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Chapter 5

The Scroll and the Lamb.[a] I saw a scroll[b] in the right hand of the one who sat on the throne. It had writing on both sides and was sealed with seven seals.(A) Then I saw a mighty angel who proclaimed in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to examine it. I shed many tears because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to examine it. One of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. The lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David,[c] has triumphed, enabling him to open the scroll with its seven seals.”(B)

Then I saw standing in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and the elders a Lamb[d] that seemed to have been slain. He had seven horns and seven eyes; these are the [seven] spirits of God sent out into the whole world.(C) He came and received the scroll from the right hand of the one who sat on the throne. When he took it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones. They sang a new hymn:

“Worthy are you to receive the scroll
    and to break open its seals,
    for you were slain and with your blood you purchased for God
    those from every tribe and tongue, people and nation.
10 You made them a kingdom and priests for our God,
    and they will reign on earth.”(D)

11 I looked again and heard the voices of many angels who surrounded the throne and the living creatures and the elders. They were countless[e] in number,(E) 12 and they cried out in a loud voice:

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

13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, everything in the universe, cry out:

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

14 The four living creatures answered, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Footnotes

  1. 5:1–14 The seer now describes a papyrus roll in God’s right hand (Rev 5:1) with seven seals indicating the importance of the message. A mighty angel asks who is worthy to open the scroll, i.e., who can accomplish God’s salvific plan (Rev 5:2). There is despair at first when no one in creation can do it (Rev 5:3–4). But the seer is comforted by an elder who tells him that Christ, called the lion of the tribe of Judah, has won the right to open it (Rev 5:5). Christ then appears as a Lamb, coming to receive the scroll from God (Rev 5:6–7), for which he is acclaimed as at a coronation (Rev 5:8–10). This is followed by a doxology of the angels (Rev 5:11–12) and then finally by the heavenly church united with all of creation (Rev 5:13–14).
  2. 5:1 A scroll: a papyrus roll possibly containing a list of afflictions for sinners (cf. Ez 2:9–10) or God’s plan for the world. Sealed with seven seals: it is totally hidden from all but God. Only the Lamb (Rev 5:7–9) has the right to carry out the divine plan.
  3. 5:5 The lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David: these are the messianic titles applied to Christ to symbolize his victory; cf. Rev 22:16; Gn 49:9; Is 11:1, 10; Mt 1:1.
  4. 5:6 Christ is the Paschal Lamb without blemish, whose blood saved the new Israel from sin and death; cf. Ex 12; Is 53:7; Jn 1:29, 36; Acts 8:32; 1 Pt 1:18–19. This is the main title for Christ in Revelation, used twenty-eight times. Seven horns and seven eyes: Christ has the fullness (see note on Rev 1:4) of power (horns) and knowledge (eyes); cf. Zec 4:7. [Seven] spirits: as in Rev 1:4; 3:1; 4:5.
  5. 5:11 Countless: literally, “100,000,000 plus 1,000,000,” used by the author to express infinity.

Poi vidi nella mano destra di colui che sedeva sul trono un libro scritto di dentro e di fuori, sigillato con sette sigilli.

E vidi un angelo potente, che proclamava a gran voce: «Chi è degno di aprire il libro e di sciogliere i suoi sigilli?».

Ma nessuno, né in cielo né sulla terra né sotto terra, poteva aprire il libro e guardarlo.

Io piangevo forte, perché non era stato trovato nessuno degno di aprire e di leggere il libro, e neppure di guardarlo.

Allora uno degli anziani mi disse: «Non piangere, ecco, il Leone della tribú di Giuda, la Radice di Davide, ha vinto per aprire il libro e sciogliere i suoi sette sigilli».

Poi vidi ritto, in mezzo al trono e ai quattro esseri viventi e in mezzo agli anziani, un Agnello come ucciso, il quale aveva sette corna e sette occhi, che sono i sette Spiriti di Dio mandati per tutta la terra.

Egli venne e prese il libro dalla mano destra di colui che sedeva sul trono.

E, quando ebbe preso il libro, i quattro esseri viventi e i ventiquattro anziani si prostrarono davanti all'Agnello, avendo ciascuno una cetra e delle coppe d'oro piene di profumi, che sono le preghiere dei santi,

E cantavano un nuovo cantico dicendo: «Tu sei degno di prendere il libro e di aprirne i sigilli, perché sei stato ucciso, e col tuo sangue ci hai comprati a Dio da ogni tribú, lingua, popolo e nazione,

10 e ci hai fatti re e sacerdoti per il nostro Dio, e regneremo sulla terra».

11 Quindi vidi e udii la voce di molti angeli intorno al trono, agli esseri viventi e agli anziani; il loro numero era di miriadi di miriadi e di migliaia di migliaia,

12 che dicevano a gran voce: «Degno è l'Agnello, che è stato ucciso, di ricevere la potenza, le ricchezze, la sapienza, la forza, l'onore, la gloria e la benedizione».

13 Udii ancora ogni creatura che è nel cielo, sulla terra, sotto la terra e quelle che sono nel mare e tutte le cose contenute in essi, che diceva: «A colui che siede sul trono e all'Agnello siano la benedizione, l'onore, la gloria e la forza nei secoli dei secoli».

14 E i quattro esseri viventi dicevano: «Amen!». E i ventiquattro anziani si prostrarono ed adorarono colui che vive nei secoli dei secoli.

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