The Beast from the Earth

¹¹ Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; it had two horns like a lamb,^[a](A) but it spoke like a dragon. ¹² It exercises all the authority of the first beast on its behalf and compels the earth and those who live on it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. ¹³ It also performs great signs,^(B) even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in front of people.^{(C) 14} It deceives those who live on the earth^(D) because of the signs that it is permitted to perform in the presence of the beast,^(E) telling those who live on the earth to make an image^[b] of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. ¹⁵ It was permitted to give breath^[c] to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast could both speak and cause whoever would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.^{(F) 16} And it makes everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead,^{(G) 17} so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark: the beast’s name or the number of its name.

¹⁸ This calls for wisdom:^[d](H) Let the one who has understanding calculate^[e] the number of the beast, because it is the number of a person. Its number is 666.^[f]

The Lamb and the 144,000

14 Then I looked, and there was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion,^(I) and with him were 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.^{(J) 2} I heard a sound^[g] from heaven like the sound of cascading waters^(K) and like the rumbling of loud thunder. The sound I heard was like harpists playing on their harps.^{(L) 3} They sang^[h] a new song^(M) before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders,^(N) but no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. ⁴ These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, since they remained virgins.^(O) These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were redeemed^[i] from humanity as the firstfruits^(P) for God and the Lamb. ⁵ No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.^(Q)

The Proclamation of Three Angels

⁶ Then I saw another angel^(R) flying high overhead,^(S) with the eternal gospel to announce to the inhabitants of the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people.^{(T) 7} He spoke with a loud voice:^(U) “Fear God^(V) and give him glory,^(W) because the hour of his judgment has come.^(X) Worship the one who made heaven and earth,^(Y) the sea and the springs of water.”

⁸ And another, a second angel, followed, saying, “It has fallen, Babylon the Great^(Z) has fallen.^[j] She made all the nations drink the wine of her sexual immorality,^[k] which brings wrath.”^(AA)

⁹ And another, a third angel, followed them and spoke with a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, ¹⁰ he will also drink the wine of God’s wrath, which is poured full strength into the cup of his anger.^(AB) He will be tormented with fire and sulfur^(AC) in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb, ¹¹ and the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever.^(AD) There is no rest^[l](AE) day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or anyone who receives the mark^(AF) of its name. ¹² This calls for endurance from the saints,^(AG) who keep God’s commands and their faith in Jesus.”^[m]

¹³ Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”^(AH)

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “so they will rest from their labors, since their works follow them.”

Reaping the Earth’s Harvest

¹⁴ Then I looked, and there was a white cloud, and one like the Son of Man^[n](AI) was seated on the cloud, with a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. ¹⁵ Another angel came out of the temple, crying out in a loud voice to the one who was seated on the cloud, “Use your sickle and reap, for the time to reap has come, since the harvest of the earth is ripe.”^{(AJ) 16} So the one seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

¹⁷ Then another angel who also had a sharp sickle came out of the temple in heaven. ¹⁸ Yet another angel, who had authority over fire, came from the altar, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Use your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the vineyard of the earth, because its grapes have ripened.” ¹⁹ So the angel swung his sickle at the earth and gathered the grapes from the vineyard of the earth, and he threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath.^{(AK) 20} Then the press was trampled outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press up to the horses’ bridles for about 180 miles.^[o](AL)

Psalm 51

A Prayer for Restoration

For the choir director. A psalm of David, when the prophet Nathan came to him after he had gone to Bathsheba.^(A)