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The 144,000 People of Israel

After ·the vision of these things [L this] I saw four angels standing at the four corners [C from every direction] of the earth. The angels were ·holding [restraining] the four winds [Dan. 7:2; 8:8; 11:4] of the earth to keep them from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Then I saw another angel coming up from the ·east [L rising of the sun] who had the seal [5:1] of the living God. And he ·called out [cried out; shouted] in a loud voice to the four angels to whom God had given power to ·harm [damage] the earth and the sea. He said to them, “Do not ·harm [damage] the land or the sea or the trees until we ·mark with a sign [place a seal upon] the foreheads [C to spare them from harm; Ezek. 9:4–6] of the ·people who serve [L the slaves/servants of] our God.” Then I heard how many people were ·marked with the sign [sealed]. There were one hundred forty-four thousand [C the square of 12 multiplied by 1000; a symbolic number indicating completeness] from every tribe of the ·people [children; sons] of Israel.

From the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were ·marked with the sign [sealed],
from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Manasseh [C one of the two sons of Joseph; he replaces Dan in the list, perhaps because the tribe of Dan fell into idolatry; Judg. 18] twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand [C in OT lists Manasseh and Ephraim are named instead of their father Joseph; here Joseph replaces Ephraim, perhaps because of Ephraim’s bad reputation],
and from the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were ·marked with the sign [sealed].

The Great Crowd Worships God

After ·the vision of these things [L these things] I looked, and ·there was a great number of people [L behold a great crowd/multitude], so many that no one could count them. They were from every nation, tribe, people, and language of the earth. They were all standing before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes [C signifying high status and purity] and holding palm branches [C used to celebrate a festive occasion, specifically a victory] in their hands. 10 They were ·shouting [crying out] in a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” 11 [L And] All the angels were standing around the throne and the elders [4:4] and the four living creatures. They all ·bowed [fell] down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen [C Hebrew for “so be it”]! ·Praise [Blessing], glory, wisdom, thanks, honor, power, and ·strength [might] belong to our God forever and ever. Amen!”

13 Then one of the elders asked me, “Who are these people dressed in white robes? Where did they come from?”

14 I answered, “You know, ·sir [or my lord].”

And the elder said to me, “These are the people who have come out of the great ·distress [persecution; tribulation]. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb [C having believed in Jesus, their sins are forgiven through Christ’s death and resurrection]. 15 Because of this, they are before the throne of God. They worship him day and night in his temple. And the One who sits on the throne will ·be present with [dwell with; or shelter; spread his tent over] them. 16 Those people will never be hungry again, and they will never be thirsty again. The sun will not ·hurt [strike; beat on; Is. 49:10] them, and no [scorching] heat will burn them, 17 because the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd [Ps. 23; John 10]. He will ·lead [guide] them to springs of ·water that give life [living water; the water of life; John 4:14]. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes [21:4; Is. 25:8].”

After meta this houtos I saw four tessares angels angelos standing histēmi at epi the ho four tessares corners gōnia of the ho earth holding back krateō the ho four tessares winds anemos of the ho earth , so that hina no wind anemos could blow pneō on epi the ho earth or mēte on epi the ho sea thalassa or mēte against epi any pas tree dendron. Then kai I saw another allos angel angelos ascending anabainō from apo the rising anatolē of the sun hēlios, with echō the seal sphragis of the living zaō God theos. And kai he called out krazō in a loud megas voice phōnē to the ho four tessares angels angelos who hos had been given didōmi power to harm adikeō the ho earth and kai the ho sea thalassa, saying legō, “ Do not harm adikeō the ho earth or mēte the ho sea thalassa or mēte the ho trees dendron until achri we have sealed sphragizō the ho servants of ho our hēmeis God theos on epi · ho their autos foreheads metōpon.”

And kai I heard akouō the ho number arithmos of those ho who were sealed sphragizō, one hundred hekaton forty-four tesserakonta tessares thousand chilias, sealed sphragizō from ek every pas tribe phylē of the sons hyios of Israel Israēl: from ek the tribe phylē of Judah Ioudas twelve dōdeka thousand chilias sealed sphragizō, from ek the tribe phylē of Reuben Rhoubēn twelve dōdeka thousand chilias, from ek the tribe phylē of Gad Gad twelve dōdeka thousand chilias, from ek the tribe phylē of Asher Asēr twelve dōdeka thousand chilias, from ek the tribe phylē of Naphtali Nephthalim twelve dōdeka thousand chilias, from ek the tribe phylē of Manasseh Manassēs twelve dōdeka thousand chilias, from ek the tribe phylē of Simeon Symeōn twelve dōdeka thousand chilias, from ek the tribe phylē of Levi Leui twelve dōdeka thousand chilias, from ek the tribe phylē of Issachar Issachar twelve dōdeka thousand chilias, from ek the tribe phylē of Zebulun Zaboulōn twelve dōdeka thousand chilias, from ek the tribe phylē of Joseph Iōsēph twelve dōdeka thousand chilias, from ek the tribe phylē of Benjamin Beniamin twelve dōdeka thousand chilias sealed sphragizō. After meta this houtos I looked, and kai behold idou, a vast polys multitude ochlos that hos no one oudeis could dynamai count arithmeō, people from ek every pas nation ethnos, · kai tribe phylē, · kai cultural group laos, and kai language glōssa, standing histēmi before enōpion the ho throne thronos and kai before enōpion the ho Lamb arnion, dressed periballō in white leukos robes stolē, with kai palm branches phoinix in en · ho their autos hands cheir, 10 and kai they cried out krazō in a loud megas voice phōnē, saying legō, · ho Salvation sōtēria belongs to ho our hēmeis God theos who ho is seated kathēmai on epi the ho throne thronos and kai to the ho Lamb arnion!” 11 And kai all pas the ho angels angelos were standing histēmi around kyklōi the ho throne thronos and kai around the ho elders presbyteros and kai the ho four tessares living creatures zōon, and kai they fell piptō on epi their autos faces prosōpon before enōpion the ho throne thronos · ho and kai worshiped proskyneō · ho God theos, 12 saying legō, “ Amen amēn! · ho Praise eulogia and kai · ho glory doxa and kai · ho wisdom sophia and kai · ho thanksgiving eucharistia and kai · ho honor timē and kai · ho power dynamis and kai · ho might ischus be to ho our hēmeis God theos for eis all ho time aiōn ho! · ho Amen amēn.”

13 Then kai one heis of ek the ho elders presbyteros addressed apokrinomai me egō, saying legō, “ These houtos · ho dressed periballō in · ho white leukos robes stolē · ho who tis are they eimi and kai where pothen did they come erchomai from?” 14 · kai I said legō to him autos, “ My egō lord kyrios, you sy are the one who knows oida.” Then kai he said legō to me egō, “ These houtos are eimi the ho ones who have come erchomai out of ek the ho great megas tribulation thlipsis; · ho · kai they have washed plynō · ho their autos robes stolē and kai made them autos white leukainō in en the ho blood haima of the ho Lamb arnion. 15 For dia this houtos reason they are eimi before enōpion the ho throne thronos of ho God theos, and kai serve latreuō him autos day hēmera and kai night nyx in en · ho his autos temple naos, and kai the ho one seated kathēmai on epi the ho throne thronos will be a shelter skēnoō over epi them autos. 16 No ou longer eti will they go hungry peinaō, neither oude will they thirst dipsaō again eti; the ho sun hēlios will not beat down piptō upon epi them autos, nor oude any pas scorching heat kauma; 17 for hoti the ho Lamb arnion at the ho center ana mesos of the ho throne thronos will shepherd poimainō them autos and kai guide hodēgeō them autos to epi springs pēgē of living zōē water hydōr, and kai God theos will wipe away exaleiphō · ho every pas tear dakryon from ek · ho their autos eyes ophthalmos.”