天にとどろく新しい歌

14 それから私は、エルサレムのシオンの山の頂に立っている、小羊の姿を見ました。また、そのそばに、額に小羊と小羊の父の名とが刻まれている、十四万四千人の人たちがいるのを見たのです。 そのとき私は、滝のとどろきか激しい雷鳴のような、天からの音を耳にしました。ハープに合わせて歌う大合唱でした。 それは十四万四千人の大合唱であり、彼らは神の王座と、四つの生き物および二十四人の長老の前で、今まで聞いたこともない新しい歌を歌いました。地上から救い出された、この十四万四千人を除いて、だれも、その合唱に加われませんでした。 彼らは童貞で、汚れを知らず、小羊のあとをどこまでもついて行きました。また彼らは、神と小羊とにささげられる、最初のきよい供え物として、地上の人々の中から買い取られた者たちです。 彼らは非難されるような偽りを言わず、とがめられることのない者です。

また私は、もう一人の天使が天を飛ぶ姿を見ました。天使は、地上のあらゆる民族、部族、国語の人々に、永遠の福音(イエス・キリストによる救いの知らせ)を運んでいるところでした。 彼は大声で叫びました。「神を恐れ、神をほめたたえなさい。神のさばきの時が来たのだ。天と地と海とその源を造られた方を礼拝しなさい。」

次に、もう一人の天使が天を飛んで来て、こう言いました。「大いなる都、バビロンが倒れた。世界中の人々を惑わして、不純な行為と罪のぶどう酒を飲ませた報いだ。」

続いて第三の天使が飛んで来て、大声で叫びました。「海から現れた獣とその像を拝み、額か手に刻印を彫った者よ。 10 あなたがたは一人残らず、神の怒りの杯にあふれるぶどう酒――それも水で割らないもの――を飲まなければならない。そして、聖なる天使と小羊との前で、火と燃える硫黄とで苦しめられるのだ。 11 その苦しみの煙は、昼も夜も、永遠に立ちのぼる。獣とその像とを拝み、獣の名の刻印を押したからだ。 12 このことによって励まされた神の民は、どんな試みや迫害にも耐えられる。彼らは最後までしっかりと神の戒めを守り、イエスに信頼する者だから。」

13 また私は、頭上で、次のように語る天からの声を聞きました。「さあ、書き記しなさい。『主のために殉教した人々が、その報酬を受ける時がついに来たのです。』」聖霊は言われます。「そのとおり。彼らには十分な祝福が注がれる。今こそ、彼らはいっさいの労苦と試みから解放されて休む時なのだ。その良い行いが、彼らといっしょに天まで立ちのぼるのだから。」

14 その時、急にあたりの様子が変わって、白い雲がわき上がり、その雲に乗ったお方が見えました。イエスのようでした。「人の子」と呼ばれるその方は、純金の冠をかぶり、よく切れるかまを手にしておられました。

さばきの時は来た!

15 そこへ、もう一人の天使が神殿から現れ、その方に叫びました。「どうぞ、かまで刈り取りをお始めください。地上の穀物は実って、刈り入れ時となっています。」 16 そこで、雲に乗っておられる方がかまを入れ始め、刈り取られたものは一か所に集められました。

17 そのあと、もう一人の天使が天の神殿から出て来ました。彼もまた、鋭いかまを持っていました。 18 同時に、火で世界を滅ぼす権威を授かっている天使が現れて、かまを持った天使に大声で叫びました。「さあ、そのかまで、地上のぶどう畑から実を刈り集めなさい。もう十分に熟して、さばかれる時を待っている。」 19 そこで天使は、言われたとおりにかまを入れ、ぶどうを刈り集めて、神の怒りの大きな酒ぶねに投げ込みました。 20 酒ぶねの中のぶどうは、都の郊外で踏まれました。すると、酒ぶねからあふれ出た血は三百キロもの流れになり、その深さは馬のくつわに届くほどでした。

14 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:

And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.

16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.

17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.

19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

The Lamb and the 144,000

14 Then I looked, and behold, on (A)Mount Zion (B)stood the Lamb, and with him (C)144,000 who (D)had his name and his Father's name written (E)on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven (F)like the roar of many waters and (G)like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of (H)harpists playing on their harps, and they were singing (I)a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. (J)No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for (K)they are virgins. It is these (L)who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as (M)firstfruits for God and the Lamb, and (N)in their mouth no lie was found, for they are (O)blameless.

The Messages of the Three Angels

Then I saw another angel (P)flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to (Q)those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. And he said with a loud voice, (R)“Fear God and (S)give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and (T)worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the (U)springs of water.”

Another angel, a second, followed, saying, (V)“Fallen, fallen is (W)Babylon the great, (X)she who made all nations drink (Y)the wine of the passion[a] of her sexual immorality.”

And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone (Z)worships the beast and its image and receives (AA)a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink (AB)the wine of God's wrath, (AC)poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and (AD)he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And (AE)the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and (AF)they have no rest, day or night, these (AG)worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”

12 (AH)Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who (AI)keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.[b]

13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: (AJ)Blessed are the dead (AK)who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, (AL)“that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

The Harvest of the Earth

14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one (AM)like a son of man, (AN)with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 And another angel (AO)came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, (AP)“Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for (AQ)the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” 16 So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.

17 Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, (AR)the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, (AS)for its grapes are ripe.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great (AT)winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And (AU)the winepress was trodden (AV)outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as (AW)a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia.[c]

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 14:8 Or wrath
  2. Revelation 14:12 Greek and the faith of Jesus
  3. Revelation 14:20 About 184 miles; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters