羔羊與封印的書卷

接著,我看見坐在寶座上的那位右手拿著一卷內外寫著字、用七個印封住的書。 有一位大力天使高聲問道:「誰有資格揭開那七個封印,打開那卷書?」 可是,天上、地上、甚至地底下都沒有人有資格揭開並閱讀那卷書。 我見無人有資格揭開並閱讀那卷書,便放聲大哭。 有一位長老對我說:「不要哭。你看,猶大支派的獅子、大衛的根已經得勝了!祂能揭開那七個封印,打開那卷書。」

我又看到寶座、四個活物和眾長老之間站著一隻好像是被宰殺過的羔羊。祂身上的七隻角和七隻眼睛代表奉差遣到普天下去的上帝的七靈。 那羔羊走上前去,從坐在寶座上的那位右手中接過書卷。 祂拿過書卷後,四個活物和二十四位長老就俯伏在羔羊面前,各拿著豎琴和盛滿了香的金香爐。那些香就是眾聖徒的祈禱。 他們唱著一首新歌:

「你配拿書卷並揭開封印,
因你曾被殺,
用你的血從各部落、各語言族群、各民族、各國家,
將人買贖回來歸給上帝。
10 你又使他們成為上帝的國度和祭司,
他們要在地上執掌王權。」

11 我看見寶座、四個活物和眾長老的周圍有千千萬萬的天使,又聽見他們高聲呼喊: 12 「那被殺的羔羊配得權柄、財富、智慧、能力、尊貴、榮耀和頌讚!」

13 我又聽到天上、地上、地底下和海洋中一切被造之物同聲說:「願頌讚、尊貴、榮耀和權柄都歸於坐在寶座上的那位和羔羊,直到永永遠遠!」 14 四個活物就說:「阿們!」眾長老也俯伏敬拜。

The Scroll and the Lamb

Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne(A) a scroll with writing on both sides(B) and sealed(C) with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel(D) proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion(E) of the tribe of Judah,(F) the Root of David,(G) has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Then I saw a Lamb,(H) looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures(I) and the elders.(J) The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes,(K) which are the seven spirits[a](L) of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.(M) And when he had taken it, the four living creatures(N) and the twenty-four elders(O) fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp(P) and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers(Q) of God’s people. And they sang a new song, saying:(R)

“You are worthy(S) to take the scroll
    and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
    and with your blood(T) you purchased(U) for God
    persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.(V)
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests(W) to serve our God,
    and they will reign[b] on the earth.”(X)

11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand.(Y) They encircled the throne and the living creatures(Z) and the elders.(AA) 12 In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb,(AB) who was slain,(AC)
    to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
    and honor and glory and praise!”(AD)

13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth(AE) and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne(AF) and to the Lamb(AG)
    be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”(AH)

14 The four living creatures(AI) said, “Amen,”(AJ) and the elders(AK) fell down and worshiped.(AL)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 5:6 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
  2. Revelation 5:10 Some manuscripts they reign

The book and the Lamb

Then I looked at the one who was sitting on the throne. I saw that he held a book in his right hand.[a] Words were written on both sides, the inside and the outside. Seven seals kept the book closed. Then I saw a powerful angel. He said with a loud voice, ‘Who is so good that they can break the seals? Who can open the book?’ But nobody in heaven could open the book and look inside it. Neither could anyone on the earth or anyone under the earth open it.[b]

I wept much because there was nobody who was good enough. Nobody was so good that they could open the book. Nobody could look inside it. Then one of the leaders said to me, ‘Do not weep! Look! There is someone who can break the seven seals and then open the book. His name is the Lion from Judah's tribe. He is called the Root of King David. He has won over all his enemies.’[c]

Then I saw a Lamb. He was standing in the middle of the throne. The four beings that are alive and the leaders were around him. The Lamb appeared to be like a lamb that someone had killed. He had seven horns and seven eyes. His eyes are the seven spirits of God, that God has sent into all parts of the world. The Lamb came and he took the book. He took it from the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne. When he had taken the book, the four beings and the 24 leaders fell down to the ground in front of the Lamb. They worshipped him. Each leader had a harp to make music. They were also holding gold bowls which were full of incense. That nice smell shows what it is like when God's people pray to him. The beings that are alive and the leaders sang a new song. They sang:

‘You are so good!
You are good enough to take the book.
You can break its seals and open it.
You can do this because they killed you.
When you died, you bought people for God with your blood.
You bought them from every tribe,
from every language and every nation.
10 You have caused them to belong to the kingdom of our God.
You have made them priests,
so that they serve God.
And they will rule on the earth.’

11 Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of many angels. There were thousands and millions of them. They were standing around the throne, with the beings that are alive and the leaders. 12 They all sang with loud voices:

‘The Lamb that people killed is completely good!
He has all authority, and all things belong to him.
He is wise and powerful.
Everyone must agree that he is great!
Everyone must praise him and worship him!’

13 Then I heard everything that is alive singing. That was everything in heaven and everything on the earth, and everything under the earth and everything in the sea. They were singing:

‘We praise the one who sits on the throne.
We praise the one who is the Lamb.
We say that they are great! We worship them!
They have power to rule for ever!’

14 The four beings that are alive agreed. They said, ‘Yes, this is true.’ The leaders fell down and they worshipped God and the Lamb.[d]

Footnotes

  1. 5:1 The book was a long piece of paper called a scroll. It was rolled up and closed with seals.
  2. 5:3 The place ‘under the earth’ means where dead people are. The Jews called this place Hades.
  3. 5:5 Jesus was born on the earth into David's family. So King David was his ancestor. But Jesus is called the Root of David. He belongs to David's family, but he is greater than David. He has always been alive and he made everything and everyone. See also Revelation 22:16.
  4. 5:14 Jesus is the Lamb of God. See John 1:29,36.