The Seals

I watched as the Lamb(A) opened the first of the seven seals.(B) Then I heard one of the four living creatures(C) say in a voice like thunder,(D) “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a white horse!(E) Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown,(F) and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.(G)

When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature(H) say, “Come!” Then another horse came out, a fiery red one.(I) Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth(J) and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.

When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature(K) say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse!(L) Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures,(M) saying, “Two pounds[a] of wheat for a day’s wages,[b] and six pounds[c] of barley for a day’s wages,[d](N) and do not damage(O) the oil and the wine!”

When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature(P) say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse!(Q) Its rider was named Death, and Hades(R) 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.(S)

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under(T) the altar(U) the souls of those who had been slain(V) because of the word of God(W) and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long,(X) Sovereign Lord,(Y) holy and true,(Z) until you judge the inhabitants of the earth(AA) and avenge our blood?”(AB) 11 Then each of them was given a white robe,(AC) and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,[e] were killed just as they had been.(AD)

12 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake.(AE) The sun turned black(AF) like sackcloth(AG) made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth,(AH) as figs drop from a fig tree(AI) when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up,(AJ) and every mountain and island was removed from its place.(AK)

15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free,(AL) hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains.(AM) 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us(AN) and hide us[f] from the face of him who sits on the throne(AO) and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day(AP) of their[g] wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”(AQ)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 6:6 Or about 1 kilogram
  2. Revelation 6:6 Greek a denarius
  3. Revelation 6:6 Or about 3 kilograms
  4. Revelation 6:6 Greek a denarius
  5. 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.
  6. Revelation 6:16 See Hosea 10:8.
  7. Revelation 6:17 Some manuscripts his

Unsealing the Scroll

1-2 I watched while the Lamb ripped off the first of the seven seals. I heard one of the Animals roar, “Come out!” I looked—I saw a white horse. Its rider carried a bow and was given a victory garland. He rode off victorious, conquering right and left.

3-4 When the Lamb ripped off the second seal, I heard the second Animal cry, “Come out!” Another horse appeared, this one red. Its rider was off to take peace from the earth, setting people at each other’s throats, killing one another. He was given a huge sword.

5-6 When he ripped off the third seal, I heard the third Animal cry, “Come out!” I looked. A black horse this time. Its rider carried a set of scales in his hand. I heard a message (it seemed to issue from the Four Animals): “A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, or three quarts of barley, but don’t lay even a finger on the oil and wine.”

7-8 When he ripped off the fourth seal, I heard the fourth Animal cry, “Come out!” I looked. A colorless horse, sickly pale. Its rider was Death, and Hell was close on its heels. They were given power to destroy a fourth of the earth by war, famine, disease, and wild beasts.

9-11 When he ripped off the fifth seal, I saw the souls of those killed because they had held firm in their witness to the Word of God. They were gathered under the Altar, and cried out in loud prayers, “How long, Strong God, Holy and True? How long before you step in and avenge our murders?” Then each martyr was given a white robe and told to sit back and wait until the full number of martyrs was filled from among their servant companions and friends in the faith.

12-17 I watched while he ripped off the sixth seal: a bone-jarring earthquake, sun turned black as ink, moon all bloody, stars falling out of the sky like figs shaken from a tree in a high wind, sky snapped shut like a book, islands and mountains sliding this way and that. And then pandemonium, everyone and his dog running for cover—kings, princes, generals, rich and strong, along with every commoner, slave or free. They hid in mountain caves and rocky dens, calling out to mountains and rocks, “Refuge! Hide us from the One Seated on the Throne and the wrath of the Lamb! The great Day of their wrath has come—who can stand it?”

Then I saw as the Lamb broke open one of the seven seals, and as if in a voice of thunder I heard one of the four living creatures call out, Come!

And I looked, and saw there a white horse whose rider carried a bow. And a crown was given him, and he rode forth conquering and to conquer.(A)

And when He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature call out, Come!

And another horse came out, flaming red. And its rider was empowered to take the peace from the earth, so that men slaughtered one another; and he was given a huge sword.

When He broke open the third seal, I heard the third living creature call out, Come and look! And I saw, and behold, a black horse, and in his hand the rider had a pair of scales (a balance).

And I heard what seemed to be a voice from the midst of the four living creatures, saying, A quart of wheat for a denarius [a whole day’s wages], and three quarts of barley for a denarius; but do not harm the oil and the wine!(B)

When the Lamb broke open the fourth seal, I heard the fourth living creature call out, Come!

So I looked, and behold, an ashy pale horse [[a]black and blue as if made so by bruising], and its rider’s name was Death, and Hades (the realm of the dead) followed him closely. And they were given authority and power over a fourth part of the earth to kill with the sword and with famine and with plague (pestilence, disease) and with wild beasts of the earth.(C)

When the Lamb broke open the fifth seal, I saw at the foot of the altar the souls of those whose lives had been sacrificed for [adhering to] the Word of God and for the testimony they had borne.

10 They cried in a loud voice, O [Sovereign] Lord, holy and true, how long now before You will sit in judgment and avenge our blood upon those who dwell on the earth?(D)

11 Then they were each given a [b]long and flowing and festive white robe and told to rest and wait patiently a little while longer, until the number should be complete of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

12 When He [the Lamb] broke open the sixth seal, I looked, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun grew black as sackcloth of hair, [the full disc of] the moon became like blood.(E)

13 And the stars of the sky dropped to the earth like a fig tree shedding its unripe fruit out of season when shaken by a strong wind.(F)

14 And the [c]sky rolled up like a scroll and vanished, and every mountain and island was dislodged from its place.

15 Then the kings of the earth and their noblemen and their magnates and their military chiefs and the wealthy and the strong and [everyone, whether] slave or free hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains,(G)

16 And they called to the mountains and the rocks, Fall on (before) us and hide us from the face of Him Who sits on the throne and from the [d]deep-seated indignation and wrath of the Lamb.(H)

17 For the great day of His wrath (vengeance, retribution, indignation) has come, and who is able to stand before it?(I)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 6:8 A description of the livid, ashen, discolored appearance of the dead; it symbolizes death and pestilence.
  2. Revelation 6:11 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
  3. Revelation 6:14 James Moulton and George Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament.
  4. Revelation 6:16 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.

The Lamb Opens the First Six Seals

I watched as the lamb opened the first of the seven seals. I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Go!” Then I looked, and there was a white horse, and its rider had a bow. He was given a crown and rode off as a warrior to win battles.

When the lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Go!” A second horse went out. It was fiery red. Its rider was given the power to take peace away from the earth and to make people slaughter one another. So he was given a large sword.

When the lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Go!” I looked, and there was a black horse, and its rider held a scale. I heard what sounded like a voice from among the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s pay or three quarts of barley for a day’s pay. But do not damage the olive oil and the wine.”

When the lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Go!” I looked, and there was a pale horse, and its rider’s name was Death. Hell followed him. They were given power over one-fourth of the earth to kill people using wars, famines, plagues, and the wild animals on the earth.

When the lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of God’s word and the testimony they had given about him. 10 They cried out in a loud voice, “Holy and true Master, how long before you judge and take revenge on those living on earth who shed our blood?” 11 Each of the souls was given a white robe. They were told to rest a little longer until all their coworkers, the other Christians, would be killed as they had been killed.

12 I watched as the lamb opened the sixth seal. A powerful earthquake struck. The sun turned as black as sackcloth made of hair. The full moon turned as red as blood. 13 The stars fell from the sky to the earth like figs dropping from a fig tree when it is shaken by a strong wind. 14 The sky vanished like a scroll being rolled up. Every mountain and island was moved from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth, the important people, the generals, the rich, the powerful, and all the slaves and free people hid themselves in caves and among the rocks in the mountains. 16 They said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us, and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the anger of the lamb, 17 because the frightening day of their anger has come, and who is able to endure it?”

Opening the Seven Seals

At the same time I saw the Lamb open the first of the seven seals, I heard one of the four living creatures shout with a voice like thunder. It said, “Come out!” (A) Then I saw a white horse. Its rider carried a bow and was given a crown. He had already won some victories, and he went out to win more.

When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come out!” (B) Then another horse came out. It was fiery red. And its rider was given the power to take away all peace from the earth, so people would slaughter one another. He was also given a big sword.

(C) When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come out!” Then I saw a black horse, and its rider had a balance scale in one hand. I heard what sounded like a voice from somewhere among the four living creatures. It said, “A liter of wheat will cost you a whole day's wages! Three liters of barley will cost you a day's wages too. But don't ruin the olive oil or the wine.”

When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come out!” (D) Then I saw a pale green horse. Its rider was named Death, and Death's Kingdom followed close behind. They were given power over one fourth of the earth, and they could kill its people with swords, famines, diseases, and wild animals.

When the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of everyone who had been killed for speaking God's message and telling about their faith. 10 They shouted, “Master, you are holy and faithful! How long will it be before you judge and punish the people of this earth who killed us?”

11 (E) Then each of those who had been killed was given a white robe and told to rest for a little while. They had to wait until the complete number of the Lord's other servants and followers would be killed.

12 (F) When I saw the Lamb open the sixth seal, I looked and saw a great earthquake. The sun turned as dark as sackcloth,[a] and the moon became red as blood. 13 (G) The stars in the sky fell to earth, just like figs shaken loose by a windstorm. 14 (H) Then the sky was rolled up like a scroll,[b] and all mountains and islands were moved from their places.

15 (I) The kings of the earth, its famous people, and its military leaders hid in caves or behind rocks on the mountains. They hid there together with the rich and the powerful and with all the slaves and free people. 16 (J) Then they shouted to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us! Hide us from the one who sits on the throne and from the anger of the Lamb. 17 (K) That terrible day has come! God and the Lamb will show their anger, and who can face it?”

Footnotes

  1. 6.12 sackcloth: A rough, dark-colored cloth made from goat or camel hair and used to make grain sacks. It was worn in times of trouble or sorrow.
  2. 6.14 scroll: See the note at 5.1.