A Revelation to John
Outline of Contents
Chapter 1
	A revelation from God, through Jesus (1-3)
	Greetings to the seven congregations (4-8)
		“I am the Alpha and the Omega” (8)
	John in the Lord’s day by inspiration (9-11)
	Vision of the glorified Jesus (12-20)
Chapter 2
	Messages to Ephesus (1-7), to Smyrna (8-11), to Pergamum (12-17), to Thyatira (18-29)
Chapter 3
	Messages to Sardis (1-6), to Philadelphia (7-13), to Laodicea (14-22)
Chapter 4
	Vision of Jehovah’s heavenly presence (1-11)
		Jehovah seated on his throne (2)
		The 24 elders on thrones (4)
		The four living creatures (6)
Chapter 5
	A scroll with seven seals (1-5)
	The Lamb takes the scroll (6-8)
	The Lamb is worthy to open the seals (9-14)
Chapter 6
	The Lamb opens the first six seals (1-17)
		Conqueror on the white horse (1, 2)
		Rider of fiery-colored horse to take away peace (3, 4)
		Rider of black horse to bring famine (5, 6)
		Rider of pale horse is named Death (7, 8)
		Slaughtered ones under the altar (9-11)
		A great earthquake (12-17)
Chapter 7
	Four angels holding back destructive winds (1-3)
	The 144,000 sealed (4-8)
	A great crowd in white robes (9-17)
Chapter 8
	The seventh seal opened (1-6)
	Sounding the first four trumpets (7-12)
	Three woes announced (13)
Chapter 9
	The fifth trumpet (1-11)
	One woe past, two more coming (12)
	The sixth trumpet (13-21)
Chapter 10
	A strong angel with a little scroll (1-7)
		“No delay any longer” (6)
		Sacred secret to be finished (7)
	John eats the little scroll (8-11)
Chapter 11
	The two witnesses (1-13)
		Prophesying 1,260 days in sackcloth (3)
		Killed and left unburied (7-10)
		Brought to life after three and a half days (11, 12)
	Second woe past, third coming (14)
	The seventh trumpet (15-19)
		Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ (15)
		Those ruining the earth will be brought to ruin (18)
Chapter 12
	The woman, the male child, and the dragon (1-6)
	Michael battles the dragon (7-12)
		Dragon hurled to the earth (9)
		Devil knows he has a short time (12)
	Dragon persecutes the woman (13-17)
Chapter 13
	Seven-headed wild beast from the sea (1-10)
	Two-horned beast from the earth (11-13)
	Image of the seven-headed beast (14, 15)
	Mark and number of the wild beast (16-18)
Chapter 14
	The Lamb and the 144,000 (1-5)
	Messages from three angels (6-12)
		Angel in midheaven with good news (6, 7)
	Happy are those who die in union with Christ (13)
	Two harvests of the earth (14-20)
Chapter 15
	Seven angels with seven plagues (1-8)
		The song of Moses and of the Lamb (3, 4)
Chapter 16
	Seven bowls of God’s anger (1-21)
		Poured out on the earth (2), the sea (3), the rivers and springs (4-7), the sun (8, 9), the throne of the wild beast (10, 11), the Euphrates (12-16), and the air (17-21)
		God’s war at Armageddon (14, 16)
Chapter 17
	Judgment on “Babylon the Great” (1-18)
		The great prostitute sits on a scarlet-colored beast (1-3)
		The beast ‘was, is not, but is to ascend out of the abyss’ (8)
		Ten horns to fight the Lamb (12-14)
		Ten horns to hate the prostitute (16, 17)
Chapter 18
	Fall of “Babylon the Great” (1-8)
		“Get out of her, my people” (4)
	Mourning over Babylon’s fall (9-19)
	Rejoicing in heaven over Babylon’s fall (20)
	Babylon to be hurled into the sea like a stone (21-24)
Chapter 19
	Praise Jah for his judgments (1-10)
		Marriage of the Lamb (7-9)
	Rider on a white horse (11-16)
	Great evening meal of God (17, 18)
	Wild beast defeated (19-21)
Chapter 20
	Satan bound for 1,000 years (1-3)
	Millennial rulers with Christ (4-6)
	Satan released, then destroyed (7-10)
	The dead judged before the white throne (11-15)
Chapter 21
	A new heaven and a new earth (1-8)
		No more death (4)
		All things made new (5)
	New Jerusalem described (9-27)
Chapter 22
	River of water of life (1-5)
	Conclusion (6-21)
		‘Come! Take life’s water free’ (17)
		“Come, Lord Jesus” (20)
Chapter 1
1 A revelation [Or “A disclosure; An uncovering.”] by Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to show his slaves the things that must shortly take place. And he sent his angel and presented it in signs through him to his slave John, 2 who bore witness to the word God gave and to the witness Jesus Christ gave, yes, to all the things he saw. 3 Happy is the one who reads aloud and those who hear the words of this prophecy and who observe the things written in it, for the appointed time is near.
4 John to the seven congregations that are in the province of Asia:
May you have undeserved kindness and peace from “the One who is and who was and who is coming,” and from the seven spirits that are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, “the Faithful Witness,” “the firstborn from the dead,” and “the Ruler of the kings of the earth.”
To him who loves us and who set us free from our sins by means of his own blood— 6 and he made us to be a kingdom, priests to his God and Father—yes, to him be the glory and the might forever. Amen.
7 Look! He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, and those who pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief because of him. Yes, Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” [Or “the A and the Z.” Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.] says Jehovah [See Appendix A5.] God, “the One who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty.”
9 I John, your brother and a sharer with you in the tribulation and kingdom and endurance in association with Jesus, was on the island called Patmos for speaking about God and bearing witness concerning Jesus. 10 By inspiration I came to be in the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a strong voice like that of a trumpet, 11 saying: “What you see, write in a scroll and send it to the seven congregations: in Ephesus, in Smyrna, in Pergamum, in Thyatira, in Sardis, in Philadelphia, and in Laodicea.”
12 I turned to see who was speaking with me, and when I turned, I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands someone like a son of man, clothed in a garment that reached down to the feet and wearing a golden sash around his chest. 14 Moreover, his head and his hair were white as white wool, as snow, and his eyes were like a fiery flame, 15 and his feet were like fine copper when glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth a sharp, long, two-edged sword was protruding, and his countenance [Or “face.”] was like the sun when it shines at its brightest. 17 When I saw him, I fell as dead at his feet.
And he laid his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, 18 and the living one, and I became dead, but look! I am living forever and ever, and I have the keys of death and of the Grave. [Or “Hades,” that is, the common grave of mankind. See Glossary.] 19 So write down the things you saw, and the things that are, and the things that will take place after these. 20 As for the sacred secret of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars mean the angels of the seven congregations, and the seven lampstands mean the seven congregations.
Chapter 2
1 “To the angel of the congregation in Ephesus write: These are the things that he says who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: 2 ‘I know your deeds, and your labor and endurance, and that you cannot tolerate bad men, and that you put to the test those who say they are apostles, but they are not, and you found them to be liars. 3 You are also showing endurance, and you have persevered for the sake of my name and have not grown weary. 4 Nevertheless, I hold this against you, that you have left the love you had at first.
5 “‘Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first. If you do not, I will come to you, and I will remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Still, you do have this in your favor: that you hate the deeds of the sect of Nicolaus, which I also hate. 7 Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’
8 “And to the angel of the congregation in Smyrna write: These are the things that he says, ‘the First and the Last,’ who became dead and came to life again: 9 ‘I know your tribulation and poverty—but you are rich—and the blasphemy by those who call themselves Jews and really are not, but they are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. Look! The Devil will keep on throwing some of you into prison so that you may be fully put to the test, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Prove yourself faithful even to death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: The one who conquers will by no means be harmed by the second death.’
12 “To the angel of the congregation in Pergamum write: These are the things that he says who has the sharp, long, two-edged sword: 13 ‘I know where you are dwelling, that is, where the throne of Satan is; and yet you keep holding fast to my name, and you did not deny your faith in me even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was killed by your side, where Satan is dwelling.
14 “‘Nevertheless, I have a few things against you, that you have there those adhering to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality. [See Glossary.] 15 In the same way, you also have those adhering to the teaching of the sect of Nicolaus. 16 So repent. If you do not, I am coming to you quickly, and I will war against them with the long sword of my mouth.
17 “‘Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white pebble, and written on the pebble is a new name that no one knows except the one receiving it.’
18 “To the angel of the congregation in Thyatira write: These are the things that the Son of God says, the one who has eyes like a fiery flame and whose feet are like fine copper: 19 ‘I know your deeds, and your love and faith and ministry and endurance, and that your deeds of late are more than those you did at first.
20 “‘Nevertheless, I do hold this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and misleads my slaves to commit sexual immorality [See Glossary.] and to eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time to repent, but she is not willing to repent of her sexual immorality. [Greek, porneia. See Glossary.] 22 Look! I am about to throw her into a sickbed, and those committing adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with deadly plague, so that all the congregations will know that I am the one who searches the innermost thoughts [Or “the deepest emotions.” Literally, “kidneys.”] and hearts, and I will give to you individually according to your deeds.
24 “‘However, I say to the rest of you who are in Thyatira, all those who do not follow this teaching, those who did not get to know the so-called “deep things of Satan”: I am not putting on you any other burden. 25 Just the same, hold fast to what you have until I come. 26 And to the one who conquers and observes my deeds down to the end, I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will shepherd the people with an iron rod so that they will be broken to pieces like clay vessels, just as I have received from my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations.’
Chapter 3
1 “To the angel of the congregation in Sardis write: These are the things that he says who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your deeds, that you have the name [Or “reputation.”] that you are alive, but you are dead. 2 Become watchful, and strengthen the things remaining that were ready to die, for I have not found your works fully performed [Or “complete.”] before my God. 3 Therefore, continue mindful of [Or “remember.”] how you have received and how you heard, and go on keeping it, and repent. Certainly unless you wake up, I will come as a thief, and you will not know at all at what hour I will come upon you.
4 “‘Nevertheless, you do have a few individuals [Literally, “a few names.”] in Sardis who did not defile their garments, and they will walk with me in white ones, because they are worthy. 5 The one who conquers will thus be dressed in white garments, and I will by no means blot out [Or “erase.”] his name from the book of life, but I will acknowledge his name before my Father and before his angels. 6 Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations.’
7 “To the angel of the congregation in Philadelphia write: These are the things he says who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens so that no one will shut and shuts so that no one opens: 8 ‘I know your deeds—look! I have set before you an opened door, which no one can shut. And I know that you have a little power, and you kept my word and did not prove false to my name. 9 Look! I will make those from the synagogue of Satan who say they are Jews yet are not, but are lying—look! I will make them come and bow [Or “do obeisance.”] before your feet and make them know that I have loved you. 10 Because you kept the word about my endurance, [Or possibly, “followed the example of my endurance.”] I will also keep you from the hour of test, which is to come upon the entire inhabited earth, to put to the test those dwelling on the earth. 11 I am coming quickly. Keep holding fast to what you have, so that no one may take your crown.
12 “‘The one who conquers—I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will by no means go out from it anymore, and I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem that descends out of heaven from my God, and my own new name. 13 Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations.’
14 “To the angel of the congregation in Laodicea write: These are the things that the Amen says, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation by God: 15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or else hot. 16 So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth. 17 Because you say, “I am rich and have acquired riches and do not need anything at all,” but you do not know that you are miserable and pitiful and poor and blind and naked, 18 I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may become dressed and that the shame of your nakedness may not be exposed, and eyesalve to rub in your eyes so that you may see.
19 “‘All those for whom I have affection, I reprove and discipline. So be zealous and repent. 20 Look! I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into his house and take the evening meal with him and he with me. 21 To the one who conquers I will grant to sit down with me on my throne, just as I conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations.’”
Chapter 4
1 After this I saw, and look! an opened door in heaven, and the first voice that I heard speaking with me was like a trumpet, saying: “Come up here, and I will show you the things that must take place.” 2 After this I immediately came to be in the power of the spirit, and look! a throne was in its position in heaven, and someone was seated on the throne. 3 And the One seated had the appearance of a jasper stone and a sardius stone, [Or “a precious red-colored stone.”] and all around the throne was a rainbow like an emerald in appearance.
4 All around the throne were 24 thrones, and on these thrones I saw seated 24 elders dressed in white garments, and on their heads golden crowns. 5 From the throne were coming lightning and voices and thunders; and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, and these mean the seven spirits of God. 6 Before the throne was something resembling a glassy sea, like crystal.
In the midst of the throne [Or “In the middle with the throne.”] and around the throne were four living creatures that were full of eyes in front and behind. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, and the second living creature was like a young bull, and the third living creature had a face like a man’s, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. 8 As for the four living creatures, each one of them had six wings; they were full of eyes all around and underneath. And continuously, day and night, they say: “Holy, holy, holy is Jehovah [See Appendix A5.] God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is coming.”
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanksgiving to the One seated on the throne, the One who lives forever and ever, 10 the 24 elders fall down before the One seated on the throne and worship the One who lives forever and ever, and they cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 11 “You are worthy, Jehovah [See Appendix A5.] our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and because of your will they came into existence and were created.”
Chapter 5
1 And I saw in the right hand of the One seated on the throne a scroll written on both sides, [Literally, “inside and on the back.”] sealed tight with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice: “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or underneath the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. 4 I gave way to a great deal of weeping because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 But one of the elders said to me: “Stop weeping. Look! The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered so as to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 And I saw standing in the midst [Or “at the center.”] of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders a lamb that seemed to have been slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, and the eyes mean the seven spirits of God that have been sent out into the whole earth. 7 At once he came forward and took it out of the right hand of the One seated on the throne. 8 When he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb, and each one had a harp and golden bowls that were full of incense. (The incense means the prayers of the holy ones.) 9 And they sing a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, for you were slaughtered and with your blood you bought people for God out of every tribe and tongue [Or “language.”] and people and nation, 10 and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth.”
11 And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders, and the number of them was myriads of myriads [Or “tens of thousands times tens of thousands.”] and thousands of thousands, 12 and they were saying with a loud voice: “The Lamb who was slaughtered is worthy to receive the power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.”
13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and underneath the earth and on the sea, and all the things in them, saying: “To the One sitting on the throne and to the Lamb be the blessing and the honor and the glory and the might forever and ever.” 14 The four living creatures were saying: “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshipped.
Chapter 6
1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder: “Come!” 2 And I saw, and look! a white horse, and the one seated on it had a bow; and a crown was given him, and he went out conquering and to complete his conquest.
3 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say: “Come!” 4 Another came out, a fiery-colored horse, and it was granted to the one seated on it to take peace away from the earth so that they should slaughter one another, and he was given a great sword.
5 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say: “Come!” And I saw, and look! a black horse, and the one seated on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 I heard what sounded like a voice in the midst of the four living creatures say: “A quart [See Appendix B14.] of wheat for a denarius [A Roman silver coin that equaled a day’s wage. See Appendix B14.] and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the olive oil and the wine.”
7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say: “Come!” 8 And I saw, and look! a pale horse, and the one seated on it had the name Death. And the Grave [Or “Hades,” that is, the common grave of mankind. See Glossary.] was closely following him. And authority was given them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with a long sword and with food shortage and with deadly plague and by the wild beasts of the earth.
9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls [Evidently referring to their lifeblood poured out at the altar. See Glossary.] of those slaughtered because of the word of God and because of the witness they had given. 10 They shouted with a loud voice, saying: “Until when, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, are you refraining from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 And a white robe was given to each of them, and they were told to rest a little while longer, until the number was filled of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were about to be killed as they had been.
12 And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and a great earthquake occurred; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, [Probably goat hair.] and the entire moon became as blood, 13 and the stars of heaven fell to the earth as when a fig tree shaken by a high wind drops its unripe figs. 14 And the heaven departed as a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and every island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth, the high officials, the military commanders, the rich, the strong, every slave, and every free person hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 And they keep saying to the mountains and to the rocks: “Fall over us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 because the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
Chapter 7
1 After this I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding tight the four winds of the earth, so that no wind could blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the sunrise, [Or “east.”] having a seal of the living God; and he called with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying: “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until after we have sealed the slaves of our God in their foreheads.”
4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed, 144,000, sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel:
5 Out of the tribe of Judah 12,000 sealed;
out of the tribe of Reuben 12,000;
out of the tribe of Gad 12,000;
6 out of the tribe of Asher 12,000;
out of the tribe of Naphtali 12,000;
out of the tribe of Manasseh 12,000;
7 out of the tribe of Simeon 12,000;
out of the tribe of Levi 12,000;
out of the tribe of Issachar 12,000;
8 out of the tribe of Zebulun 12,000;
out of the tribe of Joseph 12,000;
out of the tribe of Benjamin 12,000 sealed.
9 After this I saw, and look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, [Or “languages.”] standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes; and there were palm branches in their hands. 10 And they keep shouting with a loud voice, saying: “Salvation we owe to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
11 All the angels were standing around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell facedown before the throne and worshipped God, 12 saying: “Amen! Let the praise and the glory and the wisdom and the thanksgiving and the honor and the power and the strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
13 In response one of the elders said to me: “These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from?” 14 So right away I said to him: “My lord, you are the one who knows.” And he said to me: “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 That is why they are before the throne of God, and they are rendering him sacred service day and night in his temple; and the One seated on the throne will spread his tent over them. 16 They will hunger no more nor thirst anymore, neither will the sun beat down on them nor any scorching heat, 17 because the Lamb, who is in the midst [Or “at the center.”] of the throne, will shepherd them and will guide them to springs [Or “fountains.”] of waters of life. And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes.”
Chapter 8
1 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
3 Another angel, holding a golden incense vessel, [Or “burner.”] arrived and stood at the altar, and a large quantity of incense was given him to offer it with the prayers of all the holy ones on the golden altar that was before the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense from the hand of the angel ascended with the prayers of the holy ones before God. 5 But right away the angel took the incense vessel, and he filled it with some of the fire of the altar and hurled it to the earth. And there were thunders and voices and flashes of lightning and an earthquake. 6 And the seven angels with the seven trumpets prepared to blow them.
7 The first one blew his trumpet. And there was hail and fire mingled with blood, and it was hurled to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green vegetation was burned up.
8 The second angel blew his trumpet. And something like a great mountain burning with fire was hurled into the sea. And a third of the sea became blood; 9 and a third of the living creatures [Or “creatures that have souls.”] in the sea died, and a third of the ships were wrecked.
10 The third angel blew his trumpet. And a great star burning like a lamp fell from heaven, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs [Or “fountains.”] of waters. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. And a third of the waters turned into wormwood, and many of the people died from the waters, because these had been made bitter.
12 The fourth angel blew his trumpet. And a third of the sun was struck and a third of the moon and a third of the stars, in order that a third of them might be darkened and the day might not have light for a third of it, and the night likewise.
13 And I saw, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven say with a loud voice: “Woe, woe, woe to those dwelling on the earth because of the rest of the trumpet blasts of the three angels who are about to blow their trumpets!”
Chapter 9
1 The fifth angel blew his trumpet. And I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to the earth, and the key to the shaft [Or “pit.”] of the abyss was given to him. 2 He opened the shaft [Or “pit.”] of the abyss, and smoke ascended out of the shaft [Or “pit.”] like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun was darkened, also the air, by the smoke of the shaft. [Or “pit.”] 3 And locusts came out of the smoke onto the earth, and authority was given to them, the same authority that the scorpions of the earth have. 4 They were told not to harm the vegetation of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
5 And it was granted the locusts, not to kill them, but to torment them five months, and their torment was like torment by a scorpion when it strikes a person. 6 In those days people will seek death but will by no means find it, and they will long to die, but death will flee from them.
7 And in appearance the locusts resembled horses prepared for battle; on their heads were what seemed to be crowns of gold, and their faces were like human faces, 8 but they had hair like women’s hair. And their teeth were like those of lions, 9 and they had breastplates like iron breastplates. And the sound of their wings was like the sound of horse-drawn chariots rushing into battle. 10 Also, they have tails with stingers like scorpions, and in their tails is their authority to hurt the people for five months. 11 They have over them a king, the angel of the abyss. In Hebrew his name is Abaddon, [Meaning “Destruction.”] but in Greek he has the name Apollyon. [Meaning “Destroyer.”]
12 The one woe is past. Look! Two more woes are coming after these things.
13 The sixth angel blew his trumpet. And I heard one voice from the horns of the golden altar that is before God 14 say to the sixth angel who had the trumpet: “Untie the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15 And the four angels who have been prepared for the hour and day and month and year were untied to kill a third of the people.
16 The number of the armies of cavalry was two myriads of myriads; [Or “20,000 times 10,000,” that is, 200,000,000.] I heard the number of them. 17 And this is how I saw the horses in the vision and those seated on them: They had fire-red and hyacinth-blue and sulfur-yellow breastplates, and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. 18 A third of the people were killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the sulfur that came out of their mouths. 19 For the authority of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with these they inflict harm.
20 But the rest of the people who were not killed by these plagues did not repent of the works of their hands; they did not stop worshipping the demons and the idols of gold and silver and copper and stone and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. 21 And they did not repent of their murders nor of their spiritistic practices nor of their sexual immorality [Greek, porneia. See Glossary.] nor of their thefts.
Chapter 10
1 And I saw another strong angel descending from heaven, arrayed [Or “wrapped.”] with a cloud, and a rainbow was on his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs [Literally, “feet.”] were like pillars of fire, 2 and he had in his hand a little scroll that had been unrolled. And he set his right foot on the sea, but his left one on the earth, 3 and he cried out with a loud voice just as when a lion roars. And when he cried out, the voices of the seven thunders spoke.
4 Now when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write, but I heard a voice out of heaven say: “Seal up the things the seven thunders spoke, and do not write them down.” 5 The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the earth raised his right hand to heaven, 6 and he swore by the One who lives forever and ever, who created the heaven and the things in it and the earth and the things in it and the sea and the things in it: “There will be no delay any longer. 7 But in the days when the seventh angel is about to blow his trumpet, the sacred secret that God declared as good news to his own slaves the prophets is indeed brought to a finish.”
8 And I heard the voice out of heaven speaking again with me and saying: “Go, take the opened scroll that is in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the earth.” 9 I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. He said to me: “Take it and eat it up, and it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet like honey.” 10 I took the little scroll out of the hand of the angel and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet like honey, but when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. 11 And they said to me: “You must prophesy again about peoples and nations and tongues [Or “languages.”] and many kings.”
Chapter 11
1 And a reed like a rod [Or “a measuring rod.”] was given to me as he said: “Get up and measure the temple sanctuary of God and the altar and those worshipping in it. 2 But as for the courtyard that is outside the temple sanctuary, leave it out and do not measure it, because it has been given to the nations, and they will trample the holy city underfoot for 42 months. 3 I will cause my two witnesses to prophesy for 1,260 days dressed in sackcloth.” 4 These are symbolized by the two olive trees and the two lampstands and are standing before the Lord of the earth.
5 If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouths and consumes their enemies. If anyone should want to harm them, this is how he must be killed. 6 These have the authority to shut up the sky [Or “heaven.”] so that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have authority over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every sort of plague as often as they wish.
7 When they have finished their witnessing, the wild beast that ascends out of the abyss will wage war with them and conquer them and kill them. 8 And their corpses will be on the main street of the great city that is in a spiritual sense called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was also executed on the stake. 9 And those of the peoples and tribes and tongues [Or “languages.”] and nations will look at their corpses for three and a half days, and they do not allow their corpses to be laid in a tomb. 10 And those dwelling on the earth rejoice over them and celebrate, and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those dwelling on the earth.
11 After the three and a half days, spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell upon those who saw them. 12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven say to them: “Come up here.” And they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies saw them. [Or “were looking on.”] 13 In that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; and 7,000 persons were killed by the earthquake, and the rest became frightened and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe is past. Look! The third woe is coming quickly.
15 The seventh angel blew his trumpet. And there were loud voices in heaven, saying: “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will rule as king forever and ever.”
16 And the 24 elders who were seated before God on their thrones fell upon their faces and worshipped God, 17 saying: “We thank you, Jehovah [See Appendix A5.] God, the Almighty, the one who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and begun ruling as king. 18 But the nations became wrathful, and your own wrath came, and the appointed time came for the dead to be judged and to reward your slaves the prophets and the holy ones and those fearing your name, the small and the great, and to bring to ruin those ruining [Or “to destroy those who are destroying.”] the earth.”
19 And the temple sanctuary of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen in his temple sanctuary. And there were flashes of lightning and voices and thunders and an earthquake and a great hail.
Chapter 12
1 Then a great sign was seen in heaven: A woman was arrayed [Or “clothed.”] with the sun, and the moon was beneath her feet, and on her head was a crown of 12 stars, 2 and she was pregnant. And she was crying out in her pains and in her agony to give birth.
3 Another sign was seen in heaven. Look! A great fiery-colored dragon, with seven heads and ten horns and on its heads seven diadems; [Or “royal headbands.”] 4 and its tail drags a third of the stars of heaven, and it hurled them down to the earth. And the dragon kept standing before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she did give birth, it might devour her child.
5 And she gave birth to a son, a male, who is to shepherd all the nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched [Or “caught.”] away to God and to his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God and where they would feed her for 1,260 days.
7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael [Meaning “Who Is Like God?”] and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled 8 but they did not prevail, [Or possibly, “but it [that is, the dragon] was defeated.”] nor was a place found for them any longer in heaven. 9 So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him. 10 I heard a loud voice in heaven say:
“Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ, because the accuser of our brothers has been hurled down, who accuses them day and night before our God! 11 And they conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their witnessing, and they did not love their souls [Or “lives.” See Glossary.] even in the face of death. 12 On this account be glad, you heavens and you who reside in them! Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing that he has a short period of time.”
13 Now when the dragon saw that it had been hurled down to the earth, it persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. 14 But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is to be fed for a time and times and half a time [That is, three and a half times.] away from the face of the serpent.
15 And the serpent spewed out water like a river from its mouth after the woman, to cause her to be drowned by the river. 16 But the earth came to the woman’s help, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river that the dragon spewed out from its mouth. 17 So the dragon became enraged at the woman and went off to wage war with the remaining ones of her offspring, [Literally, “seed.”] who observe the commandments of God and have the work of bearing witness concerning Jesus.
Chapter 13
1 And it [That is, the dragon.] stood still on the sand of the sea.
And I saw a wild beast ascending out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns ten diadems, [Or “royal headbands.”] but on its heads blasphemous names. 2 Now the wild beast that I saw was like a leopard, but its feet were like those of a bear, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And the dragon gave to the beast its power and its throne and great authority.
3 I saw that one of its heads seemed to have been fatally wounded, but its mortal wound had been healed, and all the earth followed the wild beast with admiration. 4 And they worshipped the dragon because it gave the authority to the wild beast, and they worshipped the wild beast with the words: “Who is like the wild beast, and who can do battle with it?” 5 It was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and it was given authority to act for 42 months. 6 And it opened its mouth in blasphemies against God to blaspheme his name and his dwelling place, even those residing in heaven. 7 It was permitted to wage war with the holy ones and conquer them, and it was given authority over every tribe and people and tongue [Or “language.”] and nation. 8 And all those who dwell on the earth will worship it. From the founding of the world, not one of their names has been written in the scroll of life of the Lamb who was slaughtered.
9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 If anyone is meant for captivity, he will go into captivity. If anyone will kill with the sword, [Or possibly, “If anyone is to be killed with the sword.”] he must be killed with the sword. This is where it calls for endurance and faith on the part of the holy ones.
11 Then I saw another wild beast ascending out of the earth, and it had two horns like a lamb, but it began speaking like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first wild beast in its sight. And it makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first wild beast, whose mortal wound was healed. 13 And it performs great signs, even making fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the sight of mankind.
14 It misleads those who dwell on the earth, because of the signs that it was permitted to perform in the sight of the wild beast, while it tells those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the wild beast that had the sword-stroke and yet revived. 15 And it was permitted to give breath [Or “spirit.”] to the image of the wild beast, so that the image of the wild beast should both speak and cause to be killed all those who refuse to worship the image of the wild beast.
16 It puts under compulsion all people—the small and the great, the rich and the poor, the free and the slaves—that these should be marked on their right hand or on their forehead, 17 and that nobody can buy or sell except a person having the mark, the name of the wild beast or the number of its name. 18 This is where it calls for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the number of the wild beast, for it is a man’s number, [Or “a human number.”] and its number is 666.
Chapter 14
1 Then I saw, and look! the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who have his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. 2 I heard a sound coming out of heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder; and the sound that I heard was like singers who accompany themselves by playing on their harps. 3 And they are singing what seems to be a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders, and no one was able to master that song except the 144,000, who have been bought from the earth. 4 These are the ones who did not defile themselves with women; in fact, they are virgins. These are the ones who keep following the Lamb no matter where he goes. These were bought from among mankind as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb, 5 and no deceit was found in their mouths; they are without blemish.
6 And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, [Or “in midair; overhead.”] and he had everlasting good news to declare to those who dwell on the earth, to every nation and tribe and tongue [Or “language.”] and people. 7 He was saying in a loud voice: “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of judgment by him has arrived, so worship the One who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and the springs [Or “fountains.”] of water.”
8 Another, a second angel, followed, saying: “She has fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen, she who made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion [Or “anger.”] of her sexual immorality!” [Greek, porneia. See Glossary.]
9 Another angel, a third, followed them, saying in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the wild beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he will also drink of the wine of the anger of God that is poured out undiluted into the cup of His wrath, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever, and day and night they have no rest, those who worship the wild beast and its image and whoever receives the mark of its name. 12 Here is where it calls for endurance on the part of the holy ones, those who keep the commandments of God and hold fast to the faith of Jesus.”
13 And I heard a voice out of heaven say, “Write: Happy are the dead who die in union with the Lord from this time onward. Yes, says the spirit, let them rest from their labors, for the things they did go right [Or “along.”] with them.”
14 Then I saw, and look! a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was someone like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.
15 Another angel emerged from the temple sanctuary, calling with a loud voice to the one seated on the cloud: “Put your sickle in and reap, because the hour has come to reap, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” 16 And the one seated on the cloud thrust his sickle into the earth, and the earth was reaped.
17 And still another angel emerged from the temple sanctuary that is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle.
18 And still another angel emerged from the altar, and he had authority over the fire. And he called out with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, saying: “Put your sharp sickle in and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for its grapes have become ripe.” 19 The angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and he hurled it into the great winepress of God’s anger. 20 The winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress as high up as the bridles of the horses for a distance of 1,600 stadia. [About 296 kilometers (184 miles). A stadium equaled 185 meters (606.95 feet). See Appendix B14.]
Chapter 15
1 And I saw in heaven another sign, great and wonderful, seven angels with seven plagues. These are the last ones, because by means of them the anger of God is brought to a finish.
2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who are victorious over the wild beast and its image and the number of its name were standing by the sea of glass, holding harps of God. 3 They were singing the song of Moses the slave of God and the song of the Lamb, saying:
“Great and wonderful are your works, Jehovah [See Appendix A5.] God, the Almighty. Righteous and true are your ways, King of eternity. 4 Who will not really fear you, Jehovah, [See Appendix A5.] and glorify your name, for you alone are loyal? For all the nations will come and worship before you, because your righteous decrees have been revealed.”
5 After this I saw, and the sanctuary of the tent of the witness was opened in heaven, 6 and the seven angels with the seven plagues emerged from the sanctuary, clothed with clean, bright linen and with golden sashes wrapped around their chests. 7 One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls that were full of the anger of God, who lives forever and ever. 8 And the sanctuary became filled with smoke because of the glory of God and because of his power, and no one was able to enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.
Chapter 16
1 And I heard a loud voice out of the sanctuary say to the seven angels: “Go and pour out the seven bowls of the anger of God on the earth.”
2 The first one went off and poured out his bowl on the earth. And a hurtful and malignant ulcer afflicted the people who had the mark of the wild beast and who were worshipping its image.
3 The second one poured out his bowl into the sea. And it became blood like that of a dead man, and every living creature [Or “soul.”] died, yes, the things in the sea.
4 The third one poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs [Or “fountains.”] of water. And they became blood. 5 I heard the angel over the waters say: “You, the One who is and who was, the loyal One, are righteous, for you have issued these judgments, 6 because they poured out the blood of holy ones and of prophets, and you have given them blood to drink; they deserve it.” 7 And I heard the altar say: “Yes, Jehovah [See Appendix A5.] God, the Almighty, true and righteous are your judgments.” [Or “judicial decisions.”]
8 The fourth one poured out his bowl on the sun, and to the sun it was granted to scorch the people with fire. 9 And the people were scorched by the great heat, but they blasphemed the name of God, who has the authority over these plagues, and they did not repent and give glory to him.
10 The fifth one poured out his bowl on the throne of the wild beast. And its kingdom became darkened, and they began to gnaw their tongues because of their pain, 11 but they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their ulcers, and they did not repent of their works.
12 The sixth one poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the rising of the sun. [Or “from the east.”]
13 And I saw three unclean inspired expressions [Literally, “unclean spirits.”] that looked like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the wild beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are, in fact, expressions inspired by demons and they perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty.
15 “Look! I am coming as a thief. Happy is the one who stays awake and keeps his outer garments, so that he may not walk naked and people look upon his shamefulness.”
16 And they gathered them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Armageddon. [Greek, Har Magedon, from a Hebrew term meaning “Mountain of Megiddo.”]
17 The seventh one poured out his bowl on the air. At this a loud voice came out of the sanctuary from the throne, saying: “It has come to pass!” 18 And there were flashes of lightning and voices and thunders, and there was a great earthquake unlike any that had occurred since men came to be on the earth, so extensive and so great was the earthquake. 19 The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell; and Babylon the Great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 Also, every island fled, and mountains were not found. 21 Then great hailstones, each about the weight of a talent, [A Greek talent equaled 20.4 kilograms (654 troy ounces). See Appendix B14.] fell from heaven on the people, and the people blasphemed God because of the plague of hail, for the plague was unusually great.
Chapter 17
1 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me: “Come, I will show you the judgment on the great prostitute who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality, [See Glossary.] and earth’s inhabitants were made drunk with the wine of her sexual immorality.” [Greek, porneia. See Glossary.]
3 And he carried me away in the power of the spirit into a wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet-colored wild beast that was full of blasphemous names and that had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and she was adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, and she had in her hand a golden cup that was full of disgusting things and the unclean things of her sexual immorality. [Greek, porneia. See Glossary.] 5 On her forehead was written a name, a mystery: “Babylon the Great, the mother of the prostitutes and of the disgusting things of the earth.” 6 And I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the holy ones and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.
Well, on seeing her I was greatly amazed. 7 So the angel said to me: “Why is it that you were amazed? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the wild beast that is carrying her and that has the seven heads and the ten horns: 8 The wild beast that you saw was, but is not, and yet is about to ascend out of the abyss, and it is to go off into destruction. And the inhabitants of the earth—those whose names have not been written in the scroll of life from the founding of the world—will be amazed when they see how the wild beast was, but is not, and yet will be present.
9 “This calls for a mind [Or “for intelligence.”] that has wisdom: The seven heads mean seven mountains, where the woman sits on top. 10 And there are seven kings: Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet arrived; but when he does arrive, he must remain a short while. 11 And the wild beast that was but is not, it is also an eighth king, but it springs from the seven, and it goes off into destruction.
12 “The ten horns that you saw mean ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they do receive authority as kings for one hour with the wild beast. 13 These have one thought, so they give their power and authority to the wild beast. 14 These will battle with the Lamb, but because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, the Lamb will conquer them. Also, those with him who are called and chosen and faithful will do so.”
15 He said to me: “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is sitting, mean peoples and crowds and nations and tongues. [Or “languages.”] 16 And the ten horns that you saw and the wild beast, these will hate the prostitute and will make her devastated and naked, and they will eat up her flesh and completely burn her with fire. 17 For God put it into their hearts to carry out his thought, yes, to carry out their one thought by giving their kingdom to the wild beast, until the words of God will have been accomplished. 18 And the woman whom you saw means the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.”
Chapter 18
1 After this I saw another angel descending from heaven with great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his glory. 2 And he cried out with a strong voice, saying: “She has fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen, and she has become a dwelling place of demons and a place where every unclean spirit [Or possibly, “breath; exhalation; inspired statement.”] and every unclean and hated bird lurks! 3 For because of the wine of the passion [Or “anger.”] of her sexual immorality, [Greek, porneia. See Glossary.] all the nations have fallen victim, and the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants [Or “traveling merchants.”] of the earth became rich owing to the power of her shameless luxury.”
4 And I heard another voice out of heaven say: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues. 5 For her sins have massed together clear up to heaven, and God has called her acts of injustice [Or “her crimes.”] to mind. 6 Repay her in the way she treated others, yes, pay her back double for the things she has done; in the cup she has mixed, mix a double portion for her. 7 To the extent that she glorified herself and lived in shameless luxury, to that extent give her torment and mourning. For she keeps saying in her heart: ‘I sit as queen, and I am not a widow, and I will never see mourning.’ 8 That is why in one day her plagues will come, death and mourning and famine, and she will be completely burned with fire, because Jehovah [See Appendix A5.] God, who judged her, is strong.
9 “And the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality [See Glossary.] with her and lived with her in shameless luxury will weep and beat themselves in grief over her when they see the smoke from her burning. 10 They will stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and say: ‘Too bad, too bad, you great city, Babylon you strong city, because in one hour your judgment has arrived!’
11 “Also, the merchants of the earth are weeping and mourning over her, because there is no one to buy their full cargo anymore, 12 a full cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, and scarlet cloth; and everything made from scented wood; and every sort of object made from ivory, and from precious wood, copper, iron, and marble; 13 also cinnamon, Indian spice, incense, perfumed oil, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, carriages, slaves, and human lives. [Or “souls.”] 14 Yes, the fine fruit that you [Or “your soul.”] desired has left you, and all the delicacies and the splendid things have vanished from you, never to be found again.
15 “The merchants who sold these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and will weep and mourn, 16 saying: ‘Too bad, too bad, the great city, clothed with fine linen, purple, and scarlet and richly adorned with gold ornaments, precious stones, and pearls, 17 because in one hour such great riches have been devastated!’
“And every ship captain and every seafaring person and sailors and all those who make a living by the sea stood at a distance 18 and cried out as they looked at the smoke from her burning and said: ‘What city is like the great city?’ 19 They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and mourning, and said: ‘Too bad, too bad, the great city, in which all those who had ships at sea became rich from her wealth, because in one hour she has been devastated!’
20 “Be glad over her, O heaven, also you holy ones and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced his judgment on her in your behalf!”
21 And a strong angel lifted up a stone like a great millstone and hurled it into the sea, saying: “Thus with a swift pitch will Babylon the great city be hurled down, and she will never be found again. 22 And the sound of singers who accompany themselves on the harp, of musicians, of flutists, and of trumpeters will never be heard in you again. And no craftsman who practices any trade will ever be found in you again, and no sound of a millstone will ever be heard in you again. 23 No light of a lamp will ever shine in you again, and no voice of a bridegroom and of a bride will ever be heard in you again; for your merchants were the top-ranking men of the earth, and by your spiritistic practices all the nations were misled. 24 Yes, in her was found the blood of prophets and of holy ones and of all those who have been slaughtered on the earth.”
Chapter 19
1 After this I heard what seemed to be a loud voice of a great crowd in heaven. They said: “Praise Jah! [Or “Hallelujah!” “Jah” is a shortened form of the name Jehovah.] The salvation and the glory and the power belong to our God, 2 because his judgments are true and righteous. For he has executed judgment on the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality, [Greek, porneia. See Glossary.] and he has avenged the blood of his slaves that is on her hands.” [Literally, “from her hand.”] 3 And right away for the second time they said: “Praise Jah! [Or “Hallelujah!” “Jah” is a shortened form of the name Jehovah.] And the smoke from her goes on ascending forever and ever.”
4 And the 24 elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God who sits on the throne and said: “Amen! Praise Jah!” [Or “Hallelujah!” “Jah” is a shortened form of the name Jehovah.]
5 Also, a voice came from the throne and said: “Be praising our God, all you his slaves, who fear him, the small ones and the great.”
6 And I heard what sounded like a voice of a great crowd and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of heavy thunders. They said: “Praise Jah, [Or “Hallelujah!” “Jah” is a shortened form of the name Jehovah.] because Jehovah [See Appendix A5.] our God, the Almighty, has begun to rule as king! 7 Let us rejoice and be overjoyed and give him glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has arrived and his wife has prepared herself. 8 Yes, it has been granted to her to be clothed with bright, clean, fine linen—for the fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the holy ones.”
9 And he tells me, “Write: Happy are those invited to the evening meal of the Lamb’s marriage.” Also, he tells me: “These are the true sayings of God.” 10 At that I fell down before his feet to worship him. But he tells me: “Be careful! Do not do that! I am only a fellow slave of you and of your brothers who have the work of witnessing concerning Jesus. Worship God! For the witness concerning Jesus is what inspires prophecy.”
11 I saw heaven opened, and look! a white horse. And the one seated on it is called Faithful and True, and he judges and carries on war in righteousness. 12 His eyes are a fiery flame, and on his head are many diadems. [Or “royal headbands.”] He has a name written that no one knows but he himself, 13 and he is clothed with an outer garment stained [Or possibly, “sprinkled.”] with blood, and he is called by the name The Word of God. 14 Also, the armies in heaven were following him on white horses, and they were clothed in white, clean, fine linen. 15 And out of his mouth protrudes a sharp, long sword with which to strike the nations, and he will shepherd them with a rod of iron. Moreover, he treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his outer garment, yes, on his thigh, he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.
17 I saw also an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice and said to all the birds that fly in midheaven: [Or “in midair; overhead.”] “Come here, be gathered together to the great evening meal of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of military commanders and the flesh of strong men and the flesh of horses and of those seated on them, and the flesh of all, of freemen as well as of slaves and of small ones and great.”
19 And I saw the wild beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the one seated on the horse and against his army. 20 And the wild beast was caught, and along with it the false prophet that performed in front of it the signs with which he misled those who received the mark of the wild beast and those who worship its image. While still alive, they both were hurled into the fiery lake that burns with sulfur. 21 But the rest were killed off with the long sword that proceeded out of the mouth of the one seated on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh.
Chapter 20
1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven with the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 He seized the dragon, the original serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for 1,000 years. 3 And he hurled him into the abyss and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not mislead the nations anymore until the 1,000 years were ended. After this he must be released for a little while.
4 And I saw thrones, and those who sat on them were given authority to judge. Yes, I saw the souls [See Glossary and Revelation 6:9 footnote.] of those executed [Literally, “executed with the ax.”] for the witness they gave about Jesus and for speaking about God, and those who had not worshipped the wild beast or its image and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand. And they came to life and ruled as kings with the Christ for 1,000 years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the 1,000 years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Happy and holy is anyone having part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and they will rule as kings with him for the 1,000 years.
7 Now as soon as the 1,000 years have ended, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and he will go out to mislead those nations in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war. The number of these is as the sand of the sea. 9 And they advanced over the whole earth and encircled the camp of the holy ones and the beloved city. But fire came down out of heaven and consumed them. 10 And the Devil who was misleading them was hurled into the lake of fire and sulfur, where both the wild beast and the false prophet already were; and they will be tormented [Or “restrained; imprisoned.”] day and night forever and ever.
11 And I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. From before him the earth and the heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. But another scroll was opened; it is the scroll of life. The dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead in it, and death and the Grave [Or “Hades,” that is, the common grave of mankind. See Glossary.] gave up the dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds. 14 And death and the Grave [Or “Hades,” that is, the common grave of mankind. See Glossary.] were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire. 15 Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire.
Chapter 21
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. 2 I also saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them. 4 And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”
5 And the One seated on the throne said: “Look! I am making all things new.” Also he says: “Write, for these words are faithful [Or “trustworthy.”] and true.” 6 And he said to me: “They have come to pass! I am the Alpha and the Omega, [Or “the A and the Z.” Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.] the beginning and the end. To anyone thirsting I will give from the spring [Or “fountain.”] of the water of life free. [Or “without cost.”] 7 Anyone conquering will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowards and those without faith and those who are disgusting in their filth and murderers and the sexually immoral [See Glossary, “Sexual immorality.”] and those practicing spiritism and idolaters and all the liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This means the second death.”
9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls that were full of the seven last plagues came and said to me: “Come, and I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” 10 So he carried me away in the power of the spirit to a great and lofty mountain, and he showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God 11 and having the glory of God. Its radiance was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone shining crystal clear. 12 It had a great and lofty wall and had 12 gates with 12 angels at the gates, and on the gates were inscribed the names of the 12 tribes of the sons of Israel. 13 On the east were three gates, and on the north three gates, and on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14 The wall of the city also had 12 foundation stones, and on them were the 12 names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb.
15 Now the one who was speaking with me was holding a golden reed as a measure in order to measure the city and its gates and its wall. 16 And the city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as its width. And he measured the city with the reed, 12,000 stadia; [About 2,220 kilometers (1,379 miles). A stadium equaled 185 meters (606.95 feet). See Appendix B14.] its length and width and height are equal. 17 He also measured its wall, 144 cubits [About 64 meters (210 feet). See Appendix B14.] according to a man’s measure, at the same time an angel’s measure. 18 Now the wall was made of jasper, and the city was pure gold like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the city wall were adorned with every sort of precious stone: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh hyacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21 Also, the 12 gates were 12 pearls; each one of the gates was made of one pearl. And the main street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
22 I did not see a temple in it, for Jehovah [See Appendix A5.] God the Almighty is its temple, also the Lamb is. 23 And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God illuminated it, and its lamp was the Lamb. 24 And the nations will walk by means of its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25 Its gates will not be closed at all by day, for night will not exist there. 26 And they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. 27 But anything defiled and anyone who does what is disgusting and deceitful will in no way enter into it; only those written in the Lamb’s scroll of life will enter.
Chapter 22
1 And he showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, flowing out from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of its main street. On both sides of the river were trees of life producing 12 crops of fruit, yielding their fruit each month. And the leaves of the trees were for the healing of the nations.
3 And there will no longer be any curse. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his slaves will offer him sacred service; 4 and they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 Also, night will be no more, and they have no need of lamplight or sunlight, for Jehovah [See Appendix A5.] God will shed light upon them, and they will rule as kings forever and ever.
6 He said to me: “These words are faithful [Or “trustworthy.”] and true; yes, Jehovah, [See Appendix A5.] the God who inspired the prophets, has sent his angel to show his slaves the things that must shortly take place. 7 Look! I am coming quickly. Happy is anyone observing the words of the prophecy of this scroll.”
8 Well I, John, was the one hearing and seeing these things. When I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing me these things. 9 But he tells me: “Be careful! Do not do that! I am only a fellow slave of you and of your brothers the prophets and of those observing the words of this scroll. Worship God.”
10 He also tells me: “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, for the appointed time is near. 11 Let the one who is unrighteous continue in unrighteousness, and let the filthy one continue in his filth; but let the righteous one continue in righteousness, and let the holy one continue in holiness.
12 “‘Look! I am coming quickly, and the reward I give is with me, to repay each one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, [Or “the A and the Z.” Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet.] the first and the last, the beginning and the end. 14 Happy are those who wash their robes, so that they may have authority to go to the trees of life and that they may gain entrance into the city through its gates. 15 Outside are the dogs [That is, those whose practices are disgusting in God’s eyes.] and those who practice spiritism and those who are sexually immoral [See Glossary, “Sexual immorality.”] and the murderers and the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices lying.’
16 “‘I, Jesus, sent my angel to bear witness to you about these things for the congregations. I am the root and the offspring of David and the bright morning star.’”
17 And the spirit and the bride keep on saying, “Come!” and let anyone hearing say, “Come!” and let anyone thirsting come; let anyone who wishes take life’s water free.
18 “I am bearing witness to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone makes an addition to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this scroll; 19 and if anyone takes anything away from the words of the scroll of this prophecy, God will take his portion away from the trees of life and out of the holy city, things that are written about in this scroll.
20 “The one who bears witness of these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly.’”
“Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.”
21 May the undeserved kindness of the Lord Jesus be with the holy ones.