Revelation 5-6
New American Standard Bible
The Scroll with Seven Seals
5 I saw [a]in the right hand of Him who (A)sat on the throne a [b](B)scroll written inside and on the back, (C)sealed up with seven seals. 2 And I saw a (D)strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?” 3 And no one (E)in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. 4 Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 And one of the elders *said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the (F)Lion that is (G)from the tribe of Judah, the (H)Root of David, has overcome so as to be able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 And I saw [c]between the throne (with the four living creatures) and (I)the elders a (J)Lamb standing, as if (K)slaughtered, having seven (L)horns and (M)seven eyes, which are [d](N)the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 And He came and took (O)the scroll out of the right hand of Him who (P)sat on the throne. 8 When He had taken the scroll, the (Q)four living creatures and the (R)twenty-four elders (S)fell down before the (T)Lamb, each one holding a (U)harp and (V)golden bowls full of incense, which are the (W)prayers of the [e]saints. 9 And they *sang a (X)new song, saying,
“(Y)Worthy are You to take the scroll and to break its seals; for You were (Z)slaughtered, and You (AA)purchased people for God with Your blood from (AB)every tribe, language, people, and nation.
10 You have made them into a (AC)kingdom and (AD)priests to our God, and they will (AE)reign upon the earth.”
Angels Exalt the Lamb
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels (AF)around the throne and the (AG)living creatures and the (AH)elders; and the number of them was [f](AI)myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice,
“(AJ)Worthy is the (AK)Lamb that was (AL)slaughtered to receive power, wealth, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing.”
13 And I heard (AM)every created thing which is in heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, or on the sea, and all the things in them, saying,
“To Him who (AN)sits on the throne and to the (AO)Lamb (AP)be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion forever and ever.”
14 And the (AQ)four living creatures were saying, “(AR)Amen.” And the (AS)elders (AT)fell down and worshiped.
The First Seal: Conqueror on a White Horse
6 Then I saw when the (AU)Lamb broke one of the (AV)seven seals, and I heard one of the (AW)four living creatures saying as with a (AX)voice of thunder, “Come[g]!” 2 I looked, and behold, a (AY)white horse, and the one who sat on it had a bow; and (AZ)a crown was given to him, and he went out (BA)conquering and to conquer.
The Second Seal: War
3 When He broke the second seal, I heard the (BB)second living creature saying, “Come[h]!” 4 And another, (BC)a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to (BD)take peace from the earth, and that people would kill one another; and a large sword was given to him.
The Third Seal: Famine
5 When He broke the third seal, I heard the (BE)third living creature saying, “Come[i]!” I looked, and behold, a (BF)black horse, and the one who sat on it had a (BG)pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard something like a voice in the center of the (BH)four living creatures saying, “A [j]quart of wheat for a [k]denarius, and three [l]quarts of barley for a [m]denarius; and (BI)do not damage the oil and the wine.”
The Fourth Seal: Death
7 When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the (BJ)fourth living creature saying, “Come[n]!” 8 I looked, and behold, [o]an (BK)ashen horse; and the one who sat on it had the name (BL)Death, and (BM)Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, (BN)to kill with sword, and famine, and [p]plague, and by the wild animals of the earth.
The Fifth Seal: Martyrs
9 When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw (BO)underneath the (BP)altar the (BQ)souls of those who had been killed (BR)because of the word of God, and because of the (BS)testimony which they had maintained; 10 and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “(BT)How long, O [q](BU)Lord, (BV)holy and true, [r]will You refrain from (BW)judging and avenging our blood on (BX)those who live on the earth?” 11 And a (BY)white robe was given to each of them; and they were told that they were to (BZ)rest for a little while longer, (CA)until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers and sisters who were to be killed even as they had been, was (CB)completed also.
The Sixth Seal: Terror
12 And I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great (CC)earthquake; and the (CD)sun became as black as (CE)sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; 13 and (CF)the stars of the sky fell to the earth, (CG)as a fig tree drops its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. 14 (CH)The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and (CI)every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then (CJ)the kings of the earth and the eminent people, and the commanders and the wealthy and the strong, and every slave and free person hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; 16 and they *(CK)said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the [s]sight of Him (CL)who sits on the throne, and from the (CM)wrath of the Lamb; 17 for (CN)the great day of Their wrath has come, and (CO)who is able to stand?”
Footnotes
- Revelation 5:1 Lit upon
- Revelation 5:1 Or book, and so throughout the ch
- Revelation 5:6 Lit in the middle of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders
- Revelation 5:6 Possibly a symbolic reference to the Holy Spirit in His fullness, or to seven key angels
- Revelation 5:8 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- Revelation 5:11 Gr for 10,000s of 10,000s
- Revelation 6:1 One early ms and see
- Revelation 6:3 One early ms and see
- Revelation 6:5 One early ms and see
- Revelation 6:6 Gr choenix; i.e., a dry measure almost equal to a qt.
- Revelation 6:6 The denarius was a day’s wages for a laborer
- Revelation 6:6 Gr choenix; i.e., a dry measure almost equal to a qt.
- Revelation 6:6 The denarius was a day’s wages for a laborer
- Revelation 6:7 One early ms and see
- Revelation 6:8 Or a sickly pale green
- Revelation 6:8 Lit death; i.e., a particular kind of death
- Revelation 6:10 Or Master
- Revelation 6:10 Lit do You not judge and avenge
- Revelation 6:16 Lit face
Revelation 5-6
New King James Version
The Lamb Takes the Scroll
5 And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne (A)a scroll written inside and on the back, (B)sealed with seven seals. 2 Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, (C)“Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.
4 So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open [a]and read the scroll, or to look at it. 5 But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, (D)the Lion of the tribe of (E)Judah, (F)the Root of David, has (G)prevailed to open the scroll (H)and [b]to loose its seven seals.”
6 And I looked, [c]and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood (I)a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and (J)seven eyes, which are (K)the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand (L)of Him who sat on the throne.
Worthy Is the Lamb
8 Now when He had taken the scroll, (M)the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the (N)prayers of the saints. 9 And (O)they sang a new song, saying:
(P)“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And (Q)have redeemed us to God (R)by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
10 And have made [d]us (S)kings[e] and (T)priests to our God;
And [f]we shall reign on the earth.”
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice:
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
13 And (U)every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:
(V)“Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him (W)who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and [g]ever!”
14 Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the [h]twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped [i]Him who lives forever and ever.
First Seal: The Conqueror
6 Now (X)I saw when the Lamb opened one of the [j]seals; and I heard (Y)one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” 2 And I looked, and behold, (Z)a white horse. (AA)He who sat on it had a bow; (AB)and a crown was given to him, and he went out (AC)conquering and to conquer.
Second Seal: Conflict on Earth
3 When He opened the second seal, (AD)I heard the second living creature saying, “Come [k]and see.” 4 (AE)Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to (AF)take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.
Third Seal: Scarcity on Earth
5 When He opened the third seal, (AG)I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, (AH)a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of (AI)scales[l] in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A [m]quart of wheat for a [n]denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and (AJ)do not harm the oil and the wine.”
Fourth Seal: Widespread Death on Earth
7 When He opened the fourth seal, (AK)I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” 8 (AL)So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And [o]power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, (AM)to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, (AN)and by the beasts of the earth.
Fifth Seal: The Cry of the Martyrs
9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under (AO)the altar (AP)the souls of those who had been slain (AQ)for the word of God and for (AR)the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, (AS)“How long, O Lord, (AT)holy and true, (AU)until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then a (AV)white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them (AW)that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.
Sixth Seal: Cosmic Disturbances
12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, (AX)and [p]behold, there was a great earthquake; and (AY)the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the [q]moon became like blood. 13 (AZ)And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 14 (BA)Then the sky [r]receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and (BB)every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 15 And the (BC)kings of the earth, the great men, [s]the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, (BD)hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 (BE)and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who (BF)sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, (BG)and who is able to stand?”
Footnotes
- Revelation 5:4 NU, M omit and read
- Revelation 5:5 NU, M omit to loose
- Revelation 5:6 NU, M I saw in the midst . . . a Lamb standing
- Revelation 5:10 NU, M them
- Revelation 5:10 NU a kingdom
- Revelation 5:10 NU, M they
- Revelation 5:13 M adds Amen
- Revelation 5:14 NU, M omit twenty-four
- Revelation 5:14 NU, M omit Him who lives forever and ever
- Revelation 6:1 NU, M seven seals
- Revelation 6:3 NU, M omit and see
- Revelation 6:5 balances
- Revelation 6:6 Gr. choinix, about 1 quart
- Revelation 6:6 About 1 day’s wage for a worker
- Revelation 6:8 authority
- Revelation 6:12 NU, M omit behold
- Revelation 6:12 NU, M whole moon
- Revelation 6:14 Or split apart
- Revelation 6:15 NU, M the commanders, the rich men,
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
