為上帝的僕人蓋印

這些事情之後,我看見四位天使分別站在地的四個角落控制著四面的風,使風不再吹向地面、海洋和樹木。 我又看見一位天使從東方日出之地上來,手裡拿著永活上帝的印。他對那領受權柄能傷害地和海的四位天使大聲說: 「我們還沒在上帝的奴僕額上蓋印之前,你們不可傷害地、海和樹木。」 我聽見以色列各支派中蓋了印的共有十四萬四千人: 猶大支派有一萬二千,呂便支派有一萬二千,迦得支派有一萬二千, 亞設支派有一萬二千,拿弗他利支派有一萬二千,瑪拿西支派有一萬二千, 西緬支派有一萬二千,利未支派有一萬二千,以薩迦支派有一萬二千, 西布倫支派有一萬二千,約瑟支派有一萬二千,便雅憫支派有一萬二千。

劫後餘生的上帝子民

後來我又看見一大群人,多得不可勝數。他們來自各國家、各部落、各民族、各語言族群,身穿白袍,手拿棕樹枝,站在寶座和羔羊面前, 10 大聲呼喊說:「救恩來自我們坐在寶座上的上帝,也來自羔羊!」 11 眾天使都站在寶座、眾長老和四個活物的周圍,在寶座前俯伏敬拜上帝,說: 12 「阿們!願頌讚、榮耀、智慧、感謝、尊貴、權柄、能力都歸給我們的上帝,直到永永遠遠。阿們!」

13 長老中有一位問我:「這些身穿白袍的人是誰?他們從哪裡來?」

14 我回答說:「先生,你知道答案。」

他便說:「這些都是經過大災難的人,他們用羔羊的血將衣裳洗得純淨潔白。 15 因此,他們在寶座前,在聖殿中不分晝夜地事奉上帝。坐在寶座上的那位要庇護他們。 16 他們不會再受饑餓和乾渴的折磨,也不會再受太陽和酷熱的煎熬, 17 因為在寶座中央的羔羊要作他們的牧人,引導他們到生命之泉那裡,上帝要擦乾他們所有的眼淚。」

十四万四千以色列人

这之后,我又看见四个天使站在大地的四角。他们挡住了地球四面的风,不让风吹到陆上、海上或树上。 然后,我看见另一个天使从东方走来,他拿着活生生的上帝的印,大声呼唤那四个被赋予了毁坏大地和海洋的权力的天使。 他说∶“在我们给上帝的仆人的前额盖印之前,不要伤害地球、海洋和树木。” 前额上被盖了印的人的总数为:以色列各支派共十四万四千人,他们来自于以色列每个不同的支派:

犹大支派一万二千人;

流便支派一万二千人;

迦得支派一万二千人;

亚设支派一万二千人;

拿弗他利支派一万二千人;

玛拿西支派一万二千人;

西缅支派一万二千人;

利未支派一万二千人;

以萨迦支派一万二千人;

西布伦支派一万二千人;

约瑟支派一万二千人;

便雅悯支派一万二千人。

众人

接着,我看见面前有一大群人,谁也数不清有多少。这些人来自各个国家、各个支派、各个民族,说各种语言。他们站在宝座和羔羊面前,身穿白袍,手拿棕榈枝, 10 他们呼喊道∶“胜利属于宝座上的上帝,胜利属于羔羊!” 11 所有的天使都站在宝座、长老和四个生物的四周。他们在宝座前以面伏地,敬拜上帝。 12 他们说∶“阿们!愿赞美、荣耀、智慧、感恩、尊崇、权力和力量永远属于上帝,阿们!”

13 一位长老问我∶“那些穿白袍的人是谁?他们是从哪里来的?”

14 我回答说∶“先生,您知道他们是谁。”于是,他对我说∶“他们经历了大迫害,他们用羔羊的血,把自己的长袍洗得干净洁白。 [a] 15 所以他们站在上帝的宝座前,日夜在他的殿里敬拜他。宝座上的人会庇护他们, 16 让他们不再饥渴,不再让骄阳、烈炎灼伤他们。 17 宝座前中间的羔羊会牧养他们,领他们到赋予生命的泉水那里去。上帝会擦去他们的每一滴泪水。”

Footnotes

  1. 啟 示 錄 7:14 意为他们相信耶稣,所以他们的罪得到了宽恕。

He sees the servants of God sealed in their foreheads out of all nations and peoples, who, though they suffer trouble, yet the Lamb feeds them, and leads them to the fountains of living waters. God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.

And after that, I saw four angels stand on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth so that the winds would not blow on the land, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.  And I saw another angel ascend from the rising of the sun, who had the seal of the living God, and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels (to whom power was given to hurt the land and the sea), saying, Do not hurt the land, nor the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

And I heard the number of those who were sealed, and there were sealed 144,000 of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Asher were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Naphtali were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasseh were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Zebulun were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

After this I looked, and lo, a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and people and tongues stood before the seat and before the Lamb, clothed with long white garments and palms in their hands, 10 and cried out with a loud voice, saying, Salvation be ascribed to him who sits upon the seat of our God and to the Lamb! 11 And all the angels stood round about the seat, and about the elders and the four living creatures, and fell before the seat on their faces and worshipped God, 12 saying, Amen! Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanks, and honour, and power, and might, be to our God forevermore. Amen.

13 And one of the elders spoke, saying to me, Who are these who are arrayed in long white garments, and where are they from? 14 And I said to him, Lord, you know. And he said to me, They are those who came out of great tribulation, and made their garments large, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore they are in the presence of the seat of God and serve him day and night in his temple. And he who sits in the seat will dwell among them. 16 They will hunger no more, neither thirst; nor will the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb who is at the centre of the seat shall feed them, and shall lead them to fountains of living water, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.