And I saw the seven angels(A) who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.(B)

Another angel,(C) who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people,(D) on the golden altar(E) in front of the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God(F) from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar,(G) and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder,(H) rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.(I)

The Trumpets

Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets(J) prepared to sound them.

The first angel(K) sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire(L) mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third(M) of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.(N)

The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain,(O) all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third(P) of the sea turned into blood,(Q) a third(R) of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

10 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky(S) on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water(T) 11 the name of the star is Wormwood.[a] A third(U) of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.(V)

12 The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third(W) of them turned dark.(X) A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.(Y)

13 As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in midair(Z) call out in a loud voice: “Woe! Woe! Woe(AA) to the inhabitants of the earth,(AB) because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!”

The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth.(AC) The star was given the key(AD) to the shaft of the Abyss.(AE) When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace.(AF) The sun and sky were darkened(AG) by the smoke from the Abyss.(AH) And out of the smoke locusts(AI) came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions(AJ) of the earth. They were told not to harm(AK) the grass of the earth or any plant or tree,(AL) but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.(AM) They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months.(AN) And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion(AO) when it strikes. During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.(AP)

The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle.(AQ) On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces.(AR) Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth.(AS) They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle.(AT) 10 They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months.(AU) 11 They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss,(AV) whose name in Hebrew(AW) is Abaddon(AX) and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).

12 The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.(AY)

13 The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the four horns(AZ) of the golden altar that is before God.(BA) 14 It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels(BB) who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”(BC) 15 And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released(BD) to kill a third(BE) of mankind.(BF) 16 The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number.(BG)

17 The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths(BH) came fire, smoke and sulfur.(BI) 18 A third(BJ) of mankind was killed(BK) by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur(BL) that came out of their mouths. 19 The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.

20 The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent(BM) of the work of their hands;(BN) they did not stop worshiping demons,(BO) and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk.(BP) 21 Nor did they repent(BQ) of their murders, their magic arts,(BR) their sexual immorality(BS) or their thefts.

The Angel and the Little Scroll

10 Then I saw another mighty angel(BT) coming down from heaven.(BU) He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow(BV) above his head; his face was like the sun,(BW) and his legs were like fiery pillars.(BX) He was holding a little scroll,(BY) which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,(BZ) and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion.(CA) When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders(CB) spoke. And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write;(CC) but I heard a voice from heaven(CD) say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”(CE)

Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land(CF) raised his right hand to heaven.(CG) And he swore(CH) by him who lives for ever and ever,(CI) who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it,(CJ) and said, “There will be no more delay!(CK) But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet,(CL) the mystery(CM) of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”(CN)

Then the voice that I had heard from heaven(CO) spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll(CP) that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”

So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’[b](CQ) 10 I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth,(CR) but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. 11 Then I was told, “You must prophesy(CS) again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”(CT)

The Two Witnesses

11 I was given a reed like a measuring rod(CU) and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. But exclude the outer court;(CV) do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles.(CW) They will trample on the holy city(CX) for 42 months.(CY) And I will appoint my two witnesses,(CZ) and they will prophesy for 1,260 days,(DA) clothed in sackcloth.”(DB) They are “the two olive trees”(DC) and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”[c](DD) If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies.(DE) This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die.(DF) They have power to shut up the heavens(DG) so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying;(DH) and they have power to turn the waters into blood(DI) and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast(DJ) that comes up from the Abyss(DK) will attack them,(DL) and overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city(DM)—which is figuratively called Sodom(DN) and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified.(DO) For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation(DP) will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial.(DQ) 10 The inhabitants of the earth(DR) will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts,(DS) because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

11 But after the three and a half days(DT) the breath[d] of life from God entered them,(DU) and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.”(DV) And they went up to heaven in a cloud,(DW) while their enemies looked on.

13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake(DX) and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory(DY) to the God of heaven.(DZ)

14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.(EA)

The Seventh Trumpet

15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet,(EB) and there were loud voices(EC) in heaven, which said:

“The kingdom of the world has become
    the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah,(ED)
    and he will reign for ever and ever.”(EE)

16 And the twenty-four elders,(EF) who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces(EG) and worshiped God, 17 saying:

“We give thanks(EH) to you, Lord God Almighty,(EI)
    the One who is and who was,(EJ)
because you have taken your great power
    and have begun to reign.(EK)
18 The nations were angry,(EL)
    and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead,(EM)
    and for rewarding your servants the prophets(EN)
and your people who revere your name,
    both great and small(EO)
and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”

19 Then God’s temple(EP) in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant.(EQ) And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder,(ER) an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.(ES)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 8:11 Wormwood is a bitter substance.
  2. Revelation 10:9 Ezek. 3:3
  3. Revelation 11:4 See Zech. 4:3,11,14.
  4. Revelation 11:11 Or Spirit (see Ezek. 37:5,14)

And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;

And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.

10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;

11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.

13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!

And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.

And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.

And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.

And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.

And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.

And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.

And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.

And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.

10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.

11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.

13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,

14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.

15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.

16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.

17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.

18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.

19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.

20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:

21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

10 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire:

And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,

And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices.

And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.

And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven,

And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:

But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.

And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.

10 And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.

11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

11 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.

But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.

These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.

10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.

11 And after three days and an half the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.

12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

14 The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.

15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,

17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.

18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.