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Revelation 12-18
The Message
Revelation 12-18
The Message
The Woman, Her Son, and the Dragon
12 1-2 A great Sign appeared in Heaven: a Woman dressed all in sunlight, standing on the moon, and crowned with Twelve Stars. She was giving birth to a Child and cried out in the pain of childbirth.
3-4 And then another Sign alongside the first: a huge and fiery Dragon! It had seven heads and ten horns, a crown on each of the seven heads. With one flick of its tail it knocked a third of the Stars from the sky and dumped them on earth. The Dragon crouched before the Woman in childbirth, poised to eat up the Child when it came.
5-6 The Woman gave birth to a Son who will shepherd all nations with an iron rod. Her Son was seized and placed safely before God on his Throne. The Woman herself escaped to the desert to a place of safety prepared by God, all comforts provided her for 1,260 days.
7-12 War broke out in Heaven. Michael and his Angels fought the Dragon. The Dragon and his Angels fought back, but were no match for Michael. They were cleared out of Heaven, not a sign of them left. The great Dragon—ancient Serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, the one who led the whole earth astray—thrown out, and all his Angels thrown out with him, thrown down to earth. Then I heard a strong voice out of Heaven saying,
Salvation and power are established!
Kingdom of our God, authority of his Messiah!
The Accuser of our brothers and sisters thrown out,
who accused them day and night before God.
They defeated him through the blood of the Lamb
and the bold word of their witness.
They weren’t in love with themselves;
they were willing to die for Christ.
So rejoice, O Heavens, and all who live there,
but doom to earth and sea,
For the Devil’s come down on you with both feet;
he’s had a great fall;
He’s wild and raging with anger;
he hasn’t much time and he knows it.
13-17 When the Dragon saw he’d been thrown to earth, he went after the Woman who had given birth to the Man-Child. The Woman was given wings of a great eagle to fly to a place in the desert to be kept in safety and comfort for a time and times and half a time, safe and sound from the Serpent. The Serpent vomited a river of water to swamp and drown her, but earth came to her help, swallowing the water the Dragon spewed from its mouth. Helpless with rage, the Dragon raged at the Woman, then went off to make war with the rest of her children, the children who keep God’s commands and hold firm to the witness of Jesus.
The Beast from the Sea
13 1-2 And the Dragon stood on the shore of the sea. I saw a Beast rising from the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads—on each horn a crown, and each head inscribed with a blasphemous name. The Beast I saw looked like a leopard with bear paws and a lion’s mouth. The Dragon turned over its power to it, its throne and great authority.
3-4 One of the Beast’s heads looked as if it had been struck a deathblow, and then healed. The whole earth was agog, gaping at the Beast. They worshiped the Dragon who gave the Beast authority, and they worshiped the Beast, exclaiming, “There’s never been anything like the Beast! No one would dare go to war with the Beast!”
5-8 The Beast had a loud mouth, boastful and blasphemous. It could do anything it wanted for forty-two months. It yelled blasphemies against God, blasphemed his Name, blasphemed his Church, especially those already dwelling with God in Heaven. It was permitted to make war on God’s holy people and conquer them. It held absolute sway over all tribes and peoples, tongues and races. Everyone on earth whose name was not written from the world’s foundation in the slaughtered Lamb’s Book of Life will worship the Beast.
9-10 Are you listening to this? They’ve made their bed; now they must lie in it. Anyone marked for prison goes straight to prison; anyone pulling a sword goes down by the sword. Meanwhile, God’s holy people passionately and faithfully stand their ground.
The Beast from Under the Ground
11-12 I saw another Beast rising out of the ground. It had two horns like a lamb but sounded like a dragon when it spoke. It was a puppet of the first Beast, made earth and everyone in it worship the first Beast, which had been healed of its deathblow.
13-17 This second Beast worked magical signs, dazzling people by making fire come down from Heaven. It used the magic it got from the Beast to dupe earth dwellers, getting them to make an image of the Beast that received the deathblow and lived. It was able to animate the image of the Beast so that it talked, and then arrange that anyone not worshiping the Beast would be killed. It forced all people, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to have a mark on the right hand or forehead. Without the mark of the name of the Beast or the number of its name, it was impossible to buy or sell anything.
18 Solve a riddle: Put your heads together and figure out the meaning of the number of the Beast. It’s a human number: 666.
A Perfect Offering
14 1-2 I saw—it took my breath away!—the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, 144,000 standing there with him, his Name and the Name of his Father inscribed on their foreheads. And I heard a voice out of Heaven, the sound like rapids, like the crash of thunder.
2-5 And then I heard music, harp music and the harpists singing a new song before the Throne and the Four Animals and the Elders. Only the 144,000 could learn to sing the song. They were bought from earth, lived without compromise, virgin-fresh before God. Wherever the Lamb went, they followed. They were bought from humankind, firstfruits of the harvest for God and the Lamb. Not a false word in their mouths. A perfect offering.
Voices from Heaven
6-7 I saw another Angel soaring in Middle-Heaven. He had an Eternal Message to preach to all who were still on earth, every nation and tribe, every tongue and people. He preached in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory! His hour of judgment has come! Worship the Maker of Heaven and earth, salt sea and fresh water!”
8 A second Angel followed, calling out, “Ruined, ruined, Great Babylon ruined! She made all the nations drunk on the wine of her whoring!”
9-11 A third Angel followed, shouting, warning, “If anyone worships the Beast and its image and takes the mark on forehead or hand, that person will drink the wine of God’s wrath, prepared unmixed in his chalice of anger, and suffer torment from fire and brimstone in the presence of Holy Angels, in the presence of the Lamb. Smoke from their torment will rise age after age. No respite for those who worship the Beast and its image, who take the mark of its name.”
12 Meanwhile, the saints stand passionately patient, keeping God’s commands, staying faithful to Jesus.
13 I heard a voice out of Heaven, “Write this: Blessed are those who die in the Master from now on; how blessed to die that way!”
“Yes,” says the Spirit, “and blessed rest from their hard, hard work. None of what they’ve done is wasted; God blesses them for it all in the end.”
Harvest Time
14-16 I looked up, I caught my breath!—a white cloud and one like the Son of Man sitting on it. He wore a gold crown and held a sharp sickle. Another Angel came out of the Temple, shouting to the Cloud-Enthroned, “Swing your sickle and reap. It’s harvest time. Earth’s harvest is ripe for reaping.” The Cloud-Enthroned gave a mighty sweep of his sickle, began harvesting earth in a stroke.
17-18 Then another Angel came out of the Temple in Heaven. He also had a sharp sickle. Yet another Angel, the one in charge of tending the fire, came from the Altar. He thundered to the Angel who held the sharp sickle, “Swing your sharp sickle. Harvest earth’s vineyard. The grapes are bursting with ripeness.”
19-20 The Angel swung his sickle, harvested earth’s vintage, and heaved it into the winepress, the giant winepress of God’s wrath. The winepress was outside the City. As the vintage was trodden, blood poured from the winepress as high as a horse’s bridle, a river of blood for two hundred miles.
The Song of Moses, the Song of the Lamb
15 I saw another Sign in Heaven, huge and breathtaking: seven Angels with seven disasters. These are the final disasters, the wrap-up of God’s wrath.
2-4 I saw something like a sea made of glass, the glass all shot through with fire. Carrying harps of God, triumphant over the Beast, its image, and the number of its name, the saved ones stood on the sea of glass. They sang the Song of Moses, servant of God; they sang the Song of the Lamb:
Mighty your acts and marvelous,
O God, the Sovereign-Strong!
Righteous your ways and true,
King of the nations!
Who can fail to fear you, God,
give glory to your Name?
Because you and you only are holy,
all nations will come and worship you,
because they see your judgments are right.
5-8 Then I saw the doors of the Temple, the Tent of Witness in Heaven, open wide. The Seven Angels carrying the seven disasters came out of the Temple. They were dressed in clean, bright linen and wore gold vests. One of the Four Animals handed the Seven Angels seven gold bowls, brimming with the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. Smoke from God’s glory and power poured out of the Temple. No one was permitted to enter the Temple until the seven disasters of the Seven Angels were finished.
Pouring Out the Seven Disasters
16 I heard a shout of command from the Temple to the Seven Angels: “Begin! Pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on earth!”
2 The first Angel stepped up and poured his bowl out on earth: Loathsome, stinking sores erupted on all who had taken the mark of the Beast and worshiped its image.
3 The second Angel poured his bowl on the sea: The sea coagulated into blood, and everything in it died.
4-7 The third Angel poured his bowl on rivers and springs: The waters turned to blood. I heard the Angel of Waters say,
Righteous you are, and your judgments are righteous,
The Is, The Was, The Holy.
They poured out the blood of saints and prophets
so you’ve given them blood to drink—
they’ve gotten what they deserve!
Just then I heard the Altar chime in,
Yes, O God, the Sovereign-Strong!
Your judgments are true and just!
8-9 The fourth Angel poured his bowl on the sun: Fire blazed from the sun and scorched men and women. Burned and blistered, they cursed God’s Name, the God behind these disasters. They refused to repent, refused to honor God.
10-11 The fifth Angel poured his bowl on the throne of the Beast: Its kingdom fell into sudden eclipse. Mad with pain, men and women bit and chewed their tongues, cursed the God-of-Heaven for their torment and sores, and refused to repent and change their ways.
12-14 The sixth Angel poured his bowl on the great Euphrates River: It dried up to nothing. The dry riverbed became a fine roadbed for the kings from the East. From the mouths of the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet I saw three foul demons crawl out—they looked like frogs. These are demon spirits performing signs. They’re after the kings of the whole world to get them gathered for battle on the Great Day of God, the Sovereign-Strong.
15 “Keep watch! I come unannounced, like a thief. You’re blessed if, awake and dressed, you’re ready for me. Too bad if you’re found running through the streets, naked and ashamed.”
16 The frog-demons gathered the kings together at the place called in Hebrew Armageddon.
17-21 The seventh Angel poured his bowl into the air: From the Throne in the Temple came a shout, “Done!” followed by lightning flashes and shouts, thunder crashes and a colossal earthquake—a huge and devastating earthquake, never an earthquake like it since time began. The Great City split three ways, the cities of the nations toppled to ruin. Great Babylon had to drink the wine of God’s raging anger—God remembered to give her the cup! Every island fled and not a mountain was to be found. Hailstones weighing close to a hundred pounds plummeted, crushing and smashing men and women as they cursed God for the hail, the epic disaster of hail.
Great Babylon, Mother of Whores
17 1-2 One of the Seven Angels who carried the seven bowls came and invited me, “Come, I’ll show you the judgment of the great Whore who sits enthroned over many waters, the Whore with whom the kings of the earth have gone whoring, show you the judgment on earth dwellers drunk on her whorish lust.”
3-6 In the Spirit he carried me out in the desert. I saw a woman mounted on a Scarlet Beast. Stuffed with blasphemies, the Beast had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, festooned with gold and gems and pearls. She held a gold chalice in her hand, brimming with defiling obscenities, her foul fornications. A riddle-name was branded on her forehead: great babylon, mother of whores and abominations of the earth. I could see that the woman was drunk, drunk on the blood of God’s holy people, drunk on the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.
6-8 Astonished, I rubbed my eyes. I shook my head in wonder. The Angel said, “Does this surprise you? Let me tell you the riddle of the woman and the Beast she rides, the Beast with seven heads and ten horns. The Beast you saw once was, is no longer, and is about to ascend from the Abyss and head straight for Hell. Earth dwellers whose names weren’t written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world will be dazzled when they see the Beast that once was, is no longer, and is to come.
9-11 “But don’t drop your guard. Use your head. The seven heads are seven hills; they are where the woman sits. They are also seven kings: five dead, one living, the other not yet here—and when he does come his time will be brief. The Beast that once was and is no longer is both an eighth and one of the seven—and headed for Hell.
12-14 “The ten horns you saw are ten kings, but they’re not yet in power. They will come to power with the Scarlet Beast, but won’t last long—a very brief reign. These kings will agree to turn over their power and authority to the Beast. They will go to war against the Lamb but the Lamb will defeat them, proof that he is Lord over all lords, King over all kings, and those with him will be the called, chosen, and faithful.”
15-18 The Angel continued, “The waters you saw on which the Whore was enthroned are peoples and crowds, nations and languages. And the ten horns you saw, together with the Beast, will turn on the Whore—they’ll hate her, violate her, strip her naked, rip her apart with their teeth, then set fire to her. It was God who put the idea in their heads to turn over their rule to the Beast until the words of God are completed. The woman you saw is the great city, tyrannizing the kings of the earth.”
Doom to the City of Darkness
18 1-8 Following this I saw another Angel descend from Heaven. His authority was immense, his glory flooded earth with brightness, his voice thunderous:
Ruined, ruined, Great Babylon, ruined!
A ghost town for demons is all that’s left!
A garrison of carrion spirits,
garrison of loathsome, carrion birds.
All nations drank the wild wine of her whoring;
kings of the earth went whoring with her;
entrepreneurs made millions exploiting her.
Just then I heard another shout out of Heaven:
Get out, my people, as fast as you can,
so you don’t get mixed up in her sins,
so you don’t get caught in her doom.
Her sins stink to high Heaven;
God has remembered every evil she’s done.
Give her back what she’s given,
double what she’s doubled in her works,
double the recipe in the cup she mixed;
Bring her flaunting and wild ways
to torment and tears.
Because she gloated, “I’m queen over all,
and no widow, never a tear on my face,”
In one day, disasters will crush her—
death, heartbreak, and famine—
Then she’ll be burned by fire, because God,
the Strong God who judges her,
has had enough.
9-10 “The kings of the earth will see the smoke of her burning, and they’ll cry and carry on, the kings who went night after night to her brothel. They’ll keep their distance for fear they’ll get burned, and they’ll cry their lament:
Doom, doom, the great city doomed!
City of Babylon, strong city!
In one hour it’s over, your judgment come!
11-17 “The traders will cry and carry on because the bottom dropped out of business, no more market for their goods: gold, silver, precious gems, pearls; fabrics of fine linen, purple, silk, scarlet; perfumed wood and vessels of ivory, precious woods, bronze, iron, and marble; cinnamon and spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; wine and oil, flour and wheat; cattle, sheep, horses, and chariots. And slaves—their terrible traffic in human lives.
Everything you’ve lived for, gone!
All delicate and delectable luxury, lost!
Not a scrap, not a thread to be found!
“The traders who made millions off her kept their distance for fear of getting burned, and cried and carried on all the more:
Doom, doom, the great city doomed!
Dressed in the latest fashions,
adorned with the finest jewels,
in one hour such wealth wiped out!
17-19 “All the ship captains and travelers by sea, sailors and toilers of the sea, stood off at a distance and cried their lament when they saw the smoke from her burning: ‘Oh, what a city! There was never a city like her!’ They threw dust on their heads and cried as if the world had come to an end:
Doom, doom, the great city doomed!
All who owned ships or did business by sea
Got rich on her getting and spending.
And now it’s over—wiped out in one hour!
20 “O Heaven, celebrate! And join in, saints, apostles, and prophets! God has judged her; every wrong you suffered from her has been judged.”
21-24 A strong Angel reached for a boulder—huge, like a millstone—and heaved it into the sea, saying,
Heaved and sunk, the great city Babylon,
sunk in the sea, not a sign of her ever again.
Silent the music of harpists and singers—
you’ll never hear flutes and trumpets again.
Artisans of every kind—gone;
you’ll never see their likes again.
The voice of a millstone grinding falls dumb;
you’ll never hear that sound again.
The light from lamps, never again;
never again laughter of bride and groom.
Her traders robbed the whole earth blind,
and by black-magic arts deceived the nations.
The only thing left of Babylon is blood—
the blood of saints and prophets,
the murdered and the martyred.
Revelation 12-18
New International Version
Revelation 12-18
New International Version
The Woman and the Dragon
12 A great sign(A) appeared in heaven:(B) a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars(C) on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain(D) as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven:(E) an enormous red dragon(F) with seven heads(G) and ten horns(H) and seven crowns(I) on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third(J) of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth.(K) The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child(L) the moment he was born. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.”[a](M) And her child was snatched up(N) to God and to his throne. 6 The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.(O)
7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael(P) and his angels fought against the dragon,(Q) and the dragon and his angels(R) fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent(S) called the devil,(T) or Satan,(U) who leads the whole world astray.(V) He was hurled to the earth,(W) and his angels with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven(X) say:
“Now have come the salvation(Y) and the power
and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,(Z)
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down.
11 They triumphed over(AA) him
by the blood of the Lamb(AB)
and by the word of their testimony;(AC)
they did not love their lives so much
as to shrink from death.(AD)
12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens(AE)
and you who dwell in them!
But woe(AF) to the earth and the sea,(AG)
because the devil has gone down to you!
He is filled with fury,
because he knows that his time is short.”
13 When the dragon(AH) saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.(AI) 14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle,(AJ) so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time,(AK) out of the serpent’s reach. 15 Then from his mouth the serpent(AL) spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war(AM) against the rest of her offspring(AN)—those who keep God’s commands(AO) and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.(AP)
The Beast out of the Sea
13 The dragon[b] stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea.(AQ) It had ten horns and seven heads,(AR) with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.(AS) 2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard,(AT) but had feet like those of a bear(AU) and a mouth like that of a lion.(AV) The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.(AW) 3 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed.(AX) The whole world was filled with wonder(AY) and followed the beast. 4 People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like(AZ) the beast? Who can wage war against it?”
5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies(BA) and to exercise its authority for forty-two months.(BB) 6 It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.(BC) 7 It was given power to wage war(BD) against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.(BE) 8 All inhabitants of the earth(BF) will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life,(BG) the Lamb(BH) who was slain from the creation of the world.[c](BI)
9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.(BJ)
10 “If anyone is to go into captivity,
into captivity they will go.
If anyone is to be killed[d] with the sword,
with the sword they will be killed.”[e](BK)
This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness(BL) on the part of God’s people.(BM)
The Beast out of the Earth
11 Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth.(BN) It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon.(BO) 12 It exercised all the authority(BP) of the first beast on its behalf,(BQ) and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast,(BR) whose fatal wound had been healed.(BS) 13 And it performed great signs,(BT) even causing fire to come down from heaven(BU) to the earth in full view of the people. 14 Because of the signs(BV) it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived(BW) the inhabitants of the earth.(BX) It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.(BY) 15 The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship(BZ) the image to be killed.(CA) 16 It also forced all people, great and small,(CB) rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads,(CC) 17 so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark,(CD) which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.(CE)
18 This calls for wisdom.(CF) Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man.[f](CG) That number is 666.
The Lamb and the 144,000
14 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb,(CH) standing on Mount Zion,(CI) and with him 144,000(CJ) who had his name and his Father’s name(CK) written on their foreheads.(CL) 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters(CM) and like a loud peal of thunder.(CN) The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.(CO) 3 And they sang a new song(CP) before the throne and before the four living creatures(CQ) and the elders.(CR) No one could learn the song except the 144,000(CS) who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins.(CT) They follow the Lamb wherever he goes.(CU) They were purchased from among mankind(CV) and offered as firstfruits(CW) to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths;(CX) they are blameless.(CY)
The Three Angels
6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair,(CZ) and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth(DA)—to every nation, tribe, language and people.(DB) 7 He said in a loud voice, “Fear God(DC) and give him glory,(DD) because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made(DE) the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”(DF)
8 A second angel followed and said, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’[g](DG) which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.”(DH)
9 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast(DI) and its image(DJ) and receives its mark on their forehead(DK) or on their hand, 10 they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury,(DL) which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath.(DM) They will be tormented with burning sulfur(DN) in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever.(DO) There will be no rest day or night(DP) for those who worship the beast and its image,(DQ) or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”(DR) 12 This calls for patient endurance(DS) on the part of the people of God(DT) who keep his commands(DU) and remain faithful to Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord(DV) from now on.”
“Yes,” says the Spirit,(DW) “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”
Harvesting the Earth and Trampling the Winepress
14 I looked, and there before me was a white cloud,(DX) and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man[h](DY) with a crown(DZ) of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple(EA) and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle(EB) and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest(EC) of the earth is ripe.” 16 So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.
17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle.(ED) 18 Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar(EE) and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, “Take your sharp sickle(EF) and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.” 19 The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath.(EG) 20 They were trampled in the winepress(EH) outside the city,(EI) and blood(EJ) flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.[i]
Seven Angels With Seven Plagues
15 I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign:(EK) seven angels(EL) with the seven last plagues(EM)—last, because with them God’s wrath is completed. 2 And I saw what looked like a sea of glass(EN) glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious(EO) over the beast(EP) and its image(EQ) and over the number of its name.(ER) They held harps(ES) given them by God 3 and sang the song of God’s servant(ET) Moses(EU) and of the Lamb:(EV)
“Great and marvelous are your deeds,(EW)
Lord God Almighty.(EX)
Just and true are your ways,(EY)
King of the nations.[j]
4 Who will not fear you, Lord,(EZ)
and bring glory to your name?(FA)
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship before you,(FB)
for your righteous acts(FC) have been revealed.”[k]
5 After this I looked, and I saw in heaven the temple(FD)—that is, the tabernacle of the covenant law(FE)—and it was opened.(FF) 6 Out of the temple(FG) came the seven angels with the seven plagues.(FH) They were dressed in clean, shining linen(FI) and wore golden sashes around their chests.(FJ) 7 Then one of the four living creatures(FK) gave to the seven angels(FL) seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever.(FM) 8 And the temple was filled with smoke(FN) from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple(FO) until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.
The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath
16 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple(FP) saying to the seven angels,(FQ) “Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.”(FR)
2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land,(FS) and ugly, festering sores(FT) broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.(FU)
3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.(FV)
4 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water,(FW) and they became blood.(FX) 5 Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say:
“You are just in these judgments,(FY) O Holy One,(FZ)
you who are and who were;(GA)
6 for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets,(GB)
and you have given them blood to drink(GC) as they deserve.”
7 And I heard the altar(GD) respond:
8 The fourth angel(GG) poured out his bowl on the sun,(GH) and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire.(GI) 9 They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God,(GJ) who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent(GK) and glorify him.(GL)
10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast,(GM) and its kingdom was plunged into darkness.(GN) People gnawed their tongues in agony 11 and cursed(GO) the God of heaven(GP) because of their pains and their sores,(GQ) but they refused to repent of what they had done.(GR)
12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates,(GS) and its water was dried up to prepare the way(GT) for the kings from the East.(GU) 13 Then I saw three impure spirits(GV) that looked like frogs;(GW) they came out of the mouth of the dragon,(GX) out of the mouth of the beast(GY) and out of the mouth of the false prophet.(GZ) 14 They are demonic spirits(HA) that perform signs,(HB) and they go out to the kings of the whole world,(HC) to gather them for the battle(HD) on the great day(HE) of God Almighty.
15 “Look, I come like a thief!(HF) Blessed is the one who stays awake(HG) and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”(HH)
16 Then they gathered the kings together(HI) to the place that in Hebrew(HJ) is called Armageddon.(HK)
17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air,(HL) and out of the temple(HM) came a loud voice(HN) from the throne, saying, “It is done!”(HO) 18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder(HP) and a severe earthquake.(HQ) No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth,(HR) so tremendous was the quake. 19 The great city(HS) split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered(HT) Babylon the Great(HU) and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath.(HV) 20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found.(HW) 21 From the sky huge hailstones,(HX) each weighing about a hundred pounds,[l] fell on people. And they cursed God(HY) on account of the plague of hail,(HZ) because the plague was so terrible.
Babylon, the Prostitute on the Beast
17 One of the seven angels(IA) who had the seven bowls(IB) came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment(IC) of the great prostitute,(ID) who sits by many waters.(IE) 2 With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”(IF)
3 Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit(IG) into a wilderness.(IH) There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet(II) beast that was covered with blasphemous names(IJ) and had seven heads and ten horns.(IK) 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls.(IL) She held a golden cup(IM) in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries.(IN) 5 The name written on her forehead was a mystery:(IO)
6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people,(IR) the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.
When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. 7 Then the angel said to me: “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery(IS) of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns.(IT) 8 The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss(IU) and go to its destruction.(IV) The inhabitants of the earth(IW) whose names have not been written in the book of life(IX) from the creation of the world will be astonished(IY) when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come.
9 “This calls for a mind with wisdom.(IZ) The seven heads(JA) are seven hills on which the woman sits. 10 They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. 11 The beast who once was, and now is not,(JB) is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.
12 “The ten horns(JC) you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour(JD) will receive authority as kings along with the beast. 13 They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast.(JE) 14 They will wage war(JF) against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over(JG) them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings(JH)—and with him will be his called, chosen(JI) and faithful followers.”
15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters(JJ) you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.(JK) 16 The beast and the ten horns(JL) you saw will hate the prostitute.(JM) They will bring her to ruin(JN) and leave her naked;(JO) they will eat her flesh(JP) and burn her with fire.(JQ) 17 For God has put it into their hearts(JR) to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority,(JS) until God’s words are fulfilled.(JT) 18 The woman you saw is the great city(JU) that rules over the kings of the earth.”
Lament Over Fallen Babylon
18 After this I saw another angel(JV) coming down from heaven.(JW) He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor.(JX) 2 With a mighty voice he shouted:
“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’[m](JY)
She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,(JZ)
a haunt for every unclean bird,
a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.(KA)
3 For all the nations have drunk
the maddening wine of her adulteries.(KB)
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,(KC)
and the merchants of the earth grew rich(KD) from her excessive luxuries.”(KE)
Warning to Escape Babylon’s Judgment
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say:
“‘Come out of her, my people,’[n](KF)
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues;(KG)
5 for her sins are piled up to heaven,(KH)
and God has remembered(KI) her crimes.
6 Give back to her as she has given;
pay her back(KJ) double(KK) for what she has done.
Pour her a double portion from her own cup.(KL)
7 Give her as much torment and grief
as the glory and luxury she gave herself.(KM)
In her heart she boasts,
‘I sit enthroned as queen.
I am not a widow;[o]
I will never mourn.’(KN)
8 Therefore in one day(KO) her plagues will overtake her:
death, mourning and famine.
She will be consumed by fire,(KP)
for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.
Threefold Woe Over Babylon’s Fall
9 “When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her(KQ) and shared her luxury(KR) see the smoke of her burning,(KS) they will weep and mourn over her.(KT) 10 Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off(KU) and cry:
11 “The merchants(KX) of the earth will weep and mourn(KY) over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore(KZ)— 12 cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble;(LA) 13 cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.(LB)
14 “They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’ 15 The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her(LC) will stand far off,(LD) terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn(LE) 16 and cry out:
“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,(LF)
dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet,
and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls!(LG)
17 In one hour(LH) such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’(LI)
“Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea,(LJ) will stand far off.(LK) 18 When they see the smoke of her burning,(LL) they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city(LM)?’(LN) 19 They will throw dust on their heads,(LO) and with weeping and mourning(LP) cry out:
“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,(LQ)
where all who had ships on the sea
became rich through her wealth!
In one hour she has been brought to ruin!’(LR)
20 “Rejoice over her, you heavens!(LS)
Rejoice, you people of God!
Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her
with the judgment she imposed on you.”(LT)
The Finality of Babylon’s Doom
21 Then a mighty angel(LU) picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea,(LV) and said:
“With such violence
the great city(LW) of Babylon will be thrown down,
never to be found again.
22 The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters,
will never be heard in you again.(LX)
No worker of any trade
will ever be found in you again.
The sound of a millstone
will never be heard in you again.(LY)
23 The light of a lamp
will never shine in you again.
The voice of bridegroom and bride
will never be heard in you again.(LZ)
Your merchants were the world’s important people.(MA)
By your magic spell(MB) all the nations were led astray.
24 In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,(MC)
of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.”(MD)
Footnotes
- Revelation 12:5 Psalm 2:9
- Revelation 13:1 Some manuscripts And I
- Revelation 13:8 Or written from the creation of the world in the book of life belonging to the Lamb who was slain
- Revelation 13:10 Some manuscripts anyone kills
- Revelation 13:10 Jer. 15:2
- Revelation 13:18 Or is humanity’s number
- Revelation 14:8 Isaiah 21:9
- Revelation 14:14 See Daniel 7:13.
- Revelation 14:20 That is, about 180 miles or about 300 kilometers
- Revelation 15:3 Some manuscripts ages
- Revelation 15:4 Phrases in this song are drawn from Psalm 111:2,3; Deut. 32:4; Jer. 10:7; Psalms 86:9; 98:2.
- Revelation 16:21 Or about 45 kilograms
- Revelation 18:2 Isaiah 21:9
- Revelation 18:4 Jer. 51:45
- Revelation 18:7 See Isaiah 47:7,8.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
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