The Seven Seals

Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of (A)the seven seals, and I heard (B)one of the four living creatures say (C)with a voice like thunder, (D)“Come!” And I looked, and behold, (E)a white horse! And (F)its rider had a bow, and (G)a crown was given to him, and he came out (H)conquering, and to conquer.

When he opened the second seal, I heard (I)the second living creature say, “Come!” And out came another horse, (J)bright red. Its rider was permitted (K)to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.

When he opened the third seal, I heard the (L)third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, (M)a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, (N)“A quart[a] of wheat for a denarius,[b] and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and (O)do not harm the oil and wine!”

When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of (P)the fourth living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, (Q)a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill (R)with sword and with famine and with pestilence and (S)by wild beasts of the earth.

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under (T)the altar (U)the souls of those who had been slain (V)for the word of God and for (W)the witness they had borne. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, (X)holy and true, (Y)how long (Z)before you will judge and (AA)avenge our blood on (AB)those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then they were each given (AC)a white robe and (AD)told to rest a little longer, (AE)until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers[c] (AF)should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, (AG)there was a great earthquake, and (AH)the sun became black as (AI)sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, 13 and (AJ)the stars of the sky fell to the earth (AK)as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14 (AL)The sky vanished (AM)like a scroll that is being rolled up, and (AN)every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave[d] and free, (AO)hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 (AP)calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of (AQ)him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for (AR)the great day of their wrath has come, and (AS)who can stand?”

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 6:6 Greek choinix, a dry measure equal to about a quart
  2. Revelation 6:6 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer
  3. Revelation 6:11 Or brothers and sisters. In New Testament usage, depending on the context, the plural Greek word adelphoi (translated “brothers”) may refer either to brothers or to brothers and sisters
  4. Revelation 6:15 For the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface

The First Seal on the Scroll

Then I saw[a] the Lamb open one of the seven[b] seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!”[c][d] I looked, and there was a white horse.(A) The horseman on it had a bow; a crown was given to him, and he went out as a victor to conquer.[e]

The Second Seal

When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!”[f][g] Then another horse went out, a fiery red one, and its horseman was empowered[h] to take peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another. And a large sword was given to him.(B)

The Third Seal

When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!”[i][j] And I looked, and there was a black horse. The horseman on it had a set of scales in his hand. Then I heard something like a voice among the four living creatures say, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius—but do not harm the olive oil and the wine.”

The Fourth Seal

When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!”[k][l] And I looked, and there was a pale green[m] horse. The horseman on it was named Death, and Hades was following after him. Authority was given to them[n](C) over a fourth of the earth, to kill by the sword, by famine, by plague, and by the wild animals of the earth.

The Fifth Seal

When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the people[o] slaughtered because of God’s word and the testimony they had.[p](D) 10 They cried out with a loud voice: “Lord,[q] the One who is holy and true, how long until You judge and avenge our blood from those who live on the earth?” 11 So a white robe was given to each of them, and they were told to rest a little while longer until the number would be completed of their fellow slaves and their brothers, who were going to be killed just as they had been.

The Sixth Seal

12 Then I saw Him open[r] the sixth seal. A violent earthquake occurred; the sun turned black like sackcloth(E) made of goat hair; the entire moon[s] became like blood; 13 the stars[t] of heaven fell to the earth as a fig tree drops its unripe figs when shaken by a high wind; 14 the sky separated like a scroll being rolled up; and every mountain and island was moved from its place.

15 Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the military commanders, the rich, the powerful, and every slave and free person hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains.(F) 16 And they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us(G) from the face of the One seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 because the great day of Their[u] wrath has come! And who is able to stand?”(H)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 6:1 Lit saw when
  2. Revelation 6:1 Other mss omit seven
  3. Revelation 6:1 Other mss add and see
  4. Revelation 6:1 Or Go!
  5. Revelation 6:2 Lit went out conquering and in order to conquer
  6. Revelation 6:3 Other mss add and see
  7. Revelation 6:3 Or Go!
  8. Revelation 6:4 Or was granted; lit was given
  9. Revelation 6:5 Other mss add and see
  10. Revelation 6:5 Or Go!
  11. Revelation 6:7 Other mss add and see
  12. Revelation 6:7 Or Go!
  13. Revelation 6:8 Or a greenish gray
  14. Revelation 6:8 Other mss read him
  15. Revelation 6:9 Lit souls
  16. Revelation 6:9 Other mss add about the Lamb
  17. Revelation 6:10 Or Master
  18. Revelation 6:12 Lit I saw when He opened
  19. Revelation 6:12 Or the full moon
  20. Revelation 6:13 Perhaps meteors
  21. Revelation 6:17 Other mss read His