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A abertura dos primeiros seis selos

E, havendo o Cordeiro aberto um dos selos, olhei e ouvi um dos quatro animais, que dizia, como em voz de trovão: Vem e vê! E olhei, e eis um cavalo branco; e o que estava assentado sobre ele tinha um arco; e foi-lhe dada uma coroa, e saiu vitorioso e para vencer.

E, havendo aberto o segundo selo, ouvi o segundo animal, dizendo: Vem e vê! E saiu outro cavalo, vermelho; e ao que estava assentado sobre ele foi dado que tirasse a paz da terra e que se matassem uns aos outros; e foi-lhe dada uma grande espada.

E, havendo aberto o terceiro selo, ouvi o terceiro animal, dizendo: Vem e vê! E olhei, e eis um cavalo preto; e o que sobre ele estava assentado tinha uma balança na mão. E ouvi uma voz no meio dos quatro animais, que dizia: Uma medida de trigo por um dinheiro; e três medidas de cevada por um dinheiro; e não danifiques o azeite e o vinho.

E, havendo aberto o quarto selo, ouvi a voz do quarto animal, que dizia: Vem e vê! E olhei, e eis um cavalo amarelo; e o que estava assentado sobre ele tinha por nome Morte; e o inferno o seguia; e foi-lhes dado poder para matar a quarta parte da terra com espada, e com fome, e com peste, e com as feras da terra.

E, havendo aberto o quinto selo, vi debaixo do altar as almas dos que foram mortos por amor da palavra de Deus e por amor do testemunho que deram. 10 E clamavam com grande voz, dizendo: Até quando, ó verdadeiro e santo Dominador, não julgas e vingas o nosso sangue dos que habitam sobre a terra? 11 E a cada um foi dada uma comprida veste branca e foi-lhes dito que repousassem ainda um pouco de tempo, até que também se completasse o número de seus conservos e seus irmãos que haviam de ser mortos como eles foram.

12 E, havendo aberto o sexto selo, olhei, e eis que houve um grande tremor de terra; e o sol tornou-se negro como saco de cilício, e a lua tornou-se como sangue. 13 E as estrelas do céu caíram sobre a terra, como quando a figueira lança de si os seus figos verdes, abalada por um vento forte. 14 E o céu retirou-se como um livro que se enrola; e todos os montes e ilhas foram removidos do seu lugar. 15 E os reis da terra, e os grandes, e os ricos, e os tribunos, e os poderosos, e todo servo, e todo livre se esconderam nas cavernas e nas rochas das montanhas 16 e diziam aos montes e aos rochedos: Caí sobre nós e escondei-nos do rosto daquele que está assentado sobre o trono e da ira do Cordeiro, 17 porque é vindo o grande Dia da sua ira; e quem poderá subsistir?

O Cordeiro abre os seis primeiros selos

Enquanto eu observava, o Cordeiro abriu o primeiro dos sete selos do livro.[a] Então ouvi um dos quatro seres vivos dizer com voz de trovão: “Venha!”. Quando olhei, vi um cavalo branco. Seu cavaleiro carregava um arco, e sobre sua cabeça foi colocada uma coroa. Ele saiu batalhando para conquistar vitórias.

Quando o Cordeiro abriu o segundo selo, ouvi o segundo ser vivo dizer: “Venha!”. Então surgiu um cavalo vermelho. Seu cavaleiro recebeu uma grande espada e autoridade para tirar a paz da terra. E houve guerra e matança em toda parte.

Quando o Cordeiro abriu o terceiro selo, ouvi o terceiro ser vivo dizer: “Venha!”. Quando olhei, vi um cavalo preto. Seu cavaleiro tinha na mão uma balança. E ouvi uma voz dentre os quatro seres vivos dizer: “Uma medida de trigo ou três medidas de cevada custarão o salário de um dia,[b] mas não desperdice[c] o azeite nem o vinho”.

Quando o Cordeiro abriu o quarto selo, ouvi o quarto ser vivo dizer: “Venha!”. Quando olhei, vi um cavalo amarelo.[d] Seu cavaleiro se chamava Morte, e o mundo dos mortos[e] o seguia. Eles receberam autoridade sobre um quarto da terra para matar pela espada, pela fome e pela doença[f] e por meio de animais selvagens.

Quando o Cordeiro abriu o quinto selo, vi sob o altar as almas de todos que haviam sido mortos por causa da palavra de Deus e por seu testemunho fiel. 10 Clamavam ao Senhor em alta voz e diziam: “Ó Soberano Senhor, santo e verdadeiro, quanto tempo passará até que julgues os habitantes da terra e vingues nosso sangue?”. 11 Então a cada um deles foi dada uma veste branca, e lhes foi dito que descansassem mais um pouco até que se completasse o número de seus irmãos, seus companheiros no serviço, que se juntariam a eles depois de serem mortos.

12 Enquanto eu observava, o Cordeiro abriu o sexto selo, e houve um grande terremoto. O sol ficou escuro como pano negro, e a lua inteira se tornou vermelha como sangue. 13 Então as estrelas caíram do céu como figos verdes de uma figueira sacudida por um forte vento. 14 O céu foi enrolado como pergaminho, e todas as montanhas e ilhas foram movidas de seu lugar.

15 Então os reis da terra, os governantes, os generais, os ricos, os poderosos, os escravos e os livres, todos se esconderam em cavernas e entre as rochas das montanhas. 16 E gritavam às montanhas e às rochas: “Caiam sobre nós e escondam-nos da face daquele que está sentado no trono e da ira do Cordeiro! 17 Pois chegou o grande dia de sua ira, e quem poderá sobreviver?”.

Footnotes

  1. 6.1 Ou rolo.
  2. 6.6a Em grego, 1 choinix de trigo por 1 denário e 3 choinix de cevada por 1 denário. O choinix correspondia a pouco mais de 1 litro, e o denário, ao salário por um dia completo de trabalho.
  3. 6.6b Ou danifique.
  4. 6.8a Ou pálido.
  5. 6.8b Ou a sepultura. Em grego, o Hades.
  6. 6.8c Em grego, morte.

The First Seal—The Conqueror

Then I saw as the Lamb (Christ) broke one of the seven [a]seals [of the scroll initiating the judgments], and I heard one of the four living creatures call out as with a voice of thunder, “[b]Come.” I looked, and behold, a [c]white horse [of victory] whose rider carried a [d]bow; and a crown [of victory] was given to him, and he rode forth conquering and to conquer.(A)

The Second Seal—War

When He (the Lamb) broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature call out, “Come.” And another, a [e]fiery red horse [of bloodshed], came out; and its rider was empowered to take peace from the earth, so that men would slaughter one another; and a great sword [of war and violent death] was given to him.(B)

The Third Seal—Famine

When He (the Lamb) broke open the third seal, I heard the third living creature call out, “Come.” I looked, and behold, a black horse [of famine]; and the rider had in his hand a pair of scales (a balance).(C) And I heard something like a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius (a day’s wages), and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not [f]damage the oil and the wine.”(D)

The Fourth Seal—Death

When He (the Lamb) broke open the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature call out, “Come.” So I looked, and behold, an ashen (pale greenish gray) horse [like a corpse, representing death and pestilence]; and its rider’s name was Death; and Hades (the realm of the dead) was following with him. They were given authority and power over a fourth part of the earth, to kill with the sword and with famine and with [g]plague (pestilence, disease) and by the wild beasts of the earth.(E)

The Fifth Seal—Martyrs

When He (the Lamb) broke open the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained [out of loyalty to Christ]. 10 They cried in a loud voice, saying, “O Lord, holy and true, how long now before You will sit in judgment and avenge our blood on those [unregenerate ones] who dwell on the earth?”(F) 11 Then they were each given a white robe; and they were told to rest and wait quietly for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers and sisters who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed.

The Sixth Seal—Terror

12 I looked when He (the Lamb) broke open the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as [h]sackcloth [made] of hair, and the whole moon became like blood;(G) 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, like a fig tree shedding its late [summer] figs when shaken by a strong wind.(H) 14 The sky was split [separated from the land] and rolled up like a scroll, and every mountain and island were dislodged and moved out of their places. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the [i]military commanders and the wealthy and the strong and everyone, [whether] slave or free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; 16 and they called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne, and from the [righteous] wrath and indignation of the Lamb;(I) 17 for the great day of their wrath and vengeance and retribution has come, and who is able to [face God and] stand [before the wrath of the Lamb]?”(J)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 6:1 A seal, sphragis, could only be broken by the one who has authority over it. In breaking the seals and disclosing God’s judgments, Christ demonstrated His own divine authority over creation.
  2. Revelation 6:1 One early ms reads Come and see. Also vv 3, 5, 7.
  3. Revelation 6:2 Some interpreters note that the rabbis said that if one sees a white horse in a dream, it is a good sign (Talmud). Jewish believers who heard these words being read in their church (see 1:3) probably would think that the vision indicated Israel would soon be freed from foreign domination. In the Roman world a white horse was a symbol of victory in battle. In this case the peace is deceptive because it will not be lasting. Other interpreters argue that the horseman represents the conquering Christ, as in 19:11.
  4. Revelation 6:2 Without an arrow (if arrows are not to be assumed) the bow may symbolize a bloodless victory or conquest.
  5. Revelation 6:4 In contrast to the white horse, the rabbis said that if one saw a red horse walking gently, it was a good sign, but if the horse was galloping, it was a bad sign. It was also said that the man riding the red horse in Zechariah’s vision (Zech 1:8) was a sign that God intended to turn the whole world into blood (Talmud).
  6. Revelation 6:6 This may be a warning to be very careful handling olive oil and wine, which ordinarily are basic commodities, because famine will make them very expensive. The vision indicates that famine and inflation will take such a toll that a laborer will earn only enough to feed himself with wheat, or to provide barley for a small family. He will have almost nothing left for clothing, shelter, and incidentals.
  7. Revelation 6:8 Or death.
  8. Revelation 6:12 This was a coarse, uncomfortable material usually made of black goat hair and customarily worn as a sign of mourning or repentance.
  9. Revelation 6:15 Lit chiliarchs, a Greek word literally meaning a ruler (commander) of a thousand men, but used generally of high-ranking military officers.

The Seals

I watched as the Lamb(A) opened the first of the seven seals.(B) Then I heard one of the four living creatures(C) say in a voice like thunder,(D) “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a white horse!(E) Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown,(F) and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.(G)

When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature(H) say, “Come!” Then another horse came out, a fiery red one.(I) Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth(J) and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.

When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature(K) say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse!(L) Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures,(M) saying, “Two pounds[a] of wheat for a day’s wages,[b] and six pounds[c] of barley for a day’s wages,[d](N) and do not damage(O) the oil and the wine!”

When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature(P) say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse!(Q) Its rider was named Death, and Hades(R) was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.(S)

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under(T) the altar(U) the souls of those who had been slain(V) because of the word of God(W) and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long,(X) Sovereign Lord,(Y) holy and true,(Z) until you judge the inhabitants of the earth(AA) and avenge our blood?”(AB) 11 Then each of them was given a white robe,(AC) and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,[e] were killed just as they had been.(AD)

12 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake.(AE) The sun turned black(AF) like sackcloth(AG) made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth,(AH) as figs drop from a fig tree(AI) when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up,(AJ) and every mountain and island was removed from its place.(AK)

15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free,(AL) hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains.(AM) 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us(AN) and hide us[f] from the face of him who sits on the throne(AO) and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day(AP) of their[g] wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”(AQ)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 6:6 Or about 1 kilogram
  2. Revelation 6:6 Greek a denarius
  3. Revelation 6:6 Or about 3 kilograms
  4. Revelation 6:6 Greek a denarius
  5. Revelation 6:11 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 12:10; 19:10.
  6. Revelation 6:16 See Hosea 10:8.
  7. Revelation 6:17 Some manuscripts his