The First Seal: Conqueror on a White Horse

Then I saw when the (A)Lamb broke one of the (B)seven seals, and I heard one of the (C)four living creatures saying as with a (D)voice of thunder, “Come[a]!” I looked, and behold, a (E)white horse, and the one who sat on it had a bow; and (F)a crown was given to him, and he went out (G)conquering and to conquer.

The Second Seal: War

When He broke the second seal, I heard the (H)second living creature saying, “Come[b]!” And another, (I)a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to (J)take peace from the earth, and that people would kill one another; and a large sword was given to him.

The Third Seal: Famine

When He broke the third seal, I heard the (K)third living creature saying, “Come[c]!” I looked, and behold, a (L)black horse, and the one who sat on it had a (M)pair of scales in his hand. And I heard something like a voice in the center of the (N)four living creatures saying, “A [d]quart of wheat for a [e]denarius, and three [f]quarts of barley for a [g]denarius; and (O)do not damage the oil and the wine.”

The Fourth Seal: Death

When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the (P)fourth living creature saying, “Come[h]!” I looked, and behold, [i]an (Q)ashen horse; and the one who sat on it had the name (R)Death, and (S)Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, (T)to kill with sword, and famine, and [j]plague, and by the wild animals of the earth.

The Fifth Seal: Martyrs

When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw (U)underneath the (V)altar the (W)souls of those who had been killed (X)because of the word of God, and because of the (Y)testimony which they had maintained; 10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “(Z)How long, O [k](AA)Lord, (AB)holy and true, [l]will You refrain from (AC)judging and avenging our blood on (AD)those who live on the earth?” 11 And a (AE)white robe was given to each of them; and they were told that they were to (AF)rest for a little while longer, (AG)until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers and sisters who were to be killed even as they had been, was (AH)completed also.

The Sixth Seal: Terror

12 And I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great (AI)earthquake; and the (AJ)sun became as black as (AK)sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; 13 and (AL)the stars of the sky fell to the earth, (AM)as a fig tree drops its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. 14 (AN)The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and (AO)every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then (AP)the kings of the earth and the eminent people, and the commanders and the wealthy and the strong, and every slave and free person hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; 16 and they *(AQ)said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the [m]sight of Him (AR)who sits on the throne, and from the (AS)wrath of the Lamb; 17 for (AT)the great day of Their wrath has come, and (AU)who is able to stand?”

An Interlude

After this I saw (AV)four angels standing at the (AW)four corners of the earth, holding back (AX)the four winds of the earth (AY)so that no wind would blow on the earth, or on the sea, or on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending (AZ)from the rising of the sun, holding the (BA)seal of (BB)the living God; and he called out with a loud voice to the (BC)four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, “(BD)Do not harm the earth, or the sea, or the trees until we have (BE)sealed the bond-servants of our God on their (BF)foreheads.”

The 144,000

And I heard the (BG)number of those who were sealed: (BH)144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:

from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand, from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand, from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, and from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.

A Multitude from the Tribulation

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from (BI)every nation and all the tribes, peoples, and languages, standing (BJ)before the throne and (BK)before the Lamb, clothed in (BL)white robes, and (BM)palm branches were in their hands; 10 and they *cried out with a loud voice, saying,

(BN)Salvation belongs to our God (BO)who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

11 And all the angels were standing (BP)around the throne and around (BQ)the elders and the (BR)four living creatures; and they (BS)fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying,

(BT)Amen, (BU)blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might belong to our God forever and ever. (BV)Amen.”

13 Then one of the elders (BW)responded, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the (BX)white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?” 14 I [n]said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the (BY)great tribulation, and they have (BZ)washed their robes and made them (CA)white in the (CB)blood of the Lamb. 15 For this reason they are (CC)before the throne of God, and they (CD)serve Him day and night in His [o](CE)temple; and (CF)He who sits on the throne will spread His (CG)tabernacle over them. 16 (CH)They will no longer hunger nor thirst, nor will the sun [p]beat down on them, nor any scorching heat; 17 for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their (CI)shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the [q](CJ)water of life; and (CK)God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

The Seventh Seal: Trumpets

When the Lamb broke the (CL)seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw (CM)the seven angels who stand before God, and seven (CN)trumpets were given to them.

(CO)Another angel came and stood at the (CP)altar, holding a (CQ)golden censer; and much (CR)incense was given to him, so that he might [r]add it to the (CS)prayers of all the [s]saints on the (CT)golden altar which was before the throne. And (CU)the smoke of the incense ascended from the angel’s hand with the prayers of the [t]saints before God. Then the angel [u]took the [v]censer and (CV)filled it with the fire of the altar, and (CW)hurled it to the earth; and there were (CX)peals of thunder and sounds, and flashes of lightning and an (CY)earthquake.

(CZ)And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them.

The first sounded, and there was (DA)hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled to the earth; and (DB)a third of the earth was burned up, and (DC)a third of the (DD)trees were burned up, and all the green (DE)grass was burned up.

The second angel sounded, and something like a great (DF)mountain burning with fire was hurled into the sea; and (DG)a third of the (DH)sea became blood, and (DI)a third of the creatures which were in the sea [w]and had life, died; and a third of the (DJ)ships were destroyed.

10 The third angel sounded, and a great star (DK)fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a (DL)third of the rivers and on the (DM)springs of waters. 11 The star is named Wormwood; and a (DN)third of the waters became (DO)wormwood, and many people died from the waters because they were made bitter.

12 The fourth angel sounded, and a (DP)third of the (DQ)sun, a third of the (DR)moon, and a (DS)third of the (DT)stars were struck, so that a (DU)third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a (DV)third of it, and the night in the same way.

13 Then I looked, and I heard [x]an eagle flying in (DW)midheaven, saying with a loud voice, “(DX)Woe, woe, woe to (DY)those who live on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the (DZ)three angels who are about to sound!”

The Fifth Trumpet: Shaft of the Abyss

Then the (EA)fifth angel sounded, and I saw a (EB)star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the (EC)key to the (ED)shaft of the abyss was given to him. He opened the shaft of the abyss, and (EE)smoke ascended out of the shaft like the smoke of a great furnace; and (EF)the sun and the air were darkened from the smoke of the shaft. Then out of the smoke came (EG)locusts [y]upon the earth, and power was given them, as the (EH)scorpions of the earth have power. They were told not to (EI)hurt the (EJ)grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the people who do not have the (EK)seal of God on their foreheads. And [z]they were not permitted to kill [aa]anyone, but to torment for (EL)five months; and their torment was like the torment of a (EM)scorpion when it [ab]stings a person. And in those days (EN)people will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death [ac]will flee from them!

The [ad](EO)appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like human faces. They had hair like the hair of women, and their (EP)teeth were like the teeth of lions. They had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the (EQ)sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle. 10 They have tails like (ER)scorpions, and stings; and in their (ES)tails is their power to hurt people for (ET)five months. 11 They have as king over them, the angel of the (EU)abyss; his name in (EV)Hebrew is [ae](EW)Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name [af]Apollyon.

12 (EX)The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still coming after these things.

The Sixth Trumpet: Army from the East

13 Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard [ag]a voice from the [ah]four (EY)horns of the (EZ)golden altar which is before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the (FA)four angels who are bound at the (FB)great river Euphrates.” 15 And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were (FC)released, so that they would kill a (FD)third of mankind. 16 The number of the armies of the horsemen was (FE)two hundred million; (FF)I heard the number of them. 17 And this is how I saw (FG)in my vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire, of hyacinth, and of [ai](FH)brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and (FI)out of their mouths *came fire and smoke and [aj](FJ)brimstone. 18 A (FK)third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the (FL)fire, the smoke, and the [ak]brimstone which came out of their mouths. 19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm.

20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, (FM)did not repent of (FN)the works of their hands so as not to (FO)worship demons and (FP)the idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; 21 and they (FQ)did not repent of their murders, nor of their (FR)witchcraft, nor of their (FS)sexual immorality, nor of their thefts.

The Angel and the Little Scroll

10 I saw another (FT)strong angel (FU)coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the (FV)rainbow was on his head, and (FW)his face was like the sun, and his (FX)feet like pillars of fire; and he had in his hand a (FY)little scroll, which was open. He placed (FZ)his right foot on the sea and his left on the land; and he cried out with a loud voice, (GA)as when a lion roars; and when he had cried out, the (GB)seven peals of thunder [al]uttered their voices. When the seven peals of thunder had spoken, (GC)I was about to write; and I (GD)heard a voice from heaven, saying, “(GE)Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken, and do not write them.” Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land (GF)raised his right hand to heaven, (GG)and swore by (GH)Him who lives forever and ever, (GI)who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that (GJ)there will no longer be a delay, but in the days of the voice of the (GK)seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then (GL)the mystery of God is finished, as He announced to His servants the prophets.

Then (GM)the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, “Go, take (GN)the scroll which is open in the hand of the angel who (GO)stands on the sea and on the land.” And I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little scroll. And he *said to me, “(GP)Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” 10 I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. 11 And (GQ)they *said to me, “You must (GR)prophesy again concerning (GS)many peoples, nations, languages, and (GT)kings.”

The Two Witnesses

11 Then there was given to me a [am](GU)measuring rod like a staff; [an]and (GV)someone said, “Get up and measure the [ao]temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it. [ap]Leave out the (GW)courtyard which is outside the [aq]temple and do not measure it, because (GX)it has been given to the nations; and they will (GY)trample (GZ)the holy city for (HA)forty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two (HB)witnesses, and they will prophesy for (HC)1,260 days, clothed in (HD)sackcloth.” These are the (HE)two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, (HF)fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; and so if anyone wants to harm them, (HG)he must be killed in this way. These have the power to (HH)shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during (HI)the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to (HJ)turn them into blood, and (HK)to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.

When they have finished their testimony, (HL)the beast that comes up out of the (HM)abyss will (HN)make war with them, and overcome them and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie on the street of the (HO)great city which [ar]spiritually is called (HP)Sodom and (HQ)Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. Those from (HR)the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will look at their dead [as]bodies for three and a half days, and [at](HS)will not allow their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. 10 And (HT)those who live on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will (HU)send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented (HV)those who live on the earth.

11 And after the three and a half days, (HW)the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them. 12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “(HX)Come up here.” And they (HY)went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them. 13 And [au]at that time there was a great (HZ)earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; [av]seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and (IA)gave glory to the (IB)God of heaven.

14 The second (IC)woe has passed; behold, the third woe is coming quickly.

The Seventh Trumpet: Christ’s Reign Foreseen

15 Then the (ID)seventh angel sounded; and there were (IE)loud voices in heaven, saying,

(IF)The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of (IG)His [aw]Christ; and (IH)He will reign forever and ever.” 16 And the twenty-four elders, who (II)sit on their thrones before God, (IJ)fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying,

“We give You thanks, (IK)Lord God, the Almighty, the One who is and who was, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to (IL)reign. 18 And (IM)the nations were enraged, and (IN)Your wrath came, and (IO)the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to [ax]reward Your (IP)bond-servants the prophets and the [ay]saints and those who fear Your name, (IQ)the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”

19 And (IR)the [az]temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and (IS)the ark of His covenant appeared in His [ba]temple, and there were flashes of (IT)lightning and sounds and peals of thunder, and an earthquake, and a (IU)great [bb]hailstorm.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 6:1 One early ms and see
  2. Revelation 6:3 One early ms and see
  3. Revelation 6:5 One early ms and see
  4. Revelation 6:6 Gr choenix; i.e., a dry measure almost equal to a qt.
  5. Revelation 6:6 The denarius was a day’s wages for a laborer
  6. Revelation 6:6 Gr choenix; i.e., a dry measure almost equal to a qt.
  7. Revelation 6:6 The denarius was a day’s wages for a laborer
  8. Revelation 6:7 One early ms and see
  9. Revelation 6:8 Or a sickly pale green
  10. Revelation 6:8 Lit death; i.e., a particular kind of death
  11. Revelation 6:10 Or Master
  12. Revelation 6:10 Lit do You not judge and avenge
  13. Revelation 6:16 Lit face
  14. Revelation 7:14 Lit have said
  15. Revelation 7:15 Or sanctuary
  16. Revelation 7:16 Lit fall
  17. Revelation 7:17 Lit waters
  18. Revelation 8:3 Lit give
  19. Revelation 8:3 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  20. Revelation 8:4 See note 2 v 3
  21. Revelation 8:5 Lit has taken
  22. Revelation 8:5 I.e., container to burn incense
  23. Revelation 8:9 Lit the ones having
  24. Revelation 8:13 Lit one eagle
  25. Revelation 9:3 Lit into
  26. Revelation 9:5 Lit it was given to them
  27. Revelation 9:5 Lit them
  28. Revelation 9:5 Lit strikes
  29. Revelation 9:6 Lit flees (intensive expression)
  30. Revelation 9:7 Lit likenesses
  31. Revelation 9:11 I.e., destruction
  32. Revelation 9:11 I.e., destroyer
  33. Revelation 9:13 Lit one voice
  34. Revelation 9:13 Two early mss do not contain four
  35. Revelation 9:17 I.e., burning sulfur
  36. Revelation 9:17 I.e., burning sulfur
  37. Revelation 9:18 I.e., burning sulfur
  38. Revelation 10:3 Or spoke
  39. Revelation 11:1 Lit reed
  40. Revelation 11:1 Lit saying
  41. Revelation 11:1 Or sanctuary
  42. Revelation 11:2 Lit Throw out
  43. Revelation 11:2 Or sanctuary
  44. Revelation 11:8 I.e., from the viewpoint of the Holy Spirit
  45. Revelation 11:9 Lit body
  46. Revelation 11:9 Lit do not permit
  47. Revelation 11:13 Or in that hour
  48. Revelation 11:13 Lit names of people, seven thousand
  49. Revelation 11:15 I.e., Messiah
  50. Revelation 11:18 Lit give the reward to
  51. Revelation 11:18 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
  52. Revelation 11:19 Or sanctuary
  53. Revelation 11:19 Or sanctuary
  54. Revelation 11:19 Lit hail

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