Add parallel Print Page Options

得胜的羊羔配展开书卷

我看见那位坐在宝座上的,右手拿着书卷,这书卷的两面都写满了字,用七个印封着。 我又看见一位大力的天使,大声宣告说:“谁配展开那书卷,拆开它的封印呢?” 在天上、地上、地底下,没有一个能够展开书卷观看的。 因为没有人配展开观看书卷,我就大哭。 长老中有一位对我说:“不要哭!看哪,那从犹大支派出来的狮子,大卫的根,他已经得胜了,他能够展开那书卷,拆开它的七印。”

我又看见在宝座和四个活物中间,并且在众长老中间,有羊羔站着,像是被杀过的。他有七角七眼,就是 神的七灵,奉差遣到全地去的。 羊羔走过去,从坐在宝座上那位的右手中取了书卷。 他拿了书卷之后,四个活物和二十四位长老就俯伏在羊羔面前,各拿着琴和盛满了香的金炉,这香就是众圣徒的祈祷。 他们唱着新歌,说:

“你配取书卷,配拆开封印,

因为你曾被杀,曾用你的血,

从各支派、各方言、各民族、各邦国,

把人买了来归给 神,

10 使他们成为我们 神的国度和祭司,

他们要在地上执掌王权。”

11 我又观看,听见了千千万万天使的声音,他们都在宝座、活物和长老的四周, 12 大声说:

“被杀的羊羔是配得

权能、丰富、智慧、力量、

尊贵、荣耀、颂赞的!”

13 我又听见在天上、地上、地底下和海里的一切被造之物,以及天地间的万有,都说:

“愿颂赞、尊贵、荣耀、能力,

都归给坐在宝座上的那一位和羊羔,

直到永永远远!”

14 四个活物就说:“阿们!”众长老也俯伏敬拜。

羔羊与封印的书卷

接着,我看见坐在宝座上的那位右手拿着一卷内外写着字、用七个印封住的书。 有一位大力天使高声问道:“谁有资格揭开那七个封印,打开那卷书?” 可是,天上、地上、甚至地底下都没有人有资格揭开并阅读那卷书。 我见无人有资格揭开并阅读那卷书,便放声大哭。 有一位长老对我说:“不要哭。你看,犹大支派的狮子、大卫的根已经得胜了!祂能揭开那七个封印,打开那卷书。”

我又看到宝座、四个活物和众长老之间站着一只好像是被宰杀过的羔羊。祂身上的七只角和七只眼睛代表奉差遣到普天下去的上帝的七灵。 那羔羊走上前去,从坐在宝座上的那位右手中接过书卷。 祂拿过书卷后,四个活物和二十四位长老就俯伏在羔羊面前,各拿着竖琴和盛满了香的金香炉。那些香就是众圣徒的祈祷。 他们唱着一首新歌:

“你配拿书卷并揭开封印,
因你曾被杀,
用你的血从各部落、各语言族群、各民族、各国家,
将人买赎回来归给上帝。
10 你又使他们成为上帝的国度和祭司,
他们要在地上执掌王权。”

11 我看见宝座、四个活物和众长老的周围有千千万万的天使,又听见他们高声呼喊: 12 “那被杀的羔羊配得权柄、财富、智慧、能力、尊贵、荣耀和颂赞!”

13 我又听到天上、地上、地底下和海洋中一切被造之物同声说:“愿颂赞、尊贵、荣耀和权柄都归于坐在宝座上的那位和羔羊,直到永永远远!” 14 四个活物就说:“阿们!”众长老也俯伏敬拜。

Chapter 5

Vision of the Lamb.[a] Then I saw in the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I beheld a mighty angel who proclaimed in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” But there was no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth who was able to open the scroll and examine it.

I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and examine it. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed, and thus has won the right to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Then I saw, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders, a Lamb that had been slain. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into the entire world. He came forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne.

When he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders prostrated themselves before the Lamb. Each of the elders was holding a harp, and they had gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the saints. They sang a new song:[b]

“You are worthy to receive the scroll
    and to open its seals,
for you were slain,
    and with your blood you purchased for God
    people of every tribe and language, nation and race.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
    and they will reign on earth.”

11 In my vision, I heard the voices of a multitude of angels who surrounded the throne and the living creatures and the elders. These angels numbered thousands upon thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand of them. 12 And they cried out with a loud voice:

“Worthy is the Lamb that was sacrificed
    to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength,
    honor and glory and praise.”

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

“To the one seated on the throne
    and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might
    forever and ever.”

14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders prostrated themselves in worship.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 5:1 As we have seen, the whole universe sings of the limitless power of the Creator. But he is also the Master of the universe, and the book he holds in his hand represents the destiny of the world. The book is held closed by seven seals, i.e., it contains the totality of the events of history, though in a hidden fashion, which no one can unveil.
    However, a mediator of the Revelation does exist. He is the Messiah, who is designated here by the titles foretold of him in the Old Testament: the lion of Judah (see Gen 49:9) to whom victory is promised (see Isa 11:1, 10; see also 2 Sam 7), the Messiah King, shoot of the stock from which David was descended.
    It is Christ in the power of his Resurrection who receives the mastery over the destinies of the entire universe. He is represented in his glory after the manner of a Lamb slain but standing (the figure of the Paschal Lamb is the main title for Christ in this Book, used twenty-eight times). This unusual expression is intended to recall Passover, the passover lamb, and the sacrificial Death of Christ for the redemption of the human race, but also to assert that he is ever living and the conqueror of death. The seven horns symbolize an infinite power.
    The one with infinite power is the Redeemer who has acquired the people by his Blood. The Creator ratifies this and places in Christ’s hands the succession of events until their fulfillment. Then the angels, the elders, and all the great figures in heaven that can be imagined will each come in turn to render the worship due to the Master of time, and the entire universe unites to acclaim the risen one. Indeed, the coming of Christ is a capital turning point, and a new song is required to celebrate it (see Phil 2).
  2. Revelation 5:9 New song: a song that celebrates a new act of divine deliverance (see Rev 14:3; Pss 33:3; 96:1; 144:9; Isa 42:10). With your blood you purchased for God people: the theme of Christ’s sacrificial Death (see Mk 10:45; 1 Cor 6:20).