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Revelation 5-7
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Revelation 5-7
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Scroll and the Lamb
5 Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed[a] with seven seals,(A) 2 and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. 4 And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”(B)
6 Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered, with seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.(C) 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne. 8 When he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.(D) 9 They sing a new song:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to break its seals,
for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God
saints from[b] every tribe and language and people and nation;(E)
10 you have made them a kingdom and priests serving[c] our God,
and they will reign[d] on earth.”(F)
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,(G) 12 singing with full voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”
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, singing,
“To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might
forever and ever!”(H)
14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the elders fell down and worshiped.
The Seven Seals
6 Then I saw the Lamb break one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures call out, as with a voice of thunder, “Come!”[e](I) 2 I looked, and there was a white horse! Its rider had a bow; a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering and to conquer.(J)
3 When he broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature call out, “Come!”[f] 4 And out came[g] another horse, bright red; its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another, and he was given a great sword.(K)
5 When he broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature call out, “Come!”[h] I looked, and there was a black horse! Its rider held a pair of scales in his hand,(L) 6 and I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s pay[i] and three quarts of barley for a day’s pay,[j] but do not damage the olive oil and the wine!”
7 When he broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature call out, “Come!”[k] 8 I looked, and there was a pale green horse! Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed with him; they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, famine, and pestilence and by the wild animals of the earth.(M)
9 When he broke the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they had given;(N) 10 they cried out with a loud voice, “Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?”(O) 11 They were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number would be complete both of their fellow servants and of their brothers and sisters who were soon to be killed as they themselves had been killed.(P)
12 When he broke the sixth seal, I looked, and there was a great earthquake; the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood,(Q) 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree drops its winter fruit when shaken by a gale.(R) 14 The sky vanished like a scroll rolling itself up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.(S) 15 Then the kings of the earth and the magnates and the generals and the rich and the powerful and everyone, slave and free, hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains,(T) 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb,(U) 17 for the great day of their[l] wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”(V)
The 144,000 of Israel Sealed
7 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind could blow on earth or sea or against any tree.(W) 2 I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to damage earth and sea, 3 saying, “Do not damage the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have marked the servants of our God with a seal on their foreheads.”(X)
4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the people of Israel:(Y)
5 From the tribe of Judah twelve thousand sealed,
from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand,
6 from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand,
7 from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand,
8 from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand sealed.
The Multitude from Every Nation
9 After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.(Z) 10 They cried out in a loud voice, saying,
“Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb!”(AA)
11 And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 singing,
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor
and power and might
be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”(AB)
13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.(AC)
15 For this reason they are before the throne of God
and worship him day and night within his temple,
and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.(AD)
16 They will hunger no more and thirst no more;
the sun will not strike them,
nor any scorching heat,(AE)
17 for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”(AF)
Revelation 5-7
New International Version
Revelation 5-7
New International Version
The Scroll and the Lamb
5 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne(A) a scroll with writing on both sides(B) and sealed(C) with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel(D) proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion(E) of the tribe of Judah,(F) the Root of David,(G) has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 Then I saw a Lamb,(H) looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures(I) and the elders.(J) The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes,(K) which are the seven spirits[a](L) of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.(M) 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures(N) and the twenty-four elders(O) fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp(P) and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers(Q) of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:(R)
“You are worthy(S) to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood(T) you purchased(U) for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.(V)
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests(W) to serve our God,
and they will reign[b] on the earth.”(X)
11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand.(Y) They encircled the throne and the living creatures(Z) and the elders.(AA) 12 In a loud voice they were saying:
“Worthy is the Lamb,(AB) who was slain,(AC)
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”(AD)
13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth(AE) and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:
“To him who sits on the throne(AF) and to the Lamb(AG)
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”(AH)
14 The four living creatures(AI) said, “Amen,”(AJ) and the elders(AK) fell down and worshiped.(AL)
The Seals
6 I watched as the Lamb(AM) opened the first of the seven seals.(AN) Then I heard one of the four living creatures(AO) say in a voice like thunder,(AP) “Come!” 2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse!(AQ) Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown,(AR) and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.(AS)
3 When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature(AT) say, “Come!” 4 Then another horse came out, a fiery red one.(AU) Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth(AV) 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(AW) say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse!(AX) 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,(AY) saying, “Two pounds[c] of wheat for a day’s wages,[d] and six pounds[e] of barley for a day’s wages,[f](AZ) and do not damage(BA) the oil and the wine!”
7 When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature(BB) say, “Come!” 8 I looked, and there before me was a pale horse!(BC) Its rider was named Death, and Hades(BD) 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.(BE)
9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under(BF) the altar(BG) the souls of those who had been slain(BH) because of the word of God(BI) and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long,(BJ) Sovereign Lord,(BK) holy and true,(BL) until you judge the inhabitants of the earth(BM) and avenge our blood?”(BN) 11 Then each of them was given a white robe,(BO) and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,[g] were killed just as they had been.(BP)
12 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake.(BQ) The sun turned black(BR) like sackcloth(BS) made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth,(BT) as figs drop from a fig tree(BU) when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up,(BV) and every mountain and island was removed from its place.(BW)
15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free,(BX) hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains.(BY) 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us(BZ) and hide us[h] from the face of him who sits on the throne(CA) and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day(CB) of their[i] wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”(CC)
144,000 Sealed
7 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners(CD) of the earth, holding back the four winds(CE) of the earth to prevent(CF) any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal(CG) of the living God.(CH) He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea:(CI) 3 “Do not harm(CJ) the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads(CK) of the servants of our God.” 4 Then I heard the number(CL) of those who were sealed: 144,000(CM) from all the tribes of Israel.
5 From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed,
from the tribe of Reuben 12,000,
from the tribe of Gad 12,000,
6 from the tribe of Asher 12,000,
from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000,
from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,
7 from the tribe of Simeon 12,000,
from the tribe of Levi 12,000,
from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,
8 from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000,
from the tribe of Joseph 12,000,
from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.
The Great Multitude in White Robes
9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language,(CN) standing before the throne(CO) and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes(CP) and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:
11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders(CS) and the four living creatures.(CT) They fell down on their faces(CU) before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:
“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”(CV)
13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes(CW)—who are they, and where did they come from?”
14 I answered, “Sir, you know.”
And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes(CX) and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.(CY) 15 Therefore,
“they are before the throne of God(CZ)
and serve him(DA) day and night in his temple;(DB)
and he who sits on the throne(DC)
will shelter them with his presence.(DD)
16 ‘Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.(DE)
The sun will not beat down on them,’[j]
nor any scorching heat.(DF)
17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne
will be their shepherd;(DG)
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’[k](DH)
‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’[l]”(DI)
Footnotes
- Revelation 5:6 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
- Revelation 5:10 Some manuscripts they reign
- Revelation 6:6 Or about 1 kilogram
- Revelation 6:6 Greek a denarius
- Revelation 6:6 Or about 3 kilograms
- Revelation 6:6 Greek a denarius
- Revelation 6:11 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 12:10; 19:10.
- Revelation 6:16 See Hosea 10:8.
- Revelation 6:17 Some manuscripts his
- Revelation 7:16 Isaiah 49:10
- Revelation 7:17 Isaiah 49:10
- Revelation 7:17 Isaiah 25:8
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.