The Lamb Takes the Scroll

5 Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides, sealed with seven seals.^{(A) 2} I also saw a mighty angel^(B) proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” ³ But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or even to look in it. ⁴ I wept and wept because no one was found worthy to open^[a] the scroll or even to look in it. ⁵ Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Look, the Lion from the tribe of Judah,^(C) the Root of David,^(D) has conquered^(E) so that he is able to open the scroll and^[b] its seven seals.”

⁶ Then I saw one like a slaughtered lamb^(F) standing in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God^(G) sent into all the earth. ⁷ He went and took the scroll out of the right hand of the one seated on the throne.

The Lamb Is Worthy

⁸ When he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp^(H) and golden bowls^(I) filled with incense,^(J) which are the prayers of the saints. ⁹ And they sang a new song:^(K)

¹¹ Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and also of the living creatures and of the elders. Their number was countless thousands, plus thousands of thousands.^{(N) 12} They said with a loud voice,

¹³ I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth,^(O) on the sea, and everything in them say,^(P)

¹⁴ The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

The Seventh Seal

8 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence^(A) in heaven for about half an hour. ² Then I saw the seven angels who stand in the presence of God;^(B) seven trumpets were given to them.^{(C) 3} Another angel, with a golden incense burner, came and stood at the altar. He was given a large amount of incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar in front of the throne.^{(D) 4} The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up in the presence of God from the angel’s hand. ⁵ The angel took the incense burner, filled it with fire from the altar,^(E) and hurled it to the earth; there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.^(F)

The Seven Trumpets

⁶ And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them.

The First Trumpet

⁷ The first angel blew his trumpet, and hail and fire, mixed with blood, were hurled to the earth.^(G) So a third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.^(H)

The Second Trumpet

⁸ The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain ablaze with fire was hurled into the sea.^(I) So a third of the sea became blood,^{(J) 9} a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

The Third Trumpet

¹⁰ The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from heaven.^(K) It fell on a third of the rivers and springs of water. ¹¹ The name of the star is Wormwood,^(L) and a third of the waters became wormwood. So, many of the people died from the waters, because they had been made bitter.

The Fourth Trumpet

¹² The fourth angel blew his trumpet, 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 was without light and also a third of the night.^(M)

¹³ I looked and heard an eagle^[a] flying high overhead, crying out in a loud voice, “Woe!^(N) Woe! Woe to those who live on the earth, because of the remaining trumpet blasts that the three angels are about to sound!”