The Seventh Seal

8 Now^[a] when the Lamb^[b] opened the seventh seal there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. ² Then^[c] I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. ³ Another^[d] angel holding^[e] a golden censer^[f] came and was stationed^[g] at the altar. A^[h] large amount of incense was given to him to offer up, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar that is before the throne. ⁴ The^[i] smoke coming from the incense,^[j] along with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. ⁵ Then^[k] the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it on the earth, and there were crashes of thunder, roaring,^[l] flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.

⁶ Now^[m] the seven angels holding^[n] the seven trumpets prepared to blow them.

⁷ The^[o] first angel blew his trumpet, and there was hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was thrown at the earth so that^[p] a third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

⁸ Then^[q] the second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain of burning fire was thrown into the sea. A^[r] third of the sea became blood, ⁹ and a third of the creatures^[s] living in the sea died, and a third of the ships were completely destroyed.^[t]

¹⁰ Then^[u] the third angel blew his trumpet, and a huge star burning like a torch fell from the sky;^[v] it landed^[w] on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. ¹¹ (Now^[x] the name of the star is^[y] Wormwood.)^[z] So^[aa] a third of the waters became wormwood,^[ab] and many people died from these waters because they were poisoned.^[ac]

¹² Then^[ad] the fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. And there was no light for a third of the day^[ae] and for a third of the night likewise. ¹³ Then^[af] I looked, and I heard an^[ag] eagle^[ah] flying directly overhead,^[ai] proclaiming with a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe to those who live on the earth because of the remaining sounds of the trumpets of the three angels who are about to blow them!”^[aj]

⁸ The sons of Aaron, the priests, must blow the trumpets, and they will be to you for an eternal ordinance throughout your generations. ⁹ If you go to war in your land against an adversary who opposes^[a] you, then you must sound an alarm with the trumpets, and you will be remembered before the Lord your God, and you will be saved^[b] from your enemies.

¹⁰ “Also, in the time when you rejoice, such as^[c] on your appointed festivals or^[d] at the beginnings of your months, you must blow with your trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings, so that they may^[e] become^[f] a memorial for you before your God: I am the Lord your God.”

² The Lord^[a] said to the man dressed in linen, “Go between the wheelwork^[b] underneath the cherubim.^[c] Fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city.” He went as I watched.

The Angel with the Little Scroll

10 Then^[a] I saw another powerful angel descending from heaven, wrapped^[b] in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun and his legs were like pillars of fire.^{[c] 2} He held^[d] in his hand a little scroll that was open, and he put his right foot on the sea and his left on the land. ³ Then^[e] he shouted in a loud voice like a lion roaring, and when he shouted, the seven thunders sounded their voices. ⁴ When the seven thunders spoke, I was preparing to write, but^[f] just then^[g] I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders spoke and do not write it down.” ⁵ Then^[h] the angel I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven ⁶ and swore by the one who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, and the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, “There will be no more delay!^{[i] 7} But in the days^[j] when the seventh angel is about to blow his trumpet, the mystery of God is completed,^[k] just as he has^[l] proclaimed to his servants^[m] the prophets.” ⁸ Then^[n] the voice I had heard from heaven began to speak^[o] to me^[p] again,^[q] “Go and take the open^[r] scroll in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” ⁹ So^[s] I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He^[t] said to me, “Take the scroll^[u] and eat it. It^[v] will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.” ¹⁰ So^[w] I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it, and it did taste^[x] as sweet as honey in my mouth, but^[y] when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. ¹¹ Then^[z] they^[aa] told me: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations,^[ab] languages, and kings.”

⁶ One said to the man clothed in linen who was above the waters of the river, “When will the end of these wondrous events occur?” ⁷ Then I heard the man clothed in linen who was over the waters of the river as he raised both his right and left hands to the sky^[a] and made an oath by the one who lives forever: “It is for a time, times, and half a time. Then, when the power of the one who shatters^[b] the holy people has been exhausted, all these things will be finished.”

The Fate of the Two Witnesses

11 Then^[a] a measuring rod^[b] like a staff was given to me, and I was told,^[c] “Get up and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and the ones who worship there. ² But^[d] do not measure the outer courtyard^[e] of the temple; leave it out,^[f] because it has been given to the Gentiles,^[g] and they will trample on the holy city^[h] for forty-two months. ³ And I will grant my two witnesses authority^[i] to prophesy for 1,260 days, dressed in sackcloth.” ⁴ (These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.)^{[j] 5} If^[k] anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouths^[l] and completely consumes^[m] their enemies. If^[n] anyone wants to harm them, they must be killed this way. ⁶ These two have the power^[o] to close up the sky so that it does not rain during the time^[p] they are prophesying. They^[q] have power^[r] to turn the waters to blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague whenever they want. ⁷ When^[s] they have completed their testimony, the beast that comes up from the abyss will make war on them and conquer^[t] them and kill them. ⁸ Their^[u] corpses will lie in the street^[v] of the great city that is symbolically^[w] called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was also crucified. ⁹ For three and a half days those from every^[x] people, tribe,^[y] nation, and language will look at their corpses, because they will not permit them to be placed in a tomb.^{[z] 10} And those who live on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate, even sending gifts to each other, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth. ¹¹ But^[aa] after three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and tremendous fear seized^[ab] those who were watching them. ¹² Then^[ac] they^[ad] heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them: “Come up here!” So the two prophets^[ae] went up to heaven in a cloud while^[af] their enemies stared at them. ¹³ Just then^[ag] a major earthquake took place and a tenth of the city collapsed; seven thousand people^[ah] were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

The Day of Atonement

16 The Lord spoke to Moses after the death of Aaron’s two sons when they approached the presence of the Lord^[a] and died, ² and the Lord said to Moses: “Tell Aaron your brother that he must not enter at any time into the Holy Place inside the special curtain^[b] in front of the atonement lid^[c] that is on the ark so that he may not die, for I will appear in the cloud over the atonement lid.

Day of Atonement Offerings

³ “In this way Aaron is to enter into the sanctuary—with a young bull^[d] for a sin offering^[e] and a ram for a burnt offering.^{[f] 4} He must put on a holy linen tunic,^[g] linen leggings are to cover his body,^[h] and he is to wrap himself with a linen sash^[i] and wrap his head with a linen turban.^[j] They are holy garments, so he must bathe^[k] his body in water and put them on. ⁵ He must also take^[l] two male goats^[m] from the congregation of the Israelites for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering. ⁶ Then Aaron is to present the sin offering bull which is for himself and is to make atonement on behalf of himself and his household. ⁷ Next he must take the two goats^[n] and stand them before the Lord at the entrance of the Meeting Tent, ⁸ and Aaron is to cast lots over the two goats,^[o] one lot for the Lord and one lot for Azazel.^{[p] 9} Aaron must then present the goat which has been designated by lot for the Lord,^[q] and he is to make it a sin offering, ¹⁰ but the goat which has been designated by lot for Azazel is to be stood alive^[r] before the Lord to make atonement on it by sending it away into the desert to Azazel.^[s]

The Sin-Offering Sacrificial Procedures

¹¹ “Aaron is to present the sin-offering bull which is for himself, and he is to make atonement on behalf of himself and his household. He is to slaughter the sin-offering bull which is for himself, ¹² and take a censer full of coals of fire from the altar before the Lord^[t] and a full double handful of finely ground fragrant incense,^[u] and bring them inside the curtain.^{[v] 13} He must then put the incense on the fire before the Lord, and the cloud of incense will cover the atonement lid which is above the ark of the testimony,^[w] so that he will not die.^{[x] 14} Then he is to take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the eastern face of the atonement lid,^[y] and in front of the atonement lid he is to sprinkle some of the blood seven times with his finger.^[z]

¹⁵ “Aaron^[aa] must then slaughter the sin-offering goat which is for the people. He is to bring its blood inside the curtain,^[ab] and he is to do with its blood just as he did to the blood of the bull: He is to sprinkle it on the atonement lid and in front of the atonement lid. ¹⁶ So^[ac] he is to make atonement for the Holy Place from the impurities of the Israelites and from their transgressions with regard to all their sins,^[ad] and thus he is to do for the Meeting Tent which resides with them in the midst of their impurities. ¹⁷ Nobody is to be in the Meeting Tent^[ae] when he enters to make atonement in the Holy Place until he goes out, and he has made atonement on his behalf, on behalf of his household, and on behalf of the whole assembly of Israel.

¹⁸ “Then^[af] Aaron^[ag] is to go out to the altar which is before the Lord and make atonement for it. He is to take^[ah] some of the blood of the bull and some of the blood of the goat, and put it all around on the horns of the altar. ¹⁹ Then he is to sprinkle on it some of the blood with his finger seven times, and cleanse and consecrate it^[ai] from the impurities of the Israelites.

The Live Goat Ritual Procedures

²⁰ “When Aaron^[aj] has finished purifying the Holy Place,^[ak] the Meeting Tent, and the altar, he is to present the live goat. ²¹ Aaron is to lay his two hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities of the Israelites and all their transgressions in regard to all their sins,^[al] and thus he is to put them^[am] on the head of the goat and send it away into the desert by the hand of a man standing ready.^{[an] 22} The goat is to bear on itself all their iniquities into an inaccessible land,^[ao] so he is to send the goat away^[ap] into the desert.

The Concluding Rituals

²³ “Aaron must then enter^[aq] the Meeting Tent and take off the linen garments which he had put on when he entered the sanctuary, and leave them there. ²⁴ Then he must bathe his body in water in the Holy Place, put on his clothes, and go out and make his burnt offering and the people’s burnt offering. So he is to make atonement^[ar] on behalf of himself and the people.^[as]

²⁵ “Then he is to offer up the fat of the sin offering^[at] in smoke on the altar, ²⁶ and the one who sent the goat away to Azazel^[au] must wash his clothes, bathe his body in water, and afterward he may reenter the camp. ²⁷ The bull of the sin offering and the goat of the sin offering, whose blood was brought to make atonement in the Holy Place, must be brought outside the camp^[av] and their hide, their flesh, and their dung must be burned up,^{[aw] 28} and the one who burns them must wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward he may reenter the camp.

Review of the Day of Atonement

²⁹ “This is to be a perpetual statute for you.^[ax] In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you must humble yourselves^[ay] and do no work of any kind,^[az] both the native citizen and the resident foreigner who lives^[ba] in your midst, ³⁰ for on this day atonement is to be made for you to cleanse you from all your sins; you must be clean before the Lord.^{[bb] 31} It is to be a Sabbath of complete rest for you, and you must humble yourselves.^[bc] It is a perpetual statute.^[bd]

³² “The priest who is anointed and ordained to act as high priest in place of his father^[be] is to make atonement. He is to put on the linen garments, the holy garments, ³³ and he is to purify^[bf] the Most Holy Place,^[bg] he is to purify the Meeting Tent and the altar,^[bh] and he is to make atonement for^[bi] the priests and for all the people of the assembly. ³⁴ This is to be a perpetual statute for you^[bj] to make atonement for the Israelites for^[bk] all their sins once a year.”^[bl] So he did just as the Lord had commanded Moses.^[bm]