The Angel and the Little Scroll

10 Then I saw another mighty angel^(A) coming down from heaven.^(B) He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow^(C) above his head; his face was like the sun,^(D) and his legs were like fiery pillars.^{(E) 2} He was holding a little scroll,^(F) which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,^{(G) 3} and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion.^(H) When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders^(I) spoke. ⁴ And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write;^(J) but I heard a voice from heaven^(K) say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”^(L)

⁵ Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land^(M) raised his right hand to heaven.^{(N) 6} And he swore^(O) by him who lives for ever and ever,^(P) who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it,^(Q) and said, “There will be no more delay!^{(R) 7} But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet,^(S) the mystery^(T) of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”^(U)

⁸ Then the voice that I had heard from heaven^(V) spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll^(W) 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 it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’^[a]”^{(X) 10} I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth,^(Y) but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. ¹¹ Then I was told, “You must prophesy^(Z) again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”^(AA)

⁵ From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder.^(A) In front of the throne, seven lamps^(B) were blazing. These are the seven spirits^[a](C) of God.

⁵ Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar,^(A) and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder,^(B) rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.^(C)

⁴ In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight^(A) into the mystery of Christ, ⁵ which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets.^{(B) 6} This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs^(C) together with Israel, members together of one body,^(D) and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.^(E)

Paul’s Labor for the Church

²⁴ Now I rejoice^(A) in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions,^(B) for the sake of his body, which is the church.^{(C) 25} I have become its servant^(D) by the commission God gave me^(E) to present to you the word of God^(F) in its fullness— ²⁶ the mystery^(G) that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. ²⁷ To them God has chosen to make known^(H) among the Gentiles the glorious riches^(I) of this mystery, which is Christ in you,^(J) the hope of glory.

²⁸ He is the one we proclaim, admonishing^(K) and teaching everyone with all wisdom,^(L) so that we may present everyone fully mature^(M) in Christ.

⁵¹ Listen, I tell you a mystery:^(A) We will not all sleep,^(B) but we will all be changed^(C)— ⁵² in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound,^(D) the dead^(E) will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For the perishable^(F) must clothe itself with the imperishable,^(G) and the mortal with immortality. ⁵⁴ When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”^[a](H)

The Two Witnesses

11 I was given a reed like a measuring rod^(A) and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. ² But exclude the outer court;^(B) do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles.^(C) They will trample on the holy city^(D) for 42 months.^{(E) 3} And I will appoint my two witnesses,^(F) and they will prophesy for 1,260 days,^(G) clothed in sackcloth.”^{(H) 4} They are “the two olive trees”^(I) and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”^{[a](J) 5} If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies.^(K) This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die.^{(L) 6} They have power to shut up the heavens^(M) so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying;^(N) and they have power to turn the waters into blood^(O) and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

⁷ Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast^(A) that comes up from the Abyss^(B) will attack them,^(C) and overpower and kill them. ⁸ Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city^(D)—which is figuratively called Sodom^(E) and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified.^{(F) 9} For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation^(G) will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial.^{(H) 10} The inhabitants of the earth^(I) will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts,^(J) because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

¹¹ But after the three and a half days^(K) the breath^[a] of life from God entered them,^(L) and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. ¹² Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.”^(M) And they went up to heaven in a cloud,^(N) while their enemies looked on.

¹³ At that very hour there was a severe earthquake^(O) and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory^(P) to the God of heaven.^(Q)

¹⁴ The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.^(R)

²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am^(A) the resurrection and the life.^(B) The one who believes^(C) in me will live, even though they die; ²⁶ and whoever lives by believing^(D) in me will never die.^(E) Do you believe this?”