Revelation 14:6-13

Expanded Bible

The Three Angels

⁶ Then I saw another angel flying ·high in the air [^Lin mid-heaven; 8:13]. He had the eternal ·Good News [Gospel] to preach to those who ·live [dwell] on earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. ⁷ He ·preached [^Lspoke] in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him ·praise [glory], because the ·time has come for God to judge all people [^Lhour of his judgment has come]. So worship God who made the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the springs of water.”

⁸ Then the second angel followed the first angel and said, “·Ruined, ruined [^LFallen, fallen] is ·the great city of Babylon [^LBabylon the Great; ^Cthe capital of the empire that destroyed Jerusalem in 586 bc, a symbol for the evil world system opposing God; 2 Kin. 24—25; Is. 21:9; Dan. 4:30]! She made all the nations drink the wine of the ·anger [or passion; ^Cthe Greek word thymos can mean either anger or passion; see v. 10 for a possible play on words] of her ·adultery [or sexual immorality].”

⁹ Then a third angel followed the first two angels, saying in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his ·idol [image] and ·gets [receives; takes] the beast’s ·mark [brand; stamp] on the forehead or on the hand, ¹⁰ that one also will drink the wine of God’s anger [^Cperhaps a play on words with v. 8; Babylon’s “passion” will bring on God’s “wrath”], which is prepared ·with all its strength [undiluted; ^Lunmixed; ^Cwine was often mixed with water] in the cup of his anger [^CGod’s judgment is often portrayed in the OT as a “cup” of wine poured out; Jer. 25:15–29]. And that person will be ·put in pain [tortured; tormented] with ·burning sulfur [^Lfire and sulfur] before the holy angels and the Lamb. ¹¹ And the smoke from their ·burning pain [torture; torment] will rise forever and ever. There will be no rest, day or night, for those who worship the beast and his ·idol [image] or who get the ·mark [brand; stamp] of his name.” ¹² This means ·God’s holy people [^Tthe saints] must ·be patient [persevere; endure]. They must ·obey [keep] God’s commands and ·keep their faith in [remain faithful to] Jesus.

¹³ Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: ·Blessed [or Happy] are the dead who die from now on in the Lord.”

The Spirit says, “Yes, they will rest from their hard work, ·and the reward of all they have done stays with them [^Lfor their deeds will follow them].”