The Seven Seals

Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of (A)the seven seals, and I heard (B)one of the four living creatures say (C)with a voice like thunder, (D)“Come!” And I looked, and behold, (E)a white horse! And (F)its rider had a bow, and (G)a crown was given to him, and he came out (H)conquering, and to conquer.

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

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

When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of (P)the fourth living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, (Q)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 (R)with sword and with famine and with pestilence and (S)by wild beasts of the earth.

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under (T)the altar (U)the souls of those who had been slain (V)for the word of God and for (W)the witness they had borne. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, (X)holy and true, (Y)how long (Z)before you will judge and (AA)avenge our blood on (AB)those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then they were each given (AC)a white robe and (AD)told to rest a little longer, (AE)until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers[c] (AF)should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, (AG)there was a great earthquake, and (AH)the sun became black as (AI)sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and (AJ)the stars of the sky fell to the earth (AK)as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14 (AL)The sky vanished (AM)like a scroll that is being rolled up, and (AN)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, (AO)hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 (AP)calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of (AQ)him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for (AR)the great day of their wrath has come, and (AS)who can stand?”

The 144,000 of Israel Sealed

After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back (AT)the four winds of the earth, (AU)that no wind might blow on earth or sea or against any tree. Then I saw another angel ascending (AV)from the rising of the sun, with (AW)the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, saying, (AX)“Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God (AY)on their foreheads.” And (AZ)I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:

12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed,
12,000 from the tribe of Reuben,
12,000 from the tribe of Gad,
12,000 from the tribe of Asher,
12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali,
12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh,
12,000 from the tribe of Simeon,
12,000 from the tribe of Levi,
12,000 from the tribe of Issachar,
12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun,
12,000 from the tribe of Joseph,
12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed.

A Great Multitude from Every Nation

After this I looked, and behold, (BA)a great multitude that no one could number, (BB)from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, (BC)clothed in white robes, with (BD)palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, (BE)“Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and (BF)the four living creatures, and they (BG)fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 (BH)saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, (BI)clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of (BJ)the great tribulation. (BK)They have washed their robes and (BL)made them white (BM)in the blood of the Lamb.

15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God,
    and (BN)serve him day and night in his temple;
    and he who sits on the throne (BO)will shelter them with his presence.
16 (BP)They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
    (BQ)the sun shall not strike them,
    nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne (BR)will be their shepherd,
    and he will guide them to springs of (BS)living water,
and (BT)God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

The Seventh Seal and the Golden Censer

When the Lamb opened (BU)the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Then I saw the seven angels (BV)who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel came and stood (BW)at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with (BX)the prayers of all the saints on (BY)the golden altar before the throne, and (BZ)the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. Then the angel took the censer and (CA)filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and (CB)there were peals of (CC)thunder, rumblings,[e] flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.

The Seven Trumpets

Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them.

The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed (CD)hail and (CE)fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a (CF)third of the earth was burned up, and a third of (CG)the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.

The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like (CH)a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea (CI)became blood. A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of (CJ)the ships were destroyed.

10 The third angel blew his trumpet, and (CK)a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on (CL)the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood.[f] A third of the waters (CM)became wormwood, and many people died from the water, (CN)because it had been made bitter.

12 The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of (CO)the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night.

13 Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead, (CP)“Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!”

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 6:6 Greek choinix, a dry measure equal to about a quart
  2. Revelation 6:6 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer
  3. Revelation 6:11 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters
  4. Revelation 6:15 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface
  5. Revelation 8:5 Or voices, or sounds
  6. Revelation 8:11 Wormwood is the name of a plant and of the bitter-tasting extract derived from it

The Seals

I watched as the Lamb(A) opened the first of the seven seals.(B) Then I heard one of the four living creatures(C) say in a voice like thunder,(D) “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a white horse!(E) Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown,(F) and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.(G)

When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature(H) say, “Come!” Then another horse came out, a fiery red one.(I) Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth(J) and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.

When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature(K) say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse!(L) Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures,(M) saying, “Two pounds[a] of wheat for a day’s wages,[b] and six pounds[c] of barley for a day’s wages,[d](N) and do not damage(O) the oil and the wine!”

When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature(P) say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse!(Q) Its rider was named Death, and Hades(R) was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.(S)

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under(T) the altar(U) the souls of those who had been slain(V) because of the word of God(W) and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long,(X) Sovereign Lord,(Y) holy and true,(Z) until you judge the inhabitants of the earth(AA) and avenge our blood?”(AB) 11 Then each of them was given a white robe,(AC) and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,[e] were killed just as they had been.(AD)

12 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake.(AE) The sun turned black(AF) like sackcloth(AG) made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth,(AH) as figs drop from a fig tree(AI) when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up,(AJ) and every mountain and island was removed from its place.(AK)

15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free,(AL) hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains.(AM) 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us(AN) and hide us[f] from the face of him who sits on the throne(AO) and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day(AP) of their[g] wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”(AQ)

144,000 Sealed

After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners(AR) of the earth, holding back the four winds(AS) of the earth to prevent(AT) any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal(AU) of the living God.(AV) He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea:(AW) “Do not harm(AX) the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads(AY) of the servants of our God.” Then I heard the number(AZ) of those who were sealed: 144,000(BA) from all the tribes of Israel.

From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed,

from the tribe of Reuben 12,000,

from the tribe of Gad 12,000,

from the tribe of Asher 12,000,

from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000,

from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,

from the tribe of Simeon 12,000,

from the tribe of Levi 12,000,

from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,

from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000,

from the tribe of Joseph 12,000,

from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.

The Great Multitude in White Robes

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language,(BB) standing before the throne(BC) and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes(BD) and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,(BE)
who sits on the throne,(BF)
and to the Lamb.”

11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders(BG) and the four living creatures.(BH) They fell down on their faces(BI) before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:

“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”(BJ)

13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes(BK)—who are they, and where did they come from?”

14 I answered, “Sir, you know.”

And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes(BL) and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.(BM) 15 Therefore,

“they are before the throne of God(BN)
    and serve him(BO) day and night in his temple;(BP)
and he who sits on the throne(BQ)
    will shelter them with his presence.(BR)
16 ‘Never again will they hunger;
    never again will they thirst.(BS)
The sun will not beat down on them,’[h]
    nor any scorching heat.(BT)
17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne
    will be their shepherd;(BU)
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’[i](BV)
    ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’[j](BW)

The Seventh Seal and the Golden Censer

When he opened the seventh seal,(BX) there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

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

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

The Trumpets

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

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

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

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

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

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

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 6:6 Or about 1 kilogram
  2. Revelation 6:6 Greek a denarius
  3. Revelation 6:6 Or about 3 kilograms
  4. Revelation 6:6 Greek a denarius
  5. Revelation 6:11 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 12:10; 19:10.
  6. Revelation 6:16 See Hosea 10:8.
  7. Revelation 6:17 Some manuscripts his
  8. Revelation 7:16 Isaiah 49:10
  9. Revelation 7:17 Isaiah 49:10
  10. Revelation 7:17 Isaiah 25:8
  11. Revelation 8:11 Wormwood is a bitter substance.