The Lamb and the 144,000

14 Then I looked, and behold, on (A)Mount Zion (B)stood the Lamb, and with him (C)144,000 who (D)had his name and his Father's name written (E)on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven (F)like the roar of many waters and (G)like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of (H)harpists playing on their harps, and they were singing (I)a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. (J)No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for (K)they are virgins. It is these (L)who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as (M)firstfruits for God and the Lamb, and (N)in their mouth no lie was found, for they are (O)blameless.

The Messages of the Three Angels

Then I saw another angel (P)flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to (Q)those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. And he said with a loud voice, (R)“Fear God and (S)give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and (T)worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the (U)springs of water.”

Another angel, a second, followed, saying, (V)“Fallen, fallen is (W)Babylon the great, (X)she who made all nations drink (Y)the wine of the passion[a] of her sexual immorality.”

And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone (Z)worships the beast and its image and receives (AA)a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink (AB)the wine of God's wrath, (AC)poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and (AD)he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And (AE)the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and (AF)they have no rest, day or night, these (AG)worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”

12 (AH)Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who (AI)keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.[b]

13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: (AJ)Blessed are the dead (AK)who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, (AL)“that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

The Harvest of the Earth

14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one (AM)like a son of man, (AN)with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 And another angel (AO)came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, (AP)“Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for (AQ)the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” 16 So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.

17 Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came out from the altar, (AR)the angel who has authority over the fire, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Put in your sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, (AS)for its grapes are ripe.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great (AT)winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And (AU)the winepress was trodden (AV)outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as (AW)a horse's bridle, for 1,600 stadia.[c]

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 14:8 Or wrath
  2. Revelation 14:12 Greek and the faith of Jesus
  3. Revelation 14:20 About 184 miles; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters

The Fall of Babylon

18 After this I saw (A)another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and (B)the earth was made bright with his glory. And he called out with a mighty voice,

(C)“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!
    She has become (D)a dwelling place for demons,
a haunt (E)for every unclean spirit,
    a haunt (F)for every unclean bird,
    a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.
For all nations have drunk[a]
    (G)the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality,
and (H)the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her,
    and (I)the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.”

Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,

(J)“Come out of her, my people,
    lest you take part in her sins,
lest you share in her plagues;
for (K)her sins are heaped high as heaven,
    and (L)God has remembered her iniquities.
(M)Pay her back as she herself has paid back others,
    and repay her (N)double for her deeds;
    mix a double portion for her (O)in the cup she mixed.
(P)As she glorified herself and lived in luxury,
    so give her a like measure of torment and mourning,
since in her heart she says,
    (Q)‘I sit as a queen,
I am no widow,
    and mourning I shall never see.’
For this reason her plagues will come (R)in a single day,
    death and mourning and famine,
and (S)she will be burned up with fire;
    for (T)mighty is the Lord God who has judged her.”

And (U)the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, (V)will weep and wail over her (W)when they see the smoke of her burning. 10 (X)They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,

“Alas! Alas! (Y)You great city,
    you mighty city, Babylon!
For (Z)in a single hour your judgment has come.”

11 And (AA)the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, 12 cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, 13 cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls.[b]

14 “The fruit for which your soul longed
    has gone from you,
and all your delicacies and your splendors
    are lost to you,
    never to be found again!”

15 (AB)The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, (AC)will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud,

16 “Alas, alas, for the great city
    (AD)that was clothed in fine linen,
        in purple and scarlet,
    adorned with gold,
        with jewels, and with pearls!
17 For (AE)in a single hour all this wealth (AF)has been laid waste.”

And (AG)all shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off 18 and (AH)cried out (AI)as they saw the smoke of her burning,

(AJ)“What city was like the great city?”

19 And they threw (AK)dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out,

“Alas, alas, for the great city
    (AL)where all who had ships at sea
    grew rich by her wealth!
For (AM)in a single hour she has been laid waste.
20 (AN)Rejoice over her, O heaven,
    and you saints and (AO)apostles and prophets,
for (AP)God has given judgment for you against her!”

21 Then (AQ)a mighty angel (AR)took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying,

“So will Babylon (AS)the great city be thrown down with violence,
    and will be found no more;
22 and (AT)the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters,
    will be heard in you no more,
and a craftsman of any craft
    will be found in you no more,
and (AU)the sound of the mill
    will be heard in you no more,
23 and the light of a lamp
    will shine in you no more,
and (AV)the voice of bridegroom and bride
    will be heard in you no more,
for (AW)your merchants were the great ones of the earth,
    and all nations were deceived (AX)by your sorcery.
24 And (AY)in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints,
    and of (AZ)all who have been slain on earth.”

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 18:3 Some manuscripts fallen by
  2. Revelation 18:13 Or and slaves, and human lives

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