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Ang Aklat at ang Kordero

At nakita (A) ko sa kanang kamay ng nakaupo sa trono ang isang balumbon na may sulat sa harap at likod at sarado ng pitong tatak. Nakita ko rin ang isang makapangyarihang anghel na pasigaw na nagpapahayag, “Sino ang karapat-dapat na magbukas ng balumbon at magtanggal ng mga tatak nito?” Ngunit walang sinuman sa langit, sa lupa o sa ilalim man ng lupa ang makapagbukas ng balumbon o kaya'y makatingin sa loob nito. Umiyak ako nang umiyak dahil walang natagpuang karapat-dapat na magbukas ng balumbon o tumingin sa loob nito. (B) Isa sa matatanda ay nagsabi sa akin, “Huwag kang umiyak. Tingnan mo, ang Leon ng lipi ni Juda, na ugat ni David, ay nagtagumpay at kaya niyang buksan ang balumbon at tanggalin ang pitong tatak nito.”

At (C) nakita ko sa gitna ng trono at ng apat na buháy na nilalang at ng matatanda ang isang Korderong nakatayo, na tulad ng isang pinatay na may pitong sungay at pitong mata. Ang mga ito'y ang pitong[a] espiritu ng Diyos na isinugo sa buong daigdig. Lumapit ang Kordero at kinuha ang balumbon sa kanang kamay ng nakaupo sa trono. At nang (D) makuha niya ang balumbon, nagpatirapa sa harap ng Kordero ang apat na buháy na nilalang at ang dalawampu't apat na matatanda. Ang bawat isa ay may hawak na alpa at mga gintong mangkok na puno ng insenso, na ang mga ito'y mga panalangin ng mga banal. At umaawit (E) sila ng isang bagong awit:

“Ikaw ang karapat-dapat na kumuha sa balumbon
    at magbukas sa mga tatak nito,
sapagkat ikaw ay pinaslang at sa pamamagitan ng iyong dugo, tinubos mo para sa Diyos
    ang tao mula sa bawat lipi, wika, bayan, at bansa;
10 at ginawa (F) mo silang isang kaharian at mga paring naglilingkod sa aming Diyos,
    at sila'y maghahari sa daigdig.”

11 (G) Ako'y muling tumingin at narinig ko ang tinig ng maraming mga anghel na nakapaligid sa trono, at ng mga buháy na nilalang, at ng mga matatanda; milyun-milyon at libu-libo ang bilang nila, 12 na malakas na umaawit,

“Ang pinaslang na kordero ay karapat-dapat
na tumanggap ng kapangyarihan, kayamanan, karunungan, kalakasan,
karangalan, kaluwalhatian, at kapurihan!”

13 At narinig ko ang bawat nilalang sa langit at sa lupa, at sa ilalim ng lupa at sa dagat, at maging ang lahat ng bagay na nasa mga ito, na nagsasabi,

“Sa kanya na nakaupo sa trono at sa Kordero
ay kapurihan, karangalan, kaluwalhatian, at kapangyarihan
magpakailanpaman!”

14 Sinabi ng apat na buháy na nilalang, “Amen!” At nagpatirapa ang matatanda at sila'y sumamba.

Footnotes

  1. Pahayag 5:6 Sa ibang manuskrito wala ang salitang ito.

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).