Revelation 8
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
The Seventh Seal and the Golden Censer
8 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer; and he was given much incense to mingle with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar before the throne; 4 and the smoke of the incense rose with the prayers of the saints from the hand of the angel before God. 5 Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth;[a] and there were peals of thunder, loud noises, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
The Seven Trumpets
6 Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets made ready to blow them.
7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, which fell on the earth; and a third of the earth was burnt up, and a third of the trees were burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
8 The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea; 9 and a third of the sea became blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
10 The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the fountains of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died of the water, because it was made bitter.
12 The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light was darkened; a third of the day was kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night.
13 Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice, as it flew in midheaven, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets which the three angels are about to blow!”
Footnotes
- 8.5 Coals from the altar of burnt offering were brought to the altar of incense.
Revelation 8
New King James Version
Seventh Seal: Prelude to the Seven Trumpets
8 When(A) He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 (B)And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, (C)and to them were given seven trumpets. 3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with (D)the prayers of all the saints upon (E)the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And (F)the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And (G)there were noises, thunderings, (H)lightnings, (I)and an earthquake.
6 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
First Trumpet: Vegetation Struck
7 The first angel sounded: (J)And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown (K)to the [a]earth. And a third (L)of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
Second Trumpet: The Seas Struck
8 Then the second angel sounded: (M)And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, (N)and a third of the sea (O)became blood. 9 (P)And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
Third Trumpet: The Waters Struck
10 Then the third angel sounded: (Q)And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, (R)and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 (S)The name of the star is Wormwood. (T)A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.
Fourth Trumpet: The Heavens Struck
12 (U)Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day [b]did not shine, and likewise the night.
13 And I looked, (V)and I heard an [c]angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, (W)“Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”
Footnotes
- Revelation 8:7 NU, M add and a third of the earth was burned up
- Revelation 8:12 had no light
- Revelation 8:13 NU, M eagle
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
