An Interlude

7 After this I saw ^(A)four angels standing at the ^(B)four corners of the earth, holding back ^(C)the four winds of the earth ^(D)so that no wind would blow on the earth, or on the sea, or on any tree. ² And I saw another angel ascending ^(E)from the rising of the sun, holding the ^(F)seal of ^(G)the living God; and he called out with a loud voice to the ^(H)four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, ³ saying, “^(I)Do not harm the earth, or the sea, or the trees until we have ^(J)sealed the bond-servants of our God on their ^(K)foreheads.”

The 144,000

⁴ And I heard the ^(L)number of those who were sealed: ^(M)144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:

A Multitude from the Tribulation

⁹ After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from ^(N)every nation and all the tribes, peoples, and languages, standing ^(O)before the throne and ^(P)before the Lamb, clothed in ^(Q)white robes, and ^(R)palm branches were in their hands; ¹⁰ and they *cried out with a loud voice, saying,

¹¹ And all the angels were standing ^(U)around the throne and around ^(V)the elders and the ^(W)four living creatures; and they ^(X)fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, ¹² saying,

¹³ Then one of the elders ^(AB)responded, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the ^(AC)white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?” ¹⁴ I ^[a]said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the ^(AD)great tribulation, and they have ^(AE)washed their robes and made them ^(AF)white in the ^(AG)blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵ For this reason they are ^(AH)before the throne of God, and they ^(AI)serve Him day and night in His ^[b](AJ)temple; and ^(AK)He who sits on the throne will spread His ^(AL)tabernacle over them. ^16 (AM)They will no longer hunger nor thirst, nor will the sun ^[c]beat down on them, nor any scorching heat; ¹⁷ for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their ^(AN)shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the ^[d](AO)water of life; and ^(AP)God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

The Lamb and the 144,000 on Mount Zion

14 Then I looked, and behold, ^(A)the Lamb was standing on ^(B)Mount Zion, and with Him ^(C)144,000 who had ^(D)His name and the ^(E)name of His Father written ^(F)on their foreheads. ² And I heard a voice from heaven, like ^(G)the sound of many waters and like the ^(H)sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of ^(I)harpists playing on their harps. ³ And they *sang ^[a](J)a new song before the throne and before the ^(K)four living creatures and the ^(L)elders; and ^(M)no one was able to learn the song except the ^(N)144,000 who had been ^(O)purchased from the earth. ^4 (P)These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are celibate. These are the ones who ^(Q)follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been ^(R)purchased from mankind ^(S)as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. ⁵ And ^(T)no lie was found in their mouths; they are ^(U)blameless.

Vision of the Angel with the Gospel

⁶ And I saw another angel flying in ^(V)midheaven with ^(W)an eternal gospel to preach to ^(X)those who ^[b]live on the earth, and to ^(Y)every nation, tribe, language, and people; ⁷ and he said with a loud voice, “^(Z)Fear God and ^(AA)give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who ^(AB)made the heaven and the earth, and sea and ^(AC)springs of waters.”

⁸ And another angel, a second one, followed, saying, “^[c](AD)Fallen, fallen is ^(AE)Babylon the great, she who has ^(AF)made all the nations drink of the ^(AG)wine of the ^[d]passion of her sexual immorality.”

Doom for Worshipers of the Beast

⁹ Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone ^(AH)worships the beast and his ^(AI)image, and receives a ^(AJ)mark on his forehead or on his hand, ¹⁰ he also will drink of the ^(AK)wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed ^[e]in full strength ^(AL)in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with ^(AM)fire and ^[f]brimstone in the presence of the ^(AN)holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. ¹¹ And the ^(AO)smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; ^(AP)they have no rest day and night, those who ^(AQ)worship the beast and his ^(AR)image, and ^[g]whoever receives the ^(AS)mark of his name.” ¹² Here is ^(AT)the ^[h]perseverance of the ^[i]saints who ^(AU)keep the commandments of God and ^[j](AV)their faith in Jesus.

¹³ And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write: ‘^(AW)Blessed are the dead who ^(AX)die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” ^(AY)says the Spirit, “so that they may ^(AZ)rest from their labors, for their ^(BA)deeds follow with them.”

The Harvest

¹⁴ Then I looked, and behold, a ^(BB)white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one ^(BC)like ^[k]a son of man, with a golden ^(BD)crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. ¹⁵ And another angel ^(BE)came out of the ^[l]temple, calling out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “^[m](BF)Put in Your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the ^(BG)harvest of the earth ^[n]is ripe.” ¹⁶ Then He who sat on the cloud ^[o]swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.

¹⁷ And another angel ^(BH)came out of the ^[p]temple which is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. ¹⁸ Then another angel, ^(BI)the one who has power over fire, came out from ^(BJ)the altar; and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “^[q](BK)Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters ^[r]from the vine of the earth, ^(BL)because her grapes are ripe.” ¹⁹ So the angel ^[s]swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into ^(BM)the great wine press of the wrath of God. ²⁰ And ^(BN)the wine press was trampled ^(BO)outside the city, and ^(BP)blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses’ bridles, ^[t]for a distance of ^[u]1,600 stadia.