Heaven Exults over Babylon

19 After these things (A)I [a]heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! (B)Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to [b]the Lord our God! For (C)true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He (D)has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.” Again they said, “Alleluia! (E)Her smoke rises up forever and ever!” And (F)the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, (G)“Amen! Alleluia!” Then a voice came from the throne, saying, (H)“Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, (I)both[c] small and great!”

(J)And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For (K)the[d] Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for (L)the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And (M)to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, (N)for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

Then he said to me, “Write: (O)‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, (P)“These are the true sayings of God.” 10 And (Q)I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, (R)“See that you do not do that! I am your (S)fellow servant, and of your brethren (T)who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the (U)testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

Christ on a White Horse

11 (V)Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, (W)a white horse. And He who sat on him was called (X)Faithful and True, and (Y)in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 (Z)His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. (AA)He [e]had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 (AB)He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called (AC)The Word of God. 14 (AD)And the armies in heaven, (AE)clothed in [f]fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now (AF)out of His mouth goes a [g]sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And (AG)He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. (AH)He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And (AI)He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

(AJ)KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.

The Beast and His Armies Defeated

17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven, (AK)“Come and gather together for the [h]supper of the great God, 18 (AL)that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, [i]free and slave, both small and great.”

19 (AM)And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 20 (AN)Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and (AO)those who worshiped his image. (AP)These two were cast alive into the lake of fire (AQ)burning with brimstone. 21 And the rest (AR)were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. (AS)And all the birds (AT)were filled with their flesh.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 19:1 NU, M add something like
  2. Revelation 19:1 NU, M omit the Lord
  3. Revelation 19:5 NU, M omit both
  4. Revelation 19:6 NU, M our
  5. Revelation 19:12 M adds names written, and
  6. Revelation 19:14 NU, M pure white linen
  7. Revelation 19:15 M sharp two-edged
  8. Revelation 19:17 NU, M great supper of God
  9. Revelation 19:18 NU, M both free

The Sound of Hallelujahs

19 1-3 I heard a sound like massed choirs in Heaven singing,

Hallelujah!
The salvation and glory and power are God’s—
    his judgments true, his judgments just.
He judged the great Whore
    who corrupted the earth with her lust.
He avenged on her the blood of his servants.

Then, more singing:

Hallelujah!
The smoke from her burning billows up
    to high Heaven forever and ever and ever.

The Twenty-four Elders and the Four Animals fell to their knees and worshiped God on his Throne, praising,

Amen! Yes! Hallelujah!

From the Throne came a shout, a command:

Praise our God, all you his servants,
All you who fear him, small and great!

6-8 Then I heard the sound of massed choirs, the sound of mighty rapids, the sound of strong thunder:

Hallelujah!
The Master reigns,
    our God, the Sovereign-Strong!
Let us celebrate, let us rejoice,
    let us give him the glory!
The Marriage of the Lamb has come;
    his Wife has made herself ready.
She was given a bridal gown
    of bright and shining linen.
The linen is the righteousness of the saints.

The Angel said to me, “Write this: ‘Blessed are those invited to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb.’” He added, “These are the true words of God!”

10 I fell at his feet to worship him, but he wouldn’t let me. “Don’t do that,” he said. “I’m a servant just like you, and like your brothers and sisters who hold to the witness of Jesus. The witness of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

A White Horse and Its Rider

11-16 Then I saw Heaven open wide—and oh! a white horse and its Rider. The Rider, named Faithful and True, judges and makes war in pure righteousness. His eyes are a blaze of fire, on his head many crowns. He has a Name inscribed that’s known only to himself. He is dressed in a robe soaked with blood, and he is addressed as “Word of God.” The armies of Heaven, mounted on white horses and dressed in dazzling white linen, follow him. A sharp sword comes out of his mouth so he can subdue the nations, then rule them with a rod of iron. He treads the winepress of the raging wrath of God, the Sovereign-Strong. On his robe and thigh is written, King of kings, Lord of lords.

17-18 I saw an Angel standing in the sun, shouting to all flying birds in Middle-Heaven, “Come to the Great Supper of God! Feast on the flesh of kings and captains and champions, horses and their riders. Eat your fill of them all—free and slave, small and great!”

19-21 I saw the Beast and, assembled with him, earth’s kings and their armies, ready to make war against the One on the horse and his army. The Beast was taken, and with him, his puppet, the False Prophet, who used signs to dazzle and deceive those who had taken the mark of the Beast and worshiped his image. They were thrown alive, those two, into Lake Fire and Brimstone. The rest were killed by the sword of the One on the horse, the sword that comes from his mouth. All the birds held a feast on their flesh.