Revelation 5-6

English Standard Version

The Scroll and the Lamb

5 Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne ^(A)a scroll written within and on the back, ^(B)sealed with seven seals. ² And ^(C)I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” ³ And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, ⁴ and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. ⁵ And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, ^(D)the Lion ^(E)of the tribe of Judah, ^(F)the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

⁶ And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw ^(G)a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with ^(H)seven eyes, which are ^(I)the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷ And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. ⁸ And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders ^(J)fell down before the Lamb, ^(K)each holding a harp, and ^(L)golden bowls full of incense, ^(M)which are the prayers of the saints. ⁹ And they sang ^(N)a new song, saying,

¹¹ Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering ^(S)myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, ¹² saying with a loud voice,

¹³ And I heard ^(U)every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,

¹⁴ And the four living creatures ^(V)said, “Amen!” and the elders ^(W)fell down and worshiped.

The Seven Seals

6 Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of ^(X)the seven seals, and I heard ^(Y)one of the four living creatures say ^(Z)with a voice like thunder, ^(AA)“Come!” ² And I looked, and behold, ^(AB)a white horse! And ^(AC)its rider had a bow, and ^(AD)a crown was given to him, and he came out ^(AE)conquering, and to conquer.

³ When he opened the second seal, I heard ^(AF)the second living creature say, “Come!” ⁴ And out came another horse, ^(AG)bright red. Its rider was permitted ^(AH)to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.

⁵ When he opened the third seal, I heard the ^(AI)third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, ^(AJ)a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. ⁶ And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, ^(AK)“A quart^[a] of wheat for a denarius,^[b] and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and ^(AL)do not harm the oil and wine!”

⁷ When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of ^(AM)the fourth living creature say, “Come!” ⁸ And I looked, and behold, ^(AN)a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill ^(AO)with sword and with famine and with pestilence and ^(AP)by wild beasts of the earth.

⁹ When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under ^(AQ)the altar ^(AR)the souls of those who had been slain ^(AS)for the word of God and for ^(AT)the witness they had borne. ¹⁰ They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, ^(AU)holy and true, ^(AV)how long ^(AW)before you will judge and ^(AX)avenge our blood on ^(AY)those who dwell on the earth?” ¹¹ Then they were each given ^(AZ)a white robe and ^(BA)told to rest a little longer, ^(BB)until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers^{[c] (BC)}should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

¹² When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, ^(BD)there was a great earthquake, and ^(BE)the sun became black as ^(BF)sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, ¹³ and ^(BG)the stars of the sky fell to the earth ^(BH)as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. ^14 (BI)The sky vanished ^(BJ)like a scroll that is being rolled up, and ^(BK)every mountain and island was removed from its place. ¹⁵ Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave^[d] and free, ^(BL)hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, ^16 (BM)calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of ^(BN)him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, ¹⁷ for ^(BO)the great day of their wrath has come, and ^(BP)who can stand?”