Revelation 6-19

Holman Christian Standard Bible

The First Seal on the Scroll

6 Then I saw^[a] the Lamb open one of the seven^[b] seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!”^{[c][d] 2} I looked, and there was a white horse.^(A) The horseman on it had a bow; a crown was given to him, and he went out as a victor to conquer.^[e]

The Second Seal

³ When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!”^{[f][g] 4} Then another horse went out, a fiery red one, and its horseman was empowered^[h] to take peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another. And a large sword was given to him.^(B)

The Third Seal

⁵ When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!”^[i][j] And I looked, and there was a black horse. The horseman on it had a set of scales in his hand. ⁶ Then I heard something like a voice among the four living creatures say, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius—but do not harm the olive oil and the wine.”

The Fourth Seal

⁷ When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!”^{[k][l] 8} And I looked, and there was a pale green^[m] horse. The horseman on it was named Death, and Hades was following after him. Authority was given to them^[n](C) over a fourth of the earth, to kill by the sword, by famine, by plague, and by the wild animals of the earth.

The Fifth Seal

⁹ When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the people^[o] slaughtered because of God’s word and the testimony they had.^{[p](D) 10} They cried out with a loud voice: “Lord,^[q] the One who is holy and true, how long until You judge and avenge our blood from those who live on the earth?” ¹¹ So a white robe was given to each of them, and they were told to rest a little while longer until the number would be completed of their fellow slaves and their brothers, who were going to be killed just as they had been.

The Sixth Seal

¹² Then I saw Him open^[r] the sixth seal. A violent earthquake occurred; the sun turned black like sackcloth^(E) made of goat hair; the entire moon^[s] became like blood; ¹³ the stars^[t] of heaven fell to the earth as a fig tree drops its unripe figs when shaken by a high wind; ¹⁴ the sky separated like a scroll being rolled up; and every mountain and island was moved from its place.

¹⁵ Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the military commanders, the rich, the powerful, and every slave and free person hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains.^{(F) 16} And they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us^(G) from the face of the One seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, ¹⁷ because the great day of Their^[u] wrath has come! And who is able to stand?”^(H)

The Sealed of Israel

7 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth,^(I) restraining the four winds of the earth so that no wind could blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. ² Then I saw another angel, who had the seal of the living God rise up from the east. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were empowered^[v] to harm the earth and the sea: ³ “Don’t harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we seal the slaves of our God on their foreheads.” ⁴ And I heard the number of those who were sealed:

A Multitude from the Great Tribulation

⁹ After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were robed in white with palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ And they cried out in a loud voice:

¹¹ All the angels stood around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures, and they fell facedown before the throne and worshiped God, ¹² saying:

¹³ Then one of the elders asked me, “Who are these people robed in white, and where did they come from?”

¹⁴ I said to him, “Sir,^[x] you know.”

Then he told me:

The Seventh Seal

8 When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. ² Then I saw the seven angels who stand in the presence of God; seven trumpets were given to them. ³ Another angel, with a gold incense burner, came and stood at the altar. He was given a large amount of incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the gold altar in front of the throne. ⁴ The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up in the presence of God from the angel’s hand. ⁵ The angel took the incense burner, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it to the earth; there were rumblings of thunder, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. ⁶ And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them.

The First Trumpet

⁷ The first angel^[z] blew his trumpet, and hail and fire, mixed with blood, were hurled to the earth. So a third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

The Second Trumpet

⁸ The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain ablaze with fire was hurled into the sea.^(O) So a third of the sea became blood, ⁹ a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

The Third Trumpet

¹⁰ The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from heaven.^(P) It fell on a third of the rivers and springs of water. ¹¹ The name of the star is Wormwood, and a third of the waters became wormwood. So, many of the people died from the waters, because they had been made bitter.

The Fourth Trumpet

¹² The fourth angel blew 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 of them were darkened. A third of the day was without light, and the night as well.^(Q)

¹³ I looked again and heard an eagle^[aa] flying high overhead, crying out in a loud voice, “Woe!^(R) Woe! Woe to those who live on the earth, because of the remaining trumpet blasts that the three angels are about to sound!”

The Fifth Trumpet

9 The fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to earth.^(S) The key to the shaft of the abyss^(T) was given to him. ² He opened the shaft of the abyss, and smoke came up out of the shaft like smoke from a great^[ab] furnace so that the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the shaft. ³ Then locusts came out of the smoke on to the earth, and power^[ac] was given to them^(U) like the power that scorpions have on the earth. ⁴ They were told not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green plant, or any tree, but only people who do not have God’s seal on their foreheads. ⁵ They were not permitted to kill them but were to torment them for five months; their torment is like the torment caused by a scorpion when it strikes a man. ⁶ In those days people will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, but death will flee from them.

⁷ The appearance of the locusts was like horses equipped for battle.^(V) Something like gold crowns was on their heads; their faces were like men’s faces; ⁸ they had hair like women’s hair; their teeth were like lions’ teeth;^{(W) 9} they had chests like iron breastplates; the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses rushing into battle; ¹⁰ and they had tails with stingers like scorpions, so that with their tails they had the power^[ad] to harm people for five months. ¹¹ They had as their king^[ae] the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon,^[af] and in Greek he has the name Apollyon.^{[ag] 12} The first woe has passed. There are still two more woes to come after this.

The Sixth Trumpet

¹³ The sixth angel blew his trumpet. From the four^[ah] horns of the gold altar^(X) that is before God, I heard a voice ¹⁴ say to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels bound at the great river Euphrates.” ¹⁵ So the four angels who were prepared for the hour, day, month, and year were released to kill a third of the human race. ¹⁶ The number of mounted troops was 200 million;^[ai] I heard their number. ¹⁷ This is how I saw the horses in my vision: The horsemen had breastplates that were fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow. The heads of the horses were like lions’ heads, and from their mouths came fire, smoke, and sulfur. ¹⁸ A third of the human race was killed by these three plagues—by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur that came from their mouths. ¹⁹ For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails, which resemble snakes, have heads, and they inflict injury with them.

²⁰ The rest of the people, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands to stop worshiping demons^(Y) and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which are not able to see, hear, or walk.^{(Z) 21} And they did not repent of their murders, their sorceries,^[aj] their sexual immorality, or their thefts.

The Mighty Angel and the Small Scroll

10 Then I saw another mighty angel^(AA) coming down from heaven, surrounded by a cloud, with a rainbow^(AB) over his head.^[ak] His face was like the sun, his legs^[al] were like fiery pillars,^{(AC) 2} and he had a little scroll opened in his hand. He put his right foot on the sea, his left on the land, ³ and he cried out with a loud voice like a roaring lion. When he cried out, the seven thunders spoke with their voices. ⁴ And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write. Then I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders said,^(AD) and do not write it down!”

⁵ Then the angel that I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. ⁶ He swore an oath by the One who lives forever and ever,^(AE) who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it: “There will no longer be an interval of time,^{[am] 7} but in the days of the sound of the seventh angel,^(AF) when he will blow his trumpet, then God’s hidden plan^(AG) will be completed, as He announced to His servants^[an] the prophets.”^(AH)

⁸ Now the voice that I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, “Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”

⁹ So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take and eat it; it will be bitter in your stomach, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.”^(AI)

¹⁰ Then I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I ate it, my stomach became bitter.^{(AJ) 11} And I was told,^[ao] “You must prophesy again about^[ap] many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”^(AK)

The Two Witnesses

11 Then I was given a measuring reed^(AL) like a rod,^[aq] with these words: “Go^[ar] and measure God’s sanctuary and the altar, and count those who worship there. ² But exclude the courtyard outside the sanctuary. Don’t measure it, because it is given to the nations,^[as] and they will trample the holy city for 42 months. ³ I will empower^[at] my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days,^[au](AM) dressed in sackcloth.”^{[av] 4} These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord^[aw] of the earth.^{(AN) 5} If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and consumes their enemies;^(AO) if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. ⁶ These men have the power to close up the sky so that it does not rain during the days of their prophecy.^(AP) They also have power over the waters to turn them into blood^(AQ) and to strike the earth with every plague whenever they want.

The Witnesses Martyred

⁷ When they finish their testimony, the beast^[ax](AR) that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, conquer them, and kill them. ⁸ Their dead bodies^[ay](AS) will lie in the public square^[az] of the great city, which prophetically^[ba] is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. ⁹ And representatives from^[bb] the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations^(AT) will view their bodies for three and a half days and not permit their bodies to be put into a tomb. ¹⁰ Those who live on the earth will gloat over them and celebrate and send gifts to one another because these two prophets brought judgment to those who live on the earth.

The Witnesses Resurrected

¹¹ But after 3½ days, the breath^[bc] of life^(AU) from God entered them, and they stood on their feet. So great fear fell on those who saw them. ¹² Then they heard^[bd] a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” They went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies watched them.^{(AV) 13} At that moment a violent earthquake took place,^(AW) a tenth of the city fell, and 7,000 people were killed in the earthquake. The survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. ¹⁴ The second woe^(AX) has passed. Take note: The third woe is coming quickly!

The Seventh Trumpet

¹⁵ The seventh angel blew his trumpet,^(AY) and there were loud voices in heaven saying:

¹⁶ The 24 elders, who were seated before God on their thrones, fell facedown and worshiped God, ¹⁷ saying:

¹⁹ God’s sanctuary in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant^[bf] appeared in His sanctuary. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings of thunder,^(BF) an earthquake,^[bg] and severe hail.

The Woman, the Child, and the Dragon

12 A great sign^[bh] appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of 12 stars on her head.^{(BG) 2} She was pregnant and cried out in labor and agony as she was about to give birth. ³ Then another sign^[bi] appeared in heaven: There was a great fiery red dragon having seven heads and 10 horns,^(BH) and on his heads were seven diadems.^{[bj] 4} His tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth.^(BI) And the dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she did give birth he might devour her child. ⁵ But she gave birth to a Son—a male who is going to shepherd^[bk] all nations with an iron scepter^(BJ)—and her child was caught up to God and to His throne. ⁶ The woman fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared by God,^(BK) to be fed there^[bl] for 1,260 days.^(BL)

The Dragon Thrown Out of Heaven

⁷ Then war broke out in heaven: Michael^(BM) and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels also fought, ⁸ but he could not prevail, and there was no place for them in heaven any longer. ⁹ So the great dragon was thrown out—the ancient serpent,^(BN) who is called the Devil^[bm] and Satan,^[bn](BO) the one who deceives the whole world.^(BP) He was thrown to earth, and his angels with him.

¹⁰ Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

The Woman Persecuted

¹³ When the dragon saw that he had been thrown to earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. ¹⁴ The woman was given two wings of a great eagle, so that she could fly from the serpent’s presence to her place in the wilderness, where she was fed for a time, times, and half a time.^{[bo](BS) 15} From his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river flowing after the woman, to sweep her away in a torrent. ¹⁶ But the earth helped the woman. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river that the dragon had spewed from his mouth. ¹⁷ So the dragon was furious with the woman and left to wage war^(BT) against the rest of her offspring^[bp]—those who keep God’s commands and have the testimony about Jesus.^{(BU) 18} He^[bq] stood on the sand of the sea.^[br]

The Beast from the Sea

13 And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea.^(BV) He^[bs] had 10 horns and seven heads. On his horns were 10 diadems,^(BW) and on his heads were blasphemous names.^{[bt](BX) 2} The beast I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like a bear’s, and his mouth was like a lion’s mouth.^(BY) The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. ³ One of his heads appeared to be fatally wounded,^[bu] but his fatal wound was healed. The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast.^{[bv](BZ) 4} They worshiped the dragon^(CA) because he gave authority to the beast. And they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast?^(CB) Who is able to wage war against him?”

⁵ A mouth was given to him to speak boasts and blasphemies.^(CC) He was also given authority to act^[bw][bx] for 42 months.^{(CD) 6} He began to speak^[by] blasphemies against God: to blaspheme His name and His dwelling—those who dwell in heaven. ⁷ And he was permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them. He was also given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation.^{(CE) 8} All those who live on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name was not written from the foundation of the world in the book^[bz] of life^(CF) of the Lamb who was slaughtered.^[ca](CG)

⁹ If anyone has an ear, he should listen:^(CH)

This demands the perseverance^[cc] and faith of the saints.^(CJ)

The Beast from the Earth

¹¹ Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; he had two horns like a lamb,^[cd](CK) but he sounded like a dragon. ¹² He exercises all the authority of the first beast on his behalf and compels the earth and those who live on it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. ¹³ He also performs great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in front of people. ¹⁴ He deceives those who live on the earth^(CL) because of the signs that he is permitted to perform on behalf of the beast,^(CM) telling those who live on the earth to make an image^[ce] of the beast who had the sword wound and yet lived. ¹⁵ He was permitted to give a spirit^[cf] to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast could both speak and cause whoever would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. ¹⁶ And he requires everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to be given a mark^[cg] on his right hand or on his forehead,^{(CN) 17} so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark: the beast’s name or the number of his name.

¹⁸ Here is wisdom:^[ch](CO) The one who has understanding must calculate^[ci] the number of the beast, because it is the number of a man.^[cj] His number is 666.^[ck]

The Lamb and the 144,000

14 Then I looked, and there on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with Him were 144,000 who had His name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads.^{(CP) 2} I heard a sound^[cl] from heaven like the sound of cascading waters^(CQ) and like the rumbling of loud thunder. The sound I heard was also like harpists playing on their harps.^{(CR) 3} They sang^[cm] a new song^(CS) before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders,^(CT) but no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed^[cn] from the earth. ⁴ These are the ones not defiled with women, for they have kept their virginity.^(CU) These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They were redeemed^[co][cp] from the human race as the firstfruits^(CV) for God and the Lamb. ⁵ No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.^(CW)

The Proclamation of Three Angels

⁶ Then I saw another angel flying high overhead,^(CX) having the eternal gospel to announce to the inhabitants of the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people.^{(CY) 7} He spoke with a loud voice: “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

⁸ A second angel^[cq] followed, saying: “It has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen,^[cr] who made all nations drink the wine of her sexual immorality,^[cs] which brings wrath.”^(CZ)

⁹ And a third angel^[ct] followed them and spoke with a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, ¹⁰ he will also drink the wine of God’s wrath, which is mixed full strength in the cup of His anger.^(DA) He will be tormented with fire and sulfur^(DB) in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb, ¹¹ and the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever.^(DC) There is no rest^[cu] day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or anyone who receives the mark of his name. ¹² This demands the perseverance^[cv] of the saints,^(DD) who keep God’s commands and their faith in Jesus.”^[cw]

¹³ Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write: The dead who die in the Lord from now on are blessed.”^(DE)

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “let them rest from their labors, for their works follow them!”

Reaping the Earth’s Harvest

¹⁴ Then I looked, and there was a white cloud, and One like the Son of Man^[cx](DF) was seated on the cloud, with a gold crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. ¹⁵ Another angel came out of the sanctuary, crying out in a loud voice to the One who was seated on the cloud, “Use your sickle and reap, for the time to reap has come, since the harvest of the earth is ripe.”^{(DG) 16} So the One seated on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

¹⁷ Then another angel who also had a sharp sickle came out of the sanctuary in heaven. ¹⁸ Yet another angel, who had authority over fire, came from the altar, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Use your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from earth’s vineyard, because its grapes have ripened.” ¹⁹ So the angel swung his sickle toward earth and gathered the grapes from earth’s vineyard, and he threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath.^{(DH) 20} Then the press was trampled outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press up to the horses’ bridles for about 180 miles.^[cy](DI)

Preparation for the Bowl Judgments

15 Then I saw another great and awe-inspiring sign^[cz] in heaven:^(DJ) seven angels with the seven last plagues, for with them, God’s wrath will be completed.^{(DK) 2} I also saw something like a sea of glass^(DL) mixed with fire, and those who had won the victory over the beast, his image,^[da] and the number of his name, were standing on the sea of glass with harps from God.^{[db](DM) 3} They sang the song of God’s servant Moses^(DN) and the song of the Lamb:

⁵ After this I looked, and the heavenly sanctuary—the tabernacle of testimony^(DO)—was opened.^{(DP) 6} Out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, dressed in clean, bright linen, with gold sashes wrapped around their chests. ⁷ One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven gold bowls filled with the wrath of God who lives forever and ever. ⁸ Then the sanctuary was filled with smoke from God’s glory and from His power,^(DQ) and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

The First Bowl

16 Then I heard a loud voice from the sanctuary saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the seven^[dd] bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.” ² The first went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and severely painful sores^[de](DR) broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.

The Second Bowl

³ The second^[df] poured out his bowl into the sea. It turned to blood like a dead man’s, and all life^[dg] in the sea died.^(DS)

The Third Bowl

⁴ The third^[dh] poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood.^{(DT) 5} I heard the angel of the waters say:

⁷ Then I heard someone from the altar say:

The Fourth Bowl

⁸ The fourth^[di] poured out his bowl on the sun. He^[dj] was given the power^[dk] to burn people with fire, ⁹ and people were burned by the intense heat. So they blasphemed the name of God,^(DX) who had the power^[dl] over these plagues, and they did not repent and give Him glory.

The Fifth Bowl

¹⁰ The fifth^[dm] poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast,^(DY) and his kingdom was plunged into darkness.^(DZ) People^[dn] gnawed their tongues because of their pain ¹¹ and blasphemed the God of heaven^(EA) because of their pains and their sores, yet they did not repent of their actions.

The Sixth Bowl

¹² The sixth^[do] poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates,^(EB) and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the east. ¹³ Then I saw three unclean spirits like frogs^(EC) coming from the dragon’s mouth,^(ED) from the beast’s mouth,^(EE) and from the mouth of the false prophet.^{(EF) 14} For they are spirits of demons performing signs,^(EG) who travel to the kings of the whole world to assemble them for the battle of the great day of God, the Almighty.^(EH)

¹⁵ “Look, I am coming like a thief. The one who is alert and remains clothed^[dp](EI) so that he may not go around naked and people see his shame^(EJ) is blessed.”^(EK)

¹⁶ So they assembled them at the place called in Hebrew, Armagedon.^[dq][dr](EL)

The Seventh Bowl

¹⁷ Then the seventh^[ds] poured out his bowl into the air,^[dt] and a loud voice came out of the sanctuary^[du](EM) from the throne, saying, “It is done!” ¹⁸ There were flashes of lightning and rumblings of thunder. And a severe earthquake occurred like no other since man has been on the earth—so great was the quake.^{(EN) 19} The great city^(EO) split into three parts, and the cities of the nations^[dv] fell. Babylon the Great was remembered in God’s presence; He gave her the cup filled with the wine of His fierce anger.^{(EP) 20} Every island fled, and the mountains disappeared.^{[dw](EQ) 21} Enormous hailstones, each weighing about 100 pounds,^[dx] fell from the sky on people, and they blasphemed God^(ER) for the plague of hail because that plague was extremely severe.^(ES)

The Woman and the Scarlet Beast

17 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls^(ET) came and spoke with me: “Come, I will show you the judgment of the notorious prostitute^[dy] who sits on many^[dz] waters.^{(EU) 2} The kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and those who live on the earth became drunk on the wine of her sexual immorality.”^{(EV) 3} So he carried me away in the Spirit^[ea](EW) to a desert. I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered^[eb] with blasphemous names and had seven heads and 10 horns.^{(EX) 4} The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls. She had a gold cup in her hand filled with everything vile^(EY) and with the impurities of her^[ec] prostitution. ⁵ On her forehead a cryptic name^(EZ) was written:

⁶ Then I saw that the woman was drunk on the blood of the saints and on the blood of the witnesses to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.

The Meaning of the Woman and of the Beast

⁷ Then the angel said to me, “Why are you astonished? I will tell you the secret meaning of the woman and of the beast, with the seven heads and the 10 horns, that carries her. ⁸ The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up from the abyss^(FA) and go to destruction.^(FB) Those who live on the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world^(FC) will be astonished when they see the beast that was, and is not, and will be present again.^(FD)

⁹ “Here is the mind with wisdom:^[ed](FE) The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated. ¹⁰ They are also seven kings:^[ee] Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he comes, he must remain for a little while. ¹¹ The beast that was and is not, is himself an eighth king, yet he belongs to the seven and is going to destruction. ¹² The 10 horns you saw are 10 kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they will receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. ¹³ These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. ¹⁴ These will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings.^(FF) Those with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”

¹⁵ He also said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.^{(FG) 16} The 10 horns you saw, and the beast, will hate the prostitute.^(FH) They will make her desolate and naked, devour her flesh, and burn her up with fire.^{(FI) 17} For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His plan by having one purpose^(FJ) and to give their kingdom^[ef] to the beast until God’s words are accomplished. ¹⁸ And the woman you saw is the great city that has an empire^[eg] over the kings of the earth.”

The Fall of Babylon the Great

18 After this I saw another angel with great authority coming down from heaven, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. ² He cried in a mighty voice:

⁴ Then I heard another voice from heaven:

The World Mourns Babylon’s Fall

⁹ The kings of the earth who have committed sexual immorality and lived luxuriously with her will weep and mourn over her when they see the smoke of her burning. ¹⁰ They will stand far off in fear of her torment, saying:

¹¹ The merchants of the earth will also weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their merchandise any longer— ¹² merchandise of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; fine fabrics of linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; all kinds of fragrant wood products; objects of ivory; objects of expensive wood, brass,^[eo] iron, and marble; ¹³ cinnamon, spice,^[ep][eq] incense, myrrh,^[er] and frankincense; wine, olive oil, fine wheat flour, and grain; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and slaves^[es] and human lives.^[et](FT)

¹⁵ The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand far off in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, ¹⁶ saying:

And every shipmaster, seafarer, the sailors, and all who do business by sea, stood far off ¹⁸ as they watched the smoke from her burning and kept crying out: “Who is like the great city?”^{(FU) 19} They threw dust on their heads and kept crying out, weeping, and mourning:^(FV)

The Finality of Babylon’s Fall

²¹ Then a mighty angel^(FY) picked up a stone like a large millstone and threw it into the sea, saying:

Celebration in Heaven

19 After this I heard something like the loud voice of a vast multitude in heaven, saying:

³ A second time they said:

⁴ Then the 24 elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God,^(GI) who is seated on the throne, saying:

⁵ A voice came from the throne, saying:

Marriage of the Lamb Announced

⁶ Then I heard something like the voice of a vast multitude, like the sound of cascading waters,^(GL) and like the rumbling of loud thunder, saying:

For the fine linen represents the righteous acts of the saints.^(GO)

⁹ Then he^[fa] said to me,^(GP) “Write: Those invited to the marriage feast^(GQ) of the Lamb are fortunate!” He also said to me, “These words of God are true.” ¹⁰ Then I fell at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow slave with you and your brothers who have the testimony about^[fb] Jesus.^(GR) Worship God, because the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”^[fc]

The Rider on a White Horse

¹¹ Then I saw heaven opened,^(GS) and there was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True,^(GT) and He judges and makes war in righteousness.^{(GU) 12} His eyes were like a fiery flame, and many crowns^[fd] were on His head. He had a name written that no one knows except Himself.^{(GV) 13} He wore a robe stained with blood,^[fe](GW) and His name is the Word of God.^{(GX) 14} The armies that were in heaven followed Him on white horses, wearing pure white linen. ¹⁵ A sharp^[ff] sword^(GY) came from His mouth, so that He might strike the nations with it.^(GZ) He will shepherd^[fg] them with an iron scepter.^(HA) He will also trample the winepress of the fierce anger of God,^(HB) the Almighty. ¹⁶ And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh:

The Beast and His Armies Defeated

¹⁷ Then I saw an angel standing on^[fh] the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice, saying to all the birds flying high overhead, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, ¹⁸ so that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of commanders, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of their riders, and the flesh of everyone, both free and slave, small and great.”^(HD)

¹⁹ Then I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies^(HE) gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and against His army. ²⁰ But the beast was taken prisoner, and along with him the false prophet, who had performed the signs in his presence. He deceived those who accepted the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image with these signs.^(HF) Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.^{(HG) 21} The rest were killed with the sword that came from the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.