerful One! What You decide about people is right and true.”

The Fourth Jar—Burning Heat

The fourth angel poured out his jar of God’s anger onto the sun. It was allowed to burn men with its fire. Men were burned with the heat of this fire and they called God bad names even when He had the power over these kinds of trouble. They were not sorry for their sins and did not turn from them and honor Him.

The Fifth Jar—Darkness

10 The fifth angel poured out his jar of God’s anger upon the throne of the wild animal. The whole nation of the wild animal was turned into darkness. Those who worshiped him bit their tongues because of the pain. 11 They called the God of heaven bad names because of their pain and their sores. They were not sorry for what they had done.

The Sixth Jar—the Euphrates River Dries Up

12 The sixth angel poured out his jar of God’s anger onto the great Euphrates River. The water dried up. In this way, the kings of the countries of the east could cross over. 13 Then I saw three demons that looked like frogs. They came out of the mouths of the dragon and the second wild animal and the false preacher. 14 These are demons that do powerful works. These demons go to all the kings of all the earth. They bring them together for the war of the great day of the All-powerful God.

15 (See! I will come like a robber. The man is happy who stays awake and keeps his clothes ready. He will not be walking around without clothes and be ashamed.) 16 Then the demons brought the kings together in the place called Armageddon in the Hebrew language.

The Seventh Jar—the Earth Shakes and Hail Falls

17 The seventh angel poured out his jar of God’s anger into the air. A loud voice came from the throne in the house of God, saying, “It is all done!” 18 Then there were voices and lightning and thunder and the earth shook. The earth shook much more than it had ever shaken before. 19 The big and strong city of Babylon was split in three parts. The cities of other nations fell to the ground. Then God remembered the strong city of Babylon. He made her drink the wine from His cup of much anger. 20 Every island went down into the sea. No mountain could be found. 21 Large pieces of hail fell from heaven on men. These pieces were about as heavy as an older child. But men called God bad names because of so much trouble from the hail.

The Sinful Woman

17 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven jars came to me. He said, “Come! I will show you how the powerful woman who sells the use of her body will be punished. She sits on the many waters of the world. The kings of the earth have done sex sins with her. People of the world have been made drunk with the wine of her sex sins.”

I was carried away in the Spirit by the angel to a desert. I saw a woman sitting on a red wild animal. It had seven heads and ten horns. All over the red wild animal was written bad names which spoke against God. The woman was wearing purple and red clothes. She was wearing gold and pearls and stones worth much money. She had in her hand a gold cup full of sinful things from her sex sins. There was a name written on her forehead which had a secret meaning. It said, “The big and powerful Babylon, mother of all women who sell the use of their bodies and mother of everything sinful of the earth.” I looked at the woman. She was drunk with the blood of God’s people and those who had been killed for telling about Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered very much.

The angel asked me, “Why do you wonder? I will tell you the secret about this woman and the red wild animal that carries her. It is the red wild animal with seven heads and ten horns. The red wild animal you saw was alive but is now dead. He will come up from the hole without a bottom and be destroyed. The people of the earth, whose names have not been written in the book of life from the beginning of the world, will be surprised as they look at the red wild animal. He was alive, but not now, but will yet come.

“Here is where we need wisdom. The seven heads of the animal are mountains where the woman sits. 10 They are seven kings also. Five of them are no longer kings. The sixth one is now king. The seventh one will be king, but only for a little while. 11 The red wild animal that died is the eighth king. He belongs to the first seven kings, but he will be destroyed also.

12 “The ten horns of the red wild animal which you saw are ten kings. They have not become leaders yet. But they will be given the right and the power to lead their nations for one hour with the red wild animal. 13 They agree to give the right and the power to the red wild animal. 14 These kings will fight and make war with the Lamb. But the Lamb will win the war because He is Lord of lords and King of kings. His people are the called and chosen and faithful ones.”

15 Then the angel said to me, “You saw the waters where the woman who sold the use of her body is sitting. The waters are people and large groups of people and nations and languages. 16 The ten horns you saw and the red wild animal will hate the woman who sold the use of her body. They will take everything from her and even her clothes. They will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17 God put in their minds a plan that would carry out His desire. They will agree to give their nation to the red wild animal until the words of God have been completed. 18 The woman you saw is the big and powerful city that has power over the kings of the earth.”

Babylon Is Destroyed

18 Then I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had much power. The earth was made bright with his shining-greatness. He cried out with a loud voice, “The big and powerful city of Babylon is destroyed. Demons and every kind of unclean spirit live there. Unclean birds that are hated are there. For she gave her wine to the nations of the world. It was the wine of her desire for sex sins. The kings of the earth have done these sex sins with her. The men of the earth who buy and sell have become rich from the riches she received while living in sin.”

I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out from her, my people. Do not be a part of her sins so you will not share her troubles. For her sins are as high as heaven. God is ready to punish her for her sins. Pay her back for what she has paid you. Give back to her twice as much for what she has done. In her own cup give her twice as much as she gave. Give her as much trouble and suffering as the fun and the rich living she chose for herself. In her heart she says, ‘I sit here like a queen. I am not a woman whose husband has died. I will never have sorrow.’ Because of this, troubles of death and sorrow and no food will come to her in one day. She will be burned with fire. For the Lord God is powerful. He is the One Who says she is guilty.

Kings Cry Because of Babylon

“Then the kings of the earth will cry for her and be sorry when they see the smoke of her burning. They are the ones who did sex sins with her and lived as rich people. 10 They stand a long way from her because they are afraid of her sufferings. They say, ‘It is bad! It is bad for the big and powerful city of Babylon. For in one hour she is destroyed.’ 11 The men of the earth who buy and sell are sorry for her and cry. They cry because there is no one to buy their things anymore. 12 They sold gold and silver and stones worth much money and pearls. They sold fine linen and purple and red silk cloth. They sold all kinds of perfumed wood. They sold things made from the teeth of animals and things made from wood that cost much money. They sold brass and iron and stone. 13 They sold spices and perfumes of all kinds. They sold wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat. They sold cows and sheep and horses and wagons. They sold men who are not free and they sold the lives of men. 14 They say to her, ‘All the good things you wanted so much are gone from you. Your riches are gone. The things you liked so much are gone. You will never have them again.’ 15 The men of the earth who became rich by buying and selling in that city will stand a long way back because they are afraid of her sufferings. They will cry and have sorrow. 16 They will say, ‘It is bad! It is bad for that powerful city. She dressed in fine linen of purple and red. She covered herself with gold and pearls and stones worth much money. 17 For in one hour her riches are destroyed.’ The captain of every ship and all who traveled on ships and all who worked on ships stood a long way back. 18 They cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘Has there ever been such a city as powerful as this one?’ 19 They threw dirt on their heads. They cried out with much sorrow and said, ‘It is bad! It is bad for the powerful city! She is the place where all those who owned ships on the sea became rich from all her riches. For in one hour everything is gone!’

20 “Be full of joy because of her, O heaven! Be full of joy, you who belong to God and missionaries and early preachers! For God has punished her for what she did to you.”

21 Then a strong angel picked up a large stone like those used for grinding wheat. He threw it into the sea, saying, “The big and strong city of Babylon will be thrown down like this. It will never be found again. 22 The sound of those playing on harps and on flutes and on horns will not be heard in you again. No workman doing any kind of work will be found in you again. The sound of the grinding-stone will not be heard in you again. 23 No light will ever shine in you again. There will be no more happy voices from a wedding heard in you. Your men who bought and sold were the most powerful on earth. You fooled people over all the world by your witchcraft. 24 And in this city was found the blood of the early preachers and of those who belonged to God and of all those who had been killed on the earth.”

Giving Thanks in Heaven

19 After this I heard what sounded like the voices of many people in heaven, saying, “Thanks to our God, the One Who saves. Honor and power belong to Him. For the way He punishes people is right and true. He has punished the powerful woman who sold the use of her body. She was making the earth sinful with her sex sins. She killed those who worked for God. He has punished her for it.” Again they said, “Thanks to our God. The smoke from her burning goes up forever.” The twenty-four leaders and the four living beings got down and worshiped God Who was sitting on the throne. They said, “Let it be so. Thanks to our God!”

A voice came from the throne, saying, “Give thanks to our God, you servants who are owned by Him. Give thanks to our God, you who honor Him with love and fear, both small and great.”

The Wedding Supper of the Lamb

Then I heard what sounded like the voices of many people. It was like the sound of powerful rushing water. And it was like loud thunder. It said, “Thanks to our God. For the Lord our God is King. He is the All-powerful One. Let us be full of joy and be glad. Let us honor Him, for the time has come for the wedding supper of the Lamb. His bride has made herself ready. She was given clean, white, fine linen clothes to wear. The fine linen is the right living of God’s people.”

The angel said to me, “Write this: ‘Those who are asked to the wedding supper of the Lamb are happy.’” And he said, “These are the true words of God.” 10 Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “No! Do not worship me. I am a servant together with you and your Christian brothers who tell of their trust in Christ. Worship God. For those who speak for Jesus are led in what to say as the early preachers were led.”

The King of Kings on the White Horse

11 Then I saw heaven opened. A white horse was standing there. The One Who was sitting on the horse is called Faithful and True. He is the One Who punishes in the right way. He makes war. 12 His eyes are a flame of fire. He has many crowns on His head. His name is written on Him but He is the only One Who knows what it says. 13 The coat He wears has been put in blood. His name is The Word of God. 14 The armies in heaven were dressed in clean, white, fine linen. They were following Him on white horses. 15 Out of His mouth comes a sharp sword to punish the nations. He will be the Leader over them using a piece of iron. He walks on the grapes where wine is made, pressing out the anger of God, the All-powerful One. 16 On His coat and on His leg is the name written, “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried out with a loud voice to all the birds flying in the sky, “Come and gather together for the great supper of God! 18 Come and eat the flesh of kings and of captains of soldiers and of strong men and of the flesh of horses and of those sitting on them. Come and eat the flesh of all men, small and great. Some are free and some are not free.”

19 Then I saw the wild animal and the kings of the earth and their armies gather together. They were ready to fight against the One Who is sitting on the white horse and against His army. 20 The wild animal was taken. The false preacher was taken with it. It was the false preacher who had done powerful works in front of the wild animal. In this way, he fooled those who had received the mark of the wild animal and those who worshiped his false god. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur. 21 The rest were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the One Who sat on the horse. All the birds were filled by eating the flesh of these who were killed.

Satan Is Chained for One Thousand Years

20 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven. He had in his hand a key to the hole without a bottom. He also had a strong chain. He took hold of the dragon, that old snake, who is the Devil, or Satan, and chained him for 1,000 years. The angel threw the devil into the hole without a bottom. He shut it and locked him in it. He could not fool the nations anymore until the 1,000 years were completed. After this he must be free for awhile.

Then I saw thrones. Those who were sitting there were given the power to judge. I saw the souls of those who had been killed because they told about Jesus and preached the Word of God. They had not worshiped the wild animal or his false god. They had not received his mark on their foreheads or hands. They lived again and were leaders along with Christ for 1,000 years. The rest of the dead did not come to life again until the 1,000 years were finished. This is the first time many people are raised from the dead at the same time. Those who are raised from the dead during this first time are happy and holy. The second death has no power over them. They will be religious leaders of God and of Christ. They will be leaders with Him for 1,000 years.

Satan Is Destroyed Forever

When the 1,000 years are finished, Satan will be free to leave his prison. He will go out and fool the nations who are over all the world. They are Gog and Magog. He will gather them all together for war. There will be as many as the sand along the sea-shore. They will spread out over the earth and all around the place where God’s people are and around the city that is loved. Fire will come down from God out of heaven and destroy them. 10 Then the devil who fooled them will be thrown into the lake of fire burning with sulphur. The wild animal and the false preacher are already there. They will all be punished day and night forever.

The Guilty Will Be Punished

11 Then I saw a great white throne. I saw the One Who sat on it. The earth and the heaven left Him in a hurry and they could be found no more. 12 I saw all the dead people standing before God. There were great people and small people. The books were opened. Then another book was opened. It was the book of life. The dead people were judged by what they had done as it was written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead people who were in it. Death and hell gave up the dead people who were in them. Each one was judged by what he had done. 14 Then death and hell were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone’s name was not written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

All Things New

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth had passed away. There was no more sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem. It was coming down out of heaven from God. It was made ready like a bride is made ready for her husband. I heard a loud voice coming from heaven. It said, “See! God’s home is with men. He will live with them. They will be His people. God Himself will be with them. He will be their God. God will take away all their tears. There will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All the old things have passed away.” Then the One sitting on the throne said, “See! I am making all things new. Write, for these words are true and faithful.” Then He said to me, “These things have happened! I am the First and the Last. I am the beginning and the end. To anyone who is thirsty, I will give the water of life. It is a free gift. He who has power and wins will receive these things. I will be his God and he will be My son. But those who are afraid and those who do not have faith and the sinful-minded people and those who kill other people and those who do sex sins and those who follow witchcraft and those who worship false gods and all those who tell lies will be put into the lake of fire and sulphur. This is the second death.”

The New Jerusalem

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven jars full of the seven last troubles came to me and said, “Come! I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 I was carried away in the Spirit by the angel to a very high mountain. He showed me the Holy City of Jerusalem. It was coming out of heaven from God. 11 It was filled with the shining-greatness of God. It shone like a stone worth much money, like a jasper stone. It was clear like glass. 12 It had a very high wall, and there were twelve gates. Twelve angels stood by the gates. The names of the twelve family groups of the Jewish nation were written on the gates. 13 There were three gates on each side. There were three on the east side and three on the north side and three on the south side and three on the west side. 14 The walls were on twelve stones. The names of the twelve missionaries of the Lamb were written on the stones.

15 The angel had a stick in his hand. It was used to find out how big the city and its gates and the walls were. 16 He found out that the city was as wide as it was long and it was as high as it was wide. It was as long as a man could walk in fifty days. It was the same each way. 17 The angel found out that the walls were the same as a man taking seventy-two long steps. The angel used the same way to find out about the city as a man would have used. 18 The wall was made of jasper. The city was made of pure gold. This gold was as clear as glass. 19 The city was built on every kind of stone that was worth much money. The first stone was jasper. The second was sapphire. The third was chalcedony. The fourth was emerald. 20 The fifth was sardonyx. The sixth was sardius. The seventh was chrysolite. The eighth was beryl. The ninth was topaz. The tenth was chrysoprase. The eleventh was jacinth and the twelfth was amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls. Each gate was made from one pearl. The street of the city was pure gold. It was as clear as glass.

22 I did not see a house of God in the city. The All-powerful Lord God and the Lamb are the house of God in this city. 23 There is no need for the sun and moon to shine in the city. The shining-greatness of God makes it full of light. The Lamb is its light. 24 The nations will walk by its light. The kings of the earth will bring their greatness into it. 25 The gates are open all day. They will never be shut. There will be no night there. 26 The greatness and honor of all the nations will be brought into it. 27 Nothing sinful will go into the city. No one who is sinful-minded or tells lies can go in. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life can go in.

More About the New Jerusalem

22 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life. It was as clear as glass and came from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It runs down the center of the street in the city. On each side of the river was the tree of life. It gives twelve different kinds of fruit. It gives this fruit twelve times a year, new fruit each month. Its leaves are used to heal the nations.

There will be nothing in the city that is sinful. The place where God and the Lamb sit will be there. The servants He owns will serve Him. They will see His face and His name will be written on their foreheads. There will be no night there. There will be no need for a light or for the sun. Because the Lord God will be their light. They will be leaders forever.

Jesus Is Coming Soon

Then the angel said to me, “These words are faithful and true. The Lord God of the early preachers has sent His angel to show the servants He owns what must happen soon.” “See! I am coming soon. The one who obeys what is written in this Book is happy!”

It was I, John, who heard and saw these things. Then I got down at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. I was going to worship him. But he said to me, “No! You must not do that. I am a servant together with you and with your Christian brothers and the early preachers and with all those who obey the words in this Book. You must worship God!” 10 Then he said to me, “Do not lock up the words of this Book. These things will happen soon. 11 And let the sinful people keep on being sinful. Let the dirty-minded people keep on being dirty-minded. And let those right with God keep on being right with God. Let the holy people keep on being holy.

12 “See! I am coming soon. I am bringing with Me the reward I will give to everyone for what he has done. 13 I am the First and the Last. I am the beginning and the end. 14 Those who wash their clothes clean are happy (who are washed by the blood of the Lamb). They will have the right to go into the city through the gates. They will have the right to eat the fruit of the tree of life. 15 Outside the city are the dogs. They are people who follow witchcraft and those who do sex sins and those who kill other people and those who worship false gods and those who like lies and tell them.

16 “I am Jesus. I have sent My angel to you with these words to the churches. I am the beginning of David and of his family. I am the bright Morning Star.”

17 The Holy Spirit and the Bride say, “Come!” Let the one who hears, say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty, come. Let the one who wants to drink of the water of life, drink it. It is a free gift.

18 I am telling everyone who hears the words that are written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written in this book, God will add to him the kinds of trouble that this book tells about. 19 If anyone takes away any part of this book that tells what will happen in the future, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the Holy City, which are told about in this book.

20 He Who tells these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Let it be so. Come, Lord Jesus. 21 May all of you have the loving-favor of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let it be so.