The Three Angels

⁶ Then I saw another angel flying in midair,^(A) and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth^(B)—to every nation, tribe, language and people.^{(C) 7} He said in a loud voice, “Fear God^(D) and give him glory,^(E) because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made^(F) the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”^(G)

⁸ A second angel followed and said, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’^[a](H) which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.”^(I)

⁹ A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast^(J) and its image^(K) and receives its mark on their forehead^(L) or on their hand, ¹⁰ they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury,^(M) which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath.^(N) They will be tormented with burning sulfur^(O) in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. ¹¹ And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever.^(P) There will be no rest day or night^(Q) for those who worship the beast and its image,^(R) or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”^{(S) 12} This calls for patient endurance^(T) on the part of the people of God^(U) who keep his commands^(V) and remain faithful to Jesus.

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

“Yes,” says the Spirit,^(X) “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

⁵ The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies^(A) and to exercise its authority for forty-two months.^{(B) 6} It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.^{(C) 7} It was given power to wage war^(D) against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.^{(E) 8} All inhabitants of the earth^(F) will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life,^(G) the Lamb^(H) who was slain from the creation of the world.^[a](I)

⁹ Whoever has ears, let them hear.^(J)

This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness^(L) on the part of God’s people.^(M)

¹⁶ It also forced all people, great and small,^(A) rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads,^{(B) 17} so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark,^(C) which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.^(D)

⁹ A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast^(A) and its image^(B) and receives its mark on their forehead^(C) or on their hand, ¹⁰ they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury,^(D) which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath.^(E) They will be tormented with burning sulfur^(F) in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. ¹¹ And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever.^(G) There will be no rest day or night^(H) for those who worship the beast and its image,^(I) or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”^(J)