Fifth Seal: The Cry of the Martyrs

⁹ When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under ^(A)the altar ^(B)the souls of those who had been slain ^(C)for the word of God and for ^(D)the testimony which they held.

The Saints Reign with Christ 1,000 Years

⁴ And I saw ^(A)thrones, and they sat on them, and ^(B)judgment was committed to them. Then I saw ^(C)the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, ^(D)who had not worshiped the beast ^(E)or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they ^(F)lived and ^(G)reigned with Christ for ^[a]a thousand years.

^2 (A)They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming ^(B)that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.

Vision of the Son of Man

⁹ I, John, ^[a]both your brother and ^(A)companion in the tribulation and ^(B)kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

¹¹ And ^(A)they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, ^(B)and they did not love their lives to the death. ¹² Therefore ^(C)rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! ^(D)Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, ^(E)because he knows that he has a short time.”

The Woman Persecuted

¹³ Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted ^(F)the woman who gave birth to the male Child. ^14 (G)But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, ^(H)that she might fly ^(I)into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished ^(J)for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. ¹⁵ So the serpent ^(K)spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. ¹⁶ But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. ¹⁷ And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus ^[a]Christ.

³ And I will give power to my two ^(A)witnesses, ^(B)and they will prophesy ^(C)one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

⁴ These are the ^(D)two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the ^[a]God of the earth. ⁵ And if anyone wants to harm them, ^(E)fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. ^(F)And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. ⁶ These ^(G)have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.

The Witnesses Killed

⁷ When they ^(H)finish their testimony, ^(I)the beast that ascends ^(J)out of the bottomless pit ^(K)will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.

¹³ “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

Not Ashamed of the Gospel

^8 (A)Therefore do not be ashamed of ^(B)the testimony of our Lord, nor of me ^(C)His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God,

⁷ And I heard ^[a]another from the altar saying, “Even so, ^(A)Lord God Almighty, ^(B)true and righteous are Your judgments.”