The Census

1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting^(A) in the Desert of Sinai^(B) on the first day of the second month^(C) of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt.^(D) He said: ² “Take a census^(E) of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families,^(F) listing every man by name,^(G) one by one. ³ You and Aaron^(H) are to count according to their divisions all the men in Israel who are twenty years old or more^(I) and able to serve in the army.^{(J) 4} One man from each tribe,^(K) each of them the head of his family,^(L) is to help you.^{(M) 5} These are the names^(N) of the men who are to assist you:

¹⁶ These were the men appointed from the community, the leaders^(AM) of their ancestral tribes.^(AN) They were the heads of the clans of Israel.^(AO)

¹⁷ Moses and Aaron took these men whose names had been specified, ¹⁸ and they called the whole community together on the first day of the second month.^(AP) The people registered their ancestry^(AQ) by their clans and families,^(AR) and the men twenty years old or more^(AS) were listed by name, one by one, ¹⁹ as the Lord commanded Moses. And so he counted^(AT) them in the Desert of Sinai:

⁴⁴ These were the men counted by Moses and Aaron^(BV) and the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family. ⁴⁵ All the Israelites twenty years old or more^(BW) who were able to serve in Israel’s army were counted according to their families.^{(BX) 46} The total number was 603,550.^(BY)

⁴⁷ The ancestral tribe of the Levites,^(BZ) however, was not counted^(CA) along with the others. ⁴⁸ The Lord had said to Moses: ⁴⁹ “You must not count the tribe of Levi or include them in the census of the other Israelites. ⁵⁰ Instead, appoint the Levites to be in charge of the tabernacle^(CB) of the covenant law^(CC)—over all its furnishings^(CD) and everything belonging to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; they are to take care of it and encamp around it. ⁵¹ Whenever the tabernacle^(CE) is to move,^(CF) the Levites are to take it down, and whenever the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall do it.^(CG) Anyone else who approaches it is to be put to death.^{(CH) 52} The Israelites are to set up their tents by divisions, each of them in their own camp under their standard.^{(CI) 53} The Levites, however, are to set up their tents around the tabernacle^(CJ) of the covenant law so that my wrath will not fall^(CK) on the Israelite community. The Levites are to be responsible for the care of the tabernacle of the covenant law.^(CL)”

⁵⁴ The Israelites did all this just as the Lord commanded Moses.

The Arrangement of the Tribal Camps

2 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: ² “The Israelites are to camp around the tent of meeting some distance from it, each of them under their standard^(CM) and holding the banners of their family.”

³⁴ So the Israelites did everything the Lord commanded Moses; that is the way they encamped under their standards, and that is the way they set out, each of them with their clan and family.

The Lamb and the 144,000

14 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb,^(A) standing on Mount Zion,^(B) and with him 144,000^(C) who had his name and his Father’s name^(D) written on their foreheads.^{(E) 2} And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters^(F) and like a loud peal of thunder.^(G) The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.^{(H) 3} And they sang a new song^(I) before the throne and before the four living creatures^(J) and the elders.^(K) No one could learn the song except the 144,000^(L) who had been redeemed from the earth. ⁴ These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins.^(M) They follow the Lamb wherever he goes.^(N) They were purchased from among mankind^(O) and offered as firstfruits^(P) to God and the Lamb. ⁵ No lie was found in their mouths;^(Q) they are blameless.^(R)

The Three Angels

⁶ Then I saw another angel flying in midair,^(S) and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth^(T)—to every nation, tribe, language and people.^{(U) 7} He said in a loud voice, “Fear God^(V) and give him glory,^(W) because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made^(X) the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”^(Y)

⁸ A second angel followed and said, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’^[a](Z) which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.”^(AA)

⁹ A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast^(AB) and its image^(AC) and receives its mark on their forehead^(AD) or on their hand, ¹⁰ they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury,^(AE) which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath.^(AF) They will be tormented with burning sulfur^(AG) in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. ¹¹ And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever.^(AH) There will be no rest day or night^(AI) for those who worship the beast and its image,^(AJ) or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”^{(AK) 12} This calls for patient endurance^(AL) on the part of the people of God^(AM) who keep his commands^(AN) and remain faithful to Jesus.

¹³ Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord^(AO) from now on.”

“Yes,” says the Spirit,^(AP) “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

Harvesting the Earth and Trampling the Winepress

¹⁴ I looked, and there before me was a white cloud,^(AQ) and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man^[b](AR) with a crown^(AS) of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. ¹⁵ Then another angel came out of the temple^(AT) and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle^(AU) and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest^(AV) of the earth is ripe.” ¹⁶ So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

¹⁷ Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle.^{(AW) 18} Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar^(AX) and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, “Take your sharp sickle^(AY) and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.” ¹⁹ The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath.^{(AZ) 20} They were trampled in the winepress^(BA) outside the city,^(BB) and blood^(BC) flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.^[c]