Two Signs

12 A spectacular sign appeared in the sky: There was a woman who was dressed in the sun, who had the moon under her feet and a crown of 12 stars on her head. ² She was pregnant. She cried out from labor pains and the agony of giving birth.

³ Another sign appeared in the sky: a huge fiery red serpent with seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns on its heads. ⁴ Its tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky and threw them down to earth. The serpent stood in front of the woman who was going to give birth so that it could devour her child when it was born. ⁵ She gave birth to a son, a boy, who is to rule all the nations with an iron scepter. Her child was snatched away and taken to God and to his throne. ⁶ Then the woman fled into the wilderness where God had prepared a place for her so that she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.

⁷ Then a war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels had to fight a war with the serpent. The serpent and its angels fought. ⁸ But it was not strong enough, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. ⁹ The huge serpent was thrown down. That ancient snake, named Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world, was thrown down to earth. Its angels were thrown down with it.

¹⁰ Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying,

¹³ When the serpent saw that it had been thrown down to earth, it persecuted the woman who had given birth to the boy. ¹⁴ The woman was given the two wings of the large eagle in order to fly away from the snake to her place in the wilderness, where she could be taken care of for a time, times, and half a time. ¹⁵ The snake’s mouth poured out a river of water behind the woman in order to sweep her away. ¹⁶ The earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river which had poured out of the serpent’s mouth. ¹⁷ The serpent became angry with the woman. So it went away to fight with her other children, the ones who keep God’s commands and hold on to the testimony of Jesus.

¹⁸ The serpent stood on the sandy shore of the sea.^[a]

The Beast from the Sea

13 I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns, seven heads, and ten crowns on its horns. There were insulting names on its heads. ² The beast that I saw was like a leopard. Its feet were like bear’s feet. Its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The serpent gave its power, kingdom, and far-reaching authority to the beast. ³ One of the beast’s heads looked like it had a fatal wound, but its fatal wound was healed.

All the people of the world were amazed and followed the beast. ⁴ They worshiped the serpent because it had given authority to the beast. They also worshiped the beast and said, “Who is like the beast? Who can fight a war with it?” ⁵ The beast was allowed to speak arrogant and insulting things. It was given authority to act for 42 months. ⁶ It opened its mouth to insult God, to insult his name and his tent—those who are living in heaven. ⁷ It was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. It was also given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation. ⁸ Everyone living on earth will worship it, everyone whose name is not written in the Book of Life. That book belongs to the lamb who was slaughtered before the creation of the world.

⁹ If anyone has ears, let him listen:

In this situation God’s holy people need endurance and confidence.

The Beast from the Earth

¹¹ I saw another beast come from the earth, and it had two horns like a lamb. It talked like a serpent. ¹² The second beast uses all the authority of the first beast in its presence. The second beast makes the earth and those living on it worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. ¹³ The second beast performs spectacular signs. It even makes fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people. ¹⁴ It deceives those living on earth with the signs that it is allowed to do in front of the ⌞first⌟ beast. It tells those living on earth to make a statue for the beast who was wounded by a sword and yet lived.

¹⁵ The second beast was allowed to put breath into the statue of the ⌞first⌟ beast. Then the statue of the ⌞first⌟ beast could talk and put to death whoever would not worship it. ¹⁶ The second beast forces all people—important and unimportant people, rich and poor people, free people and slaves—to be branded on their right hands or on their foreheads. ¹⁷ It does this so that no one may buy or sell unless he has the brand, which is the beast’s name or the number of its name.

¹⁸ In this situation wisdom is needed. Let the person who has insight figure out the number of the beast, because it is a human number.^[b] The beast’s number is 666.

The New Song on Mount Zion

14 I looked, and the lamb was standing on Mount Zion. There were 144,000 people with him who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. ² Then I heard a sound from heaven like the noise of raging water and the noise of loud thunder. The sound I heard was like the music played by harpists. ³ They were singing a new song in front of the throne, the four living creatures, and the leaders. Only the 144,000 people who had been bought on earth could learn the song.

⁴ These 144,000 virgins are pure. They follow the lamb wherever he goes. They were bought from among humanity as the first ones offered to God and to the lamb. ⁵ They’ve never told a lie. They are blameless.

The Harvest of the Earth

⁶ I saw another angel flying overhead with the everlasting Good News to spread to those who live on earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. ⁷ The angel said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the time has come for him to judge. Worship the one who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs.”

⁸ Another angel, a second one, followed him, and said, “Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen! She has made all the nations drink the wine of her passionate sexual sins.”

⁹ Another angel, a third one, followed them, and said in a loud voice, “Whoever worships the beast or its statue, whoever is branded on his forehead or his hand, ¹⁰ will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured unmixed into the cup of God’s anger. Then he will be tortured by fiery sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the lamb. ¹¹ The smoke from their torture will go up forever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast or its statue, or for anyone branded with its name.” ¹² In this situation God’s holy people, who obey his commands and keep their faith in Jesus, need endurance.

¹³ I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: From now on those who die believing in the Lord are blessed.”

“Yes,” says the Spirit. “Let them rest from their hard work. What they have done goes with them.”

¹⁴ Then I looked, and there was a white cloud, and on the cloud sat someone who was like the Son of Man. He had a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. ¹⁵ Another angel came out of the temple. He cried out in a loud voice to the one who sat on the cloud, “Swing your sickle, and gather the harvest. The time has come to gather it, because the harvest on the earth is overripe.”

¹⁶ The one who sat on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the harvesting of the earth was completed.

¹⁷ Another angel came out of the temple in heaven. He, too, had a sharp sickle. ¹⁸ Yet another angel came from the altar with authority over fire. This angel called out in a loud voice to the angel with the sharp sickle, “Swing your sickle, and gather the bunches of grapes from the vine of the earth, because those grapes are ripe.” ¹⁹ The angel swung his sickle on the earth and gathered the grapes from the vine of the earth. He threw them into the winepress of God’s anger. ²⁰ The grapes were trampled in the winepress outside the city. Blood flowed out of the winepress as high as a horse’s bridle for 1,600 stadia.^[c]

Seven Angels with Seven Plagues

15 I saw another sign in heaven. It was spectacular and amazing. There were seven angels with the last seven plagues which are the final expression of God’s anger.

² Then I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire. Those who had won the victory over the beast, its statue, and the number of its name were standing on the glassy sea. They were holding God’s harps ³ and singing the song of God’s servant Moses and the song of the lamb. They sang,

⁵ After these things I looked, and I saw that the temple of the tent containing the words of God’s promise was open in heaven. ⁶ The seven angels with the seven plagues came out of the temple wearing clean, shining linen with gold belts around their waists. ⁷ One of the four living creatures gave seven gold bowls full of the anger of God, who lives forever and ever, to the seven angels. ⁸ The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and his power. No one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels came to an end.

The Seven Angels Pour Out Their Bowls

16 I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Pour the seven bowls of God’s anger over the earth.”

² The first angel poured his bowl over the earth. Horrible, painful sores appeared on the people who had the brand of the beast and worshiped its statue.

³ The second angel poured his bowl over the sea. The sea turned into blood like the blood of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died.

⁴ The third angel poured his bowl over the rivers and the springs. They turned into blood. ⁵ Then I heard the angel of the water say,

⁷ Then I heard the altar answer,

⁸ The fourth angel poured his bowl on the sun. The sun was allowed to burn people with fire. ⁹ They were severely burned. They cursed the name of God, who has the authority over these plagues. They would not change the way they think and act and give him glory.

¹⁰ The fifth angel poured his bowl on the throne of the beast. Its kingdom turned dark. People gnawed on their tongues in anguish ¹¹ and cursed the God of heaven for their pains and their sores. However, they would not stop what they were doing.

¹² The sixth angel poured his bowl on the great Euphrates River. The water in the river dried up to make a road for the kings from the east. ¹³ Then I saw three evil spirits like frogs come out of the mouths of the serpent, the beast, and the false prophet. ¹⁴ They are spirits of demons that do miracles. These spirits go to the kings of the whole world and gather them for the war on the frightening day of God Almighty.

¹⁵ “See, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who remains alert and doesn’t lose his clothes. He will not have to go naked and let others see his shame.”

¹⁶ The spirits gathered the kings at the place which is called Armageddon in Hebrew.

¹⁷ The seventh angel poured his bowl into the air. A loud voice came from the throne in the temple, and said, “It has happened!” ¹⁸ There was lightning, noise, thunder, and a powerful earthquake. There has never been such a powerful earthquake since humans have been on earth. ¹⁹ The important city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. God remembered to give Babylon the Great the cup of wine from his fierce anger. ²⁰ Every island vanished, and the mountains could no longer be seen. ²¹ Large, heavy hailstones fell from the sky on people. The people cursed God because the plague of hail was such a terrible plague.

Babylon the Great

17 One of the seven angels who held the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of that notorious prostitute who sits on raging waters. ² The kings of the earth had sex with her, and those living on earth became drunk on the wine of her sexual sins.” ³ Then the angel carried me by his power into the wilderness.

I saw a woman sitting on a bright red beast covered with insulting names. It had seven heads and ten horns. ⁴ The woman wore purple clothes, bright red clothes, gold jewelry, gems, and pearls. In her hand she was holding a gold cup filled with detestable and evil things from her sexual sins. ⁵ A name was written on her forehead. The name was Mystery: Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes and Detestable Things of the Earth. ⁶ I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people and of those who testify about Jesus. I was very surprised when I saw her.

⁷ The angel asked me, “Why are you surprised? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and the beast with the seven heads and the ten horns that carries her.

⁸ “You saw the beast which once was, is no longer, and will come from the bottomless pit and go to its destruction. Those living on earth, whose names were not written in the Book of Life when the world was created, will be surprised when they see the beast because it was, is no longer, and will come again.

⁹ “In this situation a wise mind is needed. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is sitting. ¹⁰ They are also seven kings. Five of them have fallen, one is ruling now, and the other has not yet come. When he comes, he must remain for a little while. ¹¹ The beast that was and is no longer is the eighth king. It belongs with the seven kings and goes to its destruction.

¹² “The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet started to rule. They will receive authority to rule as kings with the beast for one hour. ¹³ They have one purpose—to give their power and authority to the beast. ¹⁴ They will go to war against the lamb. The lamb will conquer them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. Those who are called, chosen, and faithful are with him.”

¹⁵ The angel also said to me, “The waters you saw, on which the prostitute is sitting, are people, crowds, nations, and languages. ¹⁶ The ten horns and the beast you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her abandoned and naked. They will eat her flesh and burn her up in a fire. ¹⁷ God has made them do what he wants them to do. So they will give their kingdom to the beast until God’s words are carried out. ¹⁸ The woman you saw is the important city which dominates the kings of the earth.”

Babylon’s Fall

18 After these things I saw another angel come from heaven. He had tremendous power, and his glory lit up the earth. ² He cried out in a powerful voice, “Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen! She has become a home for demons. She is a prison for every evil spirit, every unclean ^[d] bird, and every unclean and hated beast. ³ All the nations fell because of the wine of her sexual sins. The kings of the earth had sex with her. Her luxurious wealth has made the merchants of the earth rich.”

⁴ I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of Babylon, my people, so that you do not participate in her sins and suffer from any of her plagues. ⁵ Her sins are piled as high as heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. ⁶ Do to her what she has done. Give her twice as much as she gave. Serve her a drink in her own cup twice as large as the drink she served others. ⁷ She gave herself glory and luxury. Now give her just as much torture and misery. She says to herself, ‘I’m a queen on a throne, not a widow. I’ll never be miserable.’ ⁸ For this reason her plagues of death, misery, and starvation will come in a single day. She will be burned up in a fire, because the Lord God, who judges her, is powerful.

⁹ “The kings of the earth who had sex with her and lived in luxury with her will cry and mourn over her when they see the smoke rise from her raging fire. ¹⁰ Frightened by her torture, they will stand far away and say,

¹¹ “The merchants of the earth cry and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo anymore. ¹² No one buys their cargo of gold, silver, gems, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, bright red cloth, all kinds of citron wood, articles made of ivory and very costly wood, bronze, iron, marble, ¹³ cinnamon, spices, incense, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil, flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, wagons, slaves (that is, humans).

¹⁵ “Frightened by her torture, the merchants who had become rich by selling these things will stand far away. They will cry and mourn, ¹⁶ saying,

Every ship’s captain, everyone who traveled by ship, sailors, and everyone who made their living from the sea stood far away. ¹⁸ When they saw the smoke rise from her raging fire, they repeatedly cried out, ‘Was there ever a city as important as this?’ ¹⁹ Then they threw dust on their heads and shouted while crying and mourning,

²¹ Then a powerful angel picked up a stone that was like a large millstone. He threw it into the sea and said,

²⁴ “The blood of prophets, God’s people, and everyone who had been murdered on earth was found in it.”