¹⁰ Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.^(A)

⁸ Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.

²⁷ The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken^(A)—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.

¹³ On that day people will be stricken by the Lord with great panic.^(A) They will seize each other by the hand and attack one another.^(B)

⁵ In those days it was not safe to travel about,^(A) for all the inhabitants of the lands were in great turmoil. ⁶ One nation was being crushed by another and one city by another,^(B) because God was troubling them with every kind of distress.

² I looked, and there before me was a white horse!^(A) Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown,^(B) and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.^(C)

³ When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature^(D) say, “Come!” ⁴ Then another horse came out, a fiery red one.^(E) Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth^(F) and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.

⁵ When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature^(G) say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse!^(H) Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. ⁶ Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures,^(I) saying, “Two pounds^[a] of wheat for a day’s wages,^[b] and six pounds^[c] of barley for a day’s wages,^[d](J) and do not damage^(K) the oil and the wine!”

⁷ When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature^(L) say, “Come!” ⁸ I looked, and there before me was a pale horse!^(M) Its rider was named Death, and Hades^(N) 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.^(O)

⁹ When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under^(P) the altar^(Q) the souls of those who had been slain^(R) because of the word of God^(S) and the testimony they had maintained. ¹⁰ They called out in a loud voice, “How long,^(T) Sovereign Lord,^(U) holy and true,^(V) until you judge the inhabitants of the earth^(W) and avenge our blood?”^{(X) 11} Then each of them was given a white robe,^(Y) 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.^(Z)

¹² I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake.^(AA) The sun turned black^(AB) like sackcloth^(AC) made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red,

² I will gather all the nations^(A) to Jerusalem to fight against it;^(B) the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped.^(C) Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city.^{(D) 3} Then the Lord will go out and fight^(E) against those nations, as he fights on a day of battle.^(F)