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Revelation 8-11
New Living Translation
Revelation 8-11
New Living Translation
The Lamb Breaks the Seventh Seal
8 When the Lamb broke the seventh seal on the scroll,[a] there was silence throughout heaven for about half an hour. 2 I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and they were given seven trumpets.
3 Then another angel with a gold incense burner came and stood at the altar. And a great amount of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God’s people as an offering on the gold altar before the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of God’s holy people, ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out. 5 Then the angel filled the incense burner with fire from the altar and threw it down upon the earth; and thunder crashed, lightning flashed, and there was a terrible earthquake.
The First Four Trumpets
6 Then the seven angels with the seven trumpets prepared to blow their mighty blasts.
7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were thrown down on the earth. One-third of the earth was set on fire, one-third of the trees were burned, and all the green grass was burned.
8 Then the second angel blew his trumpet, and a great mountain of fire was thrown into the sea. One-third of the water in the sea became blood, 9 one-third of all things living in the sea died, and one-third of all the ships on the sea were destroyed.
10 Then the third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from the sky, burning like a torch. It fell on one-third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star was Bitterness.[b] It made one-third of the water bitter, and many people died from drinking the bitter water.
12 Then the fourth angel blew his trumpet, and one-third of the sun was struck, and one-third of the moon, and one-third of the stars, and they became dark. And one-third of the day was dark, and also one-third of the night.
13 Then I looked, and I heard a single eagle crying loudly as it flew through the air, “Terror, terror, terror to all who belong to this world because of what will happen when the last three angels blow their trumpets.”
The Fifth Trumpet Brings the First Terror
9 Then the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen to earth from the sky, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit.[c] 2 When he opened it, smoke poured out as though from a huge furnace, and the sunlight and air turned dark from the smoke.
3 Then locusts came from the smoke and descended on the earth, and they were given power to sting like scorpions. 4 They were told not to harm the grass or plants or trees, but only the people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 They were told not to kill them but to torture them for five months with pain like the pain of a scorpion sting. 6 In those days people will seek death but will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them!
7 The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. They had what looked like gold crowns on their heads, and their faces looked like human faces. 8 They had hair like women’s hair and teeth like the teeth of a lion. 9 They wore armor made of iron, and their wings roared like an army of chariots rushing into battle. 10 They had tails that stung like scorpions, and for five months they had the power to torment people. 11 Their king is the angel from the bottomless pit; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon—the Destroyer.
12 The first terror is past, but look, two more terrors are coming!
The Sixth Trumpet Brings the Second Terror
13 Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice speaking from the four horns of the gold altar that stands in the presence of God. 14 And the voice said to the sixth angel who held the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great Euphrates River.” 15 Then the four angels who had been prepared for this hour and day and month and year were turned loose to kill one-third of all the people on earth. 16 I heard the size of their army, which was 200 million mounted troops.
17 And in my vision, I saw the horses and the riders sitting on them. The riders wore armor that was fiery red and dark blue and yellow. The horses had heads like lions, and fire and smoke and burning sulfur billowed from their mouths. 18 One-third of all the people on earth were killed by these three plagues—by the fire and smoke and burning sulfur that came from the mouths of the horses. 19 Their power was in their mouths and in their tails. For their tails had heads like snakes, with the power to injure people.
20 But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood—idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk! 21 And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their sexual immorality or their thefts.
The Angel and the Small Scroll
10 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, surrounded by a cloud, with a rainbow over his head. His face shone like the sun, and his feet were like pillars of fire. 2 And in his hand was a small scroll[d] that had been opened. He stood with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. 3 And he gave a great shout like the roar of a lion. And when he shouted, the seven thunders answered.
4 When the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write. But I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Keep secret[e] what the seven thunders said, and do not write it down.”
5 Then the angel I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand toward heaven. 6 He swore an oath in the name of the one who lives forever and ever, who created the heavens and everything in them, the earth and everything in it, and the sea and everything in it. He said, “There will be no more delay. 7 When the seventh angel blows his trumpet, God’s mysterious plan will be fulfilled. It will happen just as he announced it to his servants the prophets.”
8 Then the voice from heaven spoke to me again: “Go and take the open scroll from the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”
9 So I went to the angel and told him to give me the small scroll. “Yes, take it and eat it,” he said. “It will be sweet as honey in your mouth, but it will turn sour in your stomach!” 10 So I took the small scroll from the hand of the angel, and I ate it! It was sweet in my mouth, but when I swallowed it, it turned sour in my stomach.
11 Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”
The Two Witnesses
11 Then I was given a measuring stick, and I was told, “Go and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers. 2 But do not measure the outer courtyard, for it has been turned over to the nations. They will trample the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will be clothed in burlap and will prophesy during those 1,260 days.”
4 These two prophets are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of all the earth. 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire flashes from their mouths and consumes their enemies. This is how anyone who tries to harm them must die. 6 They have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall for as long as they prophesy. And they have the power to turn the rivers and oceans into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish.
7 When they complete their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit[f] will declare war against them, and he will conquer them and kill them. 8 And their bodies will lie in the main street of Jerusalem,[g] the city that is figuratively called “Sodom” and “Egypt,” the city where their Lord was crucified. 9 And for three and a half days, all peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will stare at their bodies. No one will be allowed to bury them. 10 All the people who belong to this world will gloat over them and give presents to each other to celebrate the death of the two prophets who had tormented them.
11 But after three and a half days, God breathed life into them, and they stood up! Terror struck all who were staring at them. 12 Then a loud voice from heaven called to the two prophets, “Come up here!” And they rose to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched.
13 At the same time there was a terrible earthquake that destroyed a tenth of the city. Seven thousand people died in that earthquake, and everyone else was terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second terror is past, but look, the third terror is coming quickly.
The Seventh Trumpet Brings the Third Terror
15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven:
“The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,[h]
and he will reign forever and ever.”
16 The twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones before God fell with their faces to the ground and worshiped him. 17 And they said,
“We give thanks to you, Lord God, the Almighty,
the one who is and who always was,
for now you have assumed your great power
and have begun to reign.
18 The nations were filled with wrath,
but now the time of your wrath has come.
It is time to judge the dead
and reward your servants the prophets,
as well as your holy people,
and all who fear your name,
from the least to the greatest.
It is time to destroy
all who have caused destruction on the earth.”
19 Then, in heaven, the Temple of God was opened and the Ark of his covenant could be seen inside the Temple. Lightning flashed, thunder crashed and roared, and there was an earthquake and a terrible hailstorm.
Revelation 8-11
New King James Version
Revelation 8-11
New King James Version
Seventh Seal: Prelude to the Seven Trumpets
8 When(A) He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 (B)And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, (C)and to them were given seven trumpets. 3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with (D)the prayers of all the saints upon (E)the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And (F)the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And (G)there were noises, thunderings, (H)lightnings, (I)and an earthquake.
6 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
First Trumpet: Vegetation Struck
7 The first angel sounded: (J)And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown (K)to the [a]earth. And a third (L)of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
Second Trumpet: The Seas Struck
8 Then the second angel sounded: (M)And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, (N)and a third of the sea (O)became blood. 9 (P)And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
Third Trumpet: The Waters Struck
10 Then the third angel sounded: (Q)And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, (R)and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 (S)The name of the star is Wormwood. (T)A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.
Fourth Trumpet: The Heavens Struck
12 (U)Then the fourth angel sounded: 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 [b]did not shine, and likewise the night.
13 And I looked, (V)and I heard an [c]angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, (W)“Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”
Fifth Trumpet: The Locusts from the Bottomless Pit
9 Then the fifth angel sounded: (X)And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to (Y)the [d]bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the (Z)sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, (AA)as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 They were commanded (AB)not to harm (AC)the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have (AD)the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And [e]they were not given authority to kill them, (AE)but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. 6 In those days (AF)men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them.
7 (AG)The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. (AH)On their heads were crowns of something like gold, (AI)and their faces were like the faces of men. 8 They had hair like women’s hair, and (AJ)their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9 And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was (AK)like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. 10 They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months. 11 And they had as king over them (AL)the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is [f]Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name [g]Apollyon.
12 (AM)One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.
Sixth Trumpet: The Angels from the Euphrates
13 Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the (AN)golden altar which is before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound (AO)at the great river Euphrates.” 15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a (AP)third of mankind. 16 Now (AQ)the number of the army (AR)of the horsemen was two hundred million; (AS)I heard the number of them. 17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; (AT)and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. 18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. 19 For [h]their power is in their mouth and in their tails; (AU)for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm.
20 But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, (AV)did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship (AW)demons, (AX)and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. 21 And they did not repent of their murders (AY)or their [i]sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.
The Mighty Angel with the Little Book
10 I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. (AZ)And a rainbow was on (BA)his head, his face was like the sun, and (BB)his feet like pillars of fire. 2 He had a little book open in his hand. (BC)And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, (BD)seven thunders uttered their voices. 4 Now when the seven thunders [j]uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying [k]to me, (BE)“Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them.”
5 The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land (BF)raised up his [l]hand to heaven 6 and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, (BG)who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, (BH)that there should be delay no longer, 7 but (BI)in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.
John Eats the Little Book
8 Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, “Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth.”
9 So I went to the angel and said to him, “Give me the little book.”
And he said to me, (BJ)“Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.”
10 Then I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, (BK)and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, (BL)my stomach became bitter. 11 And [m]he said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.”
The Two Witnesses
11 Then I was given (BM)a reed like a measuring rod. [n]And the angel stood, saying, (BN)“Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. 2 But leave out (BO)the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, (BP)for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will (BQ)tread the holy city underfoot for (BR)forty-two months. 3 And I will give power to my two (BS)witnesses, (BT)and they will prophesy (BU)one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4 These are the (BV)two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the [o]God of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, (BW)fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. (BX)And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. 6 These (BY)have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
The Witnesses Killed
7 When they (BZ)finish their testimony, (CA)the beast that ascends (CB)out of the bottomless pit (CC)will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of (CD)the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, (CE)where also [p]our Lord was crucified. 9 (CF)Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations [q]will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, (CG)and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. 10 (CH)And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, (CI)and send gifts to one another, (CJ)because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
The Witnesses Resurrected
11 (CK)Now after the three-and-a-half days (CL)the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 And [r]they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” (CM)And they ascended to heaven (CN)in a cloud, (CO)and their enemies saw them. 13 In the same hour (CP)there was a great earthquake, (CQ)and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid (CR)and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 (CS)The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
Seventh Trumpet: The Kingdom Proclaimed
15 Then (CT)the seventh angel sounded: (CU)And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, (CV)“The [s]kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, (CW)and He shall reign forever and ever!” 16 And (CX)the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and (CY)worshiped God, 17 saying:
“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
The One (CZ)who is and who was [t]and who is to come,
Because You have taken Your great power (DA)and reigned.
18 The nations were (DB)angry, and Your [u]wrath has come,
And the time of the (DC)dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”
19 Then (DD)the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of [v]His covenant was seen in His temple. And (DE)there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, (DF)and great hail.
Footnotes
- Revelation 8:7 NU, M add and a third of the earth was burned up
- Revelation 8:12 had no light
- Revelation 8:13 NU, M eagle
- Revelation 9:1 Lit. shaft of the abyss
- Revelation 9:5 The locusts
- Revelation 9:11 Lit. Destruction
- Revelation 9:11 Lit. Destroyer
- Revelation 9:19 NU, M the power of the horses
- Revelation 9:21 NU, M drugs
- Revelation 10:4 NU, M sounded,
- Revelation 10:4 NU, M omit to me
- Revelation 10:5 NU, M right hand
- Revelation 10:11 NU, M they
- Revelation 11:1 NU, M omit And the angel stood
- Revelation 11:4 NU, M Lord
- Revelation 11:8 NU, M their
- Revelation 11:9 NU, M see . . . and will not allow
- Revelation 11:12 M I
- Revelation 11:15 NU, M kingdom . . . has become the kingdom
- Revelation 11:17 NU, M omit and who is to come
- Revelation 11:18 anger
- Revelation 11:19 M the covenant of the Lord
Revelation 8-11
Christian Standard Bible
Revelation 8-11
Christian Standard Bible
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!”
The Fifth Trumpet
9 The fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to earth.(O) The key for the shaft to the abyss(P) was given to him. 2 He opened the shaft to the abyss, and smoke came up out of the shaft like smoke from a great[b] furnace(Q) so that the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the shaft.(R) 3 Then locusts came out of the smoke on to the earth,(S) and power[c] was given to them(T) like the power that scorpions have on the earth.(U) 4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green plant, or any tree,(V) but only those people who do not have God’s seal on their foreheads.(W) 5 They were not permitted to kill them but were to torment them for five months; their torment is like the torment caused by a scorpion when it stings someone. 6 In those days people will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, but death will flee from them.(X)
7 The appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle.(Y) Something like golden crowns was on their heads; their faces were like human faces; 8 they had hair like women’s hair; their teeth were like lions’ teeth;(Z) 9 they had chests like iron breastplates; the sound of their wings was like the sound of many chariots with horses rushing into battle; 10 and they had tails with stingers like scorpions, so that with their tails they had the power to harm people for five months. 11 They had as their king[d] the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon,[e](AA) and in Greek he has the name Apollyon.[f]
12 The first woe has passed. There are still two more woes to come after this.(AB)
The Sixth Trumpet
13 The sixth angel blew his trumpet. From the four[g] horns of the golden altar(AC) that is before God, I heard a voice 14 say to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels(AD) bound at the great river Euphrates.”(AE) 15 So the four angels who were prepared for the hour, day, month, and year(AF) were released to kill a third(AG) of the human race. 16 The number of mounted troops was two hundred million;[h] I heard their number. 17 This is how I saw the horses and their riders in the vision: They had breastplates that were fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow. The heads of the horses were like the heads of lions, and from their mouths came fire, smoke, and sulfur.(AH) 18 A third of the human race was killed by these three plagues—by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur that came from their mouths. 19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, because their tails, which resemble snakes, have heads that inflict injury.
20 The rest of the people, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands(AI) to stop worshiping demons(AJ) and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood,(AK) which cannot see, hear, or walk.(AL) 21 And they did not repent of their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immorality, or their thefts.
The Mighty Angel and the Small Scroll
10 Then I saw another mighty angel(AM) coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow(AN) over his head.[i] His face was like the sun, his legs[j] were like pillars of fire,(AO) 2 and he held a little scroll opened in his hand. He put his right foot on the sea, his left on the land, 3 and he called out with a loud voice like a roaring lion. When he cried out, the seven thunders raised their voices. 4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders said,(AP) and do not write it down!”
5 Then the angel that I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. 6 He swore by the one who lives forever and ever,(AQ) who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, “There will no longer be a delay, 7 but in the days when the seventh angel(AR) will blow his trumpet, then the mystery of God(AS) will be completed, as he announced to his servants the prophets.”(AT)
8 Then the voice that I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, “Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”
9 So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take and eat it; it will be bitter in your stomach, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.”(AU)
10 Then I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I ate it, my stomach became bitter.(AV) 11 And they said to me, “You must prophesy again about[k] many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”(AW)
The Two Witnesses
11 Then I was given a measuring reed(AX) like a rod,[l] with these words: “Go[m] and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count those who worship there. 2 But exclude the courtyard outside the temple.(AY) Don’t measure it, because it is given to the nations,[n](AZ) and they will trample the holy city(BA) for forty-two months.(BB) 3 I will grant[o] my two witnesses authority to prophesy for 1,260 days, dressed in sackcloth.”(BC) 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord[p] of the earth.(BD) 5 If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and consumes their enemies;(BE) if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. 6 They have authority to close up the sky so that it does not rain during the days of their prophecy.(BF) They also have power over the waters to turn them into blood(BG) and to strike the earth with every plague whenever they want.(BH)
The Witnesses Martyred
7 When they finish their testimony, the beast(BI) that comes up out of the abyss(BJ) will make war on them, conquer them, and kill them. 8 Their dead bodies[q](BK) will lie in the main street[r] of the great city,(BL) which figuratively[s] is called Sodom(BM) and Egypt,(BN) where also their Lord was crucified. 9 And some of[t] the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations(BO) will view their bodies for three and a half days and not permit their bodies to be put into a tomb.(BP) 10 Those who live on the earth will gloat(BQ) over them and celebrate and send gifts to one another because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
The Witnesses Resurrected
11 But after three and a half days, the breath[u] of life(BR) from God entered them, and they stood on their feet. Great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 Then they heard[v] a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” They went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies watched them.(BS) 13 At that moment a violent earthquake took place,(BT) a tenth of the city fell, and seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake. The survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 The second woe(BU) has passed. Take note: The third woe is coming soon!
The Seventh Trumpet
15 The seventh angel blew his trumpet,(BV) and there were loud voices in heaven saying,
The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom
of our Lord and of his Christ,
and he will reign forever and ever.(BW)
16 The twenty-four elders, who were seated before God on their thrones, fell facedown and worshiped God, 17 saying,
We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty,
who is and who was,[w](BX)
because you have taken your great power
and have begun to reign.(BY)
18 The nations were angry,(BZ)
but your wrath has come.
The time has come
for the dead to be judged
and to give the reward
to your servants the prophets,(CA)
to the saints, and to those who fear your name,
both small and great,(CB)
and the time has come to destroy
those who destroy the earth.
19 Then the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant[x] appeared in his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder,(CC) an earthquake,[y] and severe hail.
Footnotes
- 8:13 Other mss read angel
- 9:2 Other mss omit great
- 9:3 Or authority, also in v. 10
- 9:11 Or as king over them
- 9:11 Or Destruction
- 9:11 Or Destroyer
- 9:13 Other mss omit four
- 9:16 Other mss read a hundred million
- 10:1 Or a halo on his head
- 10:1 Or feet
- 10:11 Or prophesy again against
- 11:1 Other mss add and the angel stood up
- 11:1 Lit “Arise
- 11:2 Or Gentiles
- 11:3 Or I will give to
- 11:4 Other mss read God
- 11:8 Or Their corpse
- 11:8 Or lie on the broad street
- 11:8 Or spiritually
- 11:9 Lit And from
- 11:11 Or spirit
- 11:12 Other mss read Then I heard
- 11:17 Other mss add and who is to come
- 11:19 Other mss read ark of the covenant of the Lord
- 11:19 Other mss omit an earthquake
Revelation 8-11
New International Version
Revelation 8-11
New International Version
The Seventh Seal and the Golden Censer
8 When he opened the seventh seal,(A) there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
2 And I saw the seven angels(B) who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.(C)
3 Another angel,(D) who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people,(E) on the golden altar(F) in front of the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God(G) from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar,(H) and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder,(I) rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.(J)
The Trumpets
6 Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets(K) prepared to sound them.
7 The first angel(L) sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire(M) mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third(N) of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.(O)
8 The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain,(P) all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third(Q) of the sea turned into blood,(R) 9 a third(S) of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
10 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky(T) on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water(U)— 11 the name of the star is Wormwood.[a] A third(V) of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.(W)
12 The fourth angel sounded 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(X) of them turned dark.(Y) A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.(Z)
13 As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in midair(AA) call out in a loud voice: “Woe! Woe! Woe(AB) to the inhabitants of the earth,(AC) because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!”
9 The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth.(AD) The star was given the key(AE) to the shaft of the Abyss.(AF) 2 When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace.(AG) The sun and sky were darkened(AH) by the smoke from the Abyss.(AI) 3 And out of the smoke locusts(AJ) came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions(AK) of the earth. 4 They were told not to harm(AL) the grass of the earth or any plant or tree,(AM) but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.(AN) 5 They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months.(AO) And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion(AP) when it strikes. 6 During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.(AQ)
7 The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle.(AR) On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces.(AS) 8 Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth.(AT) 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle.(AU) 10 They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months.(AV) 11 They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss,(AW) whose name in Hebrew(AX) is Abaddon(AY) and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).
12 The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.(AZ)
13 The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the four horns(BA) of the golden altar that is before God.(BB) 14 It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels(BC) who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”(BD) 15 And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released(BE) to kill a third(BF) of mankind.(BG) 16 The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number.(BH)
17 The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths(BI) came fire, smoke and sulfur.(BJ) 18 A third(BK) of mankind was killed(BL) by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur(BM) that came out of their mouths. 19 The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.
20 The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent(BN) of the work of their hands;(BO) they did not stop worshiping demons,(BP) and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk.(BQ) 21 Nor did they repent(BR) of their murders, their magic arts,(BS) their sexual immorality(BT) or their thefts.
The Angel and the Little Scroll
10 Then I saw another mighty angel(BU) coming down from heaven.(BV) He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow(BW) above his head; his face was like the sun,(BX) and his legs were like fiery pillars.(BY) 2 He was holding a little scroll,(BZ) which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,(CA) 3 and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion.(CB) When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders(CC) spoke. 4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write;(CD) but I heard a voice from heaven(CE) say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”(CF)
5 Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land(CG) raised his right hand to heaven.(CH) 6 And he swore(CI) by him who lives for ever and ever,(CJ) who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it,(CK) and said, “There will be no more delay!(CL) 7 But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet,(CM) the mystery(CN) of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”(CO)
8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven(CP) spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll(CQ) that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”
9 So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’[b]”(CR) 10 I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth,(CS) but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. 11 Then I was told, “You must prophesy(CT) again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”(CU)
The Two Witnesses
11 I was given a reed like a measuring rod(CV) and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. 2 But exclude the outer court;(CW) do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles.(CX) They will trample on the holy city(CY) for 42 months.(CZ) 3 And I will appoint my two witnesses,(DA) and they will prophesy for 1,260 days,(DB) clothed in sackcloth.”(DC) 4 They are “the two olive trees”(DD) and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”[c](DE) 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies.(DF) This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die.(DG) 6 They have power to shut up the heavens(DH) so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying;(DI) and they have power to turn the waters into blood(DJ) and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast(DK) that comes up from the Abyss(DL) will attack them,(DM) and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city(DN)—which is figuratively called Sodom(DO) and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified.(DP) 9 For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation(DQ) will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial.(DR) 10 The inhabitants of the earth(DS) will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts,(DT) because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
11 But after the three and a half days(DU) the breath[d] of life from God entered them,(DV) and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.”(DW) And they went up to heaven in a cloud,(DX) while their enemies looked on.
13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake(DY) and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory(DZ) to the God of heaven.(EA)
14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.(EB)
The Seventh Trumpet
15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet,(EC) and there were loud voices(ED) in heaven, which said:
“The kingdom of the world has become
the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah,(EE)
and he will reign for ever and ever.”(EF)
16 And the twenty-four elders,(EG) who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces(EH) and worshiped God, 17 saying:
“We give thanks(EI) to you, Lord God Almighty,(EJ)
the One who is and who was,(EK)
because you have taken your great power
and have begun to reign.(EL)
18 The nations were angry,(EM)
and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead,(EN)
and for rewarding your servants the prophets(EO)
and your people who revere your name,
both great and small(EP)—
and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”
19 Then God’s temple(EQ) in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant.(ER) And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder,(ES) an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.(ET)
Footnotes
- Revelation 8:11 Wormwood is a bitter substance.
- Revelation 10:9 Ezek. 3:3
- Revelation 11:4 See Zech. 4:3,11,14.
- Revelation 11:11 Or Spirit (see Ezek. 37:5,14)
Revelation 8-11
The Voice
Revelation 8-11
The Voice
8 When the Lamb cracked open the seventh and final seal, a great silence filled all heaven penetrating everything for about half an hour. 2 Then I saw seven heavenly messengers, the ones who stand before God, receive seven trumpets.
3 An eighth messenger came and stood before the altar carrying a golden censer. He received a large portion of incense to complement the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that sits in front of the throne. 4 From the hand of the eighth messenger, the smoke of the incense mixed with the prayers of God’s people and billowed up before God. 5 The messenger filled the censer with fiery coals from the altar and cast it upon the earth, causing a great commotion of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.
Throughout the ages God’s people have been asking Him for justice in their prayers and laments. Now, in response to these, God pours out His judgment.
6 The seven heavenly messengers raised the seven trumpets and prepared to sound them.
7 The first messenger sounded his trumpet, and a blast of hail and fire mixed with blood was cast down to the earth. As a result, one-third of the land was set ablaze, one-third of the trees were burned, and all the green grass was scorched.
8 The second messenger sounded his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, with bright flames of burning fire, was cast into the sea. As a result, one-third of the sea turned into blood, 9 one-third of the living sea creatures died, and one-third of the ships were obliterated.
10-11 The third messenger sounded his trumpet, and a great star called Wormwood dropped out of heaven, flaming like a torch as it fell on one-third of the rivers and the springs. As a result, one-third of the waters turned bitter like the herb wormwood so that many people died from the poisonous bitter waters.
12 The fourth messenger sounded his trumpet, and one-third of the sun, one-third of the moon, and one-third of the stars were darkened. As a result, one-third of their light flickered and failed. For one-third of the day, the sun did not shine; and likewise for one-third of the night, the moon and stars did not give their light.
13 Then I saw an eagle flying through midheaven, and I heard it cry with a loud voice.
Eagle: Woe, woe, woe—horror, disaster, and calamity—to the earth dwellers! The rest of the trumpet blasts from the last three messengers are about to sound.
When the trumpets blast, another cycle of disasters begin. Each calamity affects one-third of the earth, its inhabitants, and the heavenly lights. Time flies as the disasters intensify.
9 Then the fifth messenger sounded his trumpet. I saw a star that had dropped out of heaven to earth. He received the key that unlocks the shaft leading to the abyss, the pit that falls away to nothingness; and 2 he opened the shaft to the abyss. Huge columns of smoke rose from the depths of the cavern—a black, ugly smoke as if from a great furnace so that the sun was darkened and the air was thickened by the blanket of smoke from the shaft. 3 From the smoke, locusts appeared and swarmed upon the earth. They were given power, like the power of scorpions on the earth. 4-5 However, they were instructed not to damage any grasses, plants, or trees that grow from the earth. Instead, they were given power for five months to torture, but not to kill, the people without the seal of God upon their foreheads. The torment they inflicted was like the sting of a scorpion when it strikes. 6 During those days, people will seek any way possible to kill themselves, but death will not befriend them. They will long to die and end their miseries, but death will elude them.
7 The locusts looked like horses clad in armor, ready for battle. They wore golden wreaths on their heads, and their faces appeared human 8 with hair as long as women’s hair, but they had teeth as sharp as lions’ teeth. 9 They had armor that appeared to be iron plated; and when their wings flapped, they sounded like an army of horse-drawn chariots rushing into battle. 10 They have tails like scorpions with stingers, and the power invested in them to inflict torture on people for five months lies in their tails. 11 They were ruled by the messenger of the abyss, whose Hebrew name is Abaddon and whose Greek name is Apollyon, both meaning “the Destroyer.”
12 The first disaster has occurred; there are two more disasters to come.
13 Then the sixth messenger sounded his trumpet; and I heard a voice from the four corners of the golden altar that is before God, 14 commanding the sixth messenger with the trumpet.
A Voice: Set loose the four messengers who are bound in chains at the great river Euphrates.
15 Then the four messengers, who had been held in chains until the hour and the day and the month and the year when they would kill one-third of humanity, were released.
16 I heard that 200 million soldiers rode in the cavalry. 17 This is how these horses and their riders appeared in my vision: the riders wore breastplates of fiery red, smoky blue,[a] and sulfur yellow. The heads of the horses seemed to be like the heads of lions; they breathed fire and smoke and sulfur from their mouths, 18 killing one-third of humanity with the three plagues coming out of their mouths. 19 The lethal power of these horses was not only in their mouths but also in their tails because their tails, which resembled snakes, had heads that inflicted injury.
20 The rest of humanity, those not killed by these plagues, did not rethink their course and turn away[b] from the devices of their own making. Despite all these calamities, they continued worshiping demons and idols crafted in gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood. They bowed down to images which cannot see or hear or walk. 21 They failed to turn away[c] from their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immoralities, and their thefts.
God’s judgment is not only to punish. He wants people to turn to Him for all their needs, but they often look anywhere else for aid and remain in rebellion.
10 Then I saw another extremely powerful messenger descending out of heaven. He wore a cloud wrapped around him, and a rainbow was covering his head. His face shone like the sun, and his legs blazed like columns of fire. 2 In his hand, he held a little scroll that had been unrolled. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left foot on dry land; 3 then he shouted with a voice that sounded like a roaring lion. When he cried out, the seven thunders answered with their own rumbling voices. 4 As I was about to record the thunders’ answer, a voice from heaven stopped me.
A Voice: Seal up all the seven thunders have spoken; do not write it down!
5 Then the messenger, whom I saw standing on the sea and on the dry land, raised his right hand into heaven 6 and swore an oath to the Eternal One—who always lives, who created heaven, earth, the sea, and all that is in them.
Heavenly Messenger: Time has run out. 7 Whenever the days arrive and the seventh messenger sounds his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished just as He announced to His servants, the prophets.
8 Again, the voice I heard from heaven addressed me.
A Voice: Go. Take the little scroll that is unrolled in the hand of the messenger standing both on the sea and on the dry land.
9 I then went to the messenger and asked him to give me the little scroll.
Heavenly Messenger: Take it, and eat it. Although in your mouth it will be sweet to taste, sweet as honey, it will become bitter when it reaches your stomach.
10 I took the little scroll from the hand of the messenger and ate it. In my mouth, it was sweet like honey, but my stomach became bitter after I swallowed it.
Heavenly Messengers (repeating): 11 Once again, you are to prophesy about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.
The scroll John eats is taken from the hand of the powerful messenger who announces the fulfillment of all the prophecies. Just as it did for the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel (2:8–3:4), the scroll represents the message John is required to proclaim; but first he must take it in and it must become a part of him. Initially it tastes sweet, but as it settles deep within him, it becomes bitter. God’s message is always bittersweet. It is sweet joy for those who turn to God, but bitter sadness for those who do not accept it.
11 Then I received a measuring rod. It resembled a staff, and I was commanded to take measurements.
A Voice: Get up, and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship in it. 2 However, do not measure the court outside of the temple. Separate that area out because it has been handed over to the nations. They will trample over the holy city for 42 months. 3 I will authorize my two witnesses to prophesy for 1,260 days dressed in sackcloth, the clothes that mourners wear.
4 These two witnesses are the two olive trees and two lampstands standing in front of the Lord of the earth. 5 If anyone wishes to harm the witnesses, fire spews out of the witnesses’ mouths and consumes their foe in flames. Anyone who wishes to harm them is destined to die this way. 6 They have the authority to shut up the sky so that no rain may fall during the time of their prophecies. They also have authority to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with any plague whenever they desire.
The two witnesses bear a striking resemblance to the faithful prophets of Israel and the faithful martyrs of the churches. Together they stand speaking God’s message as the nations rant and rave and trample the holy city. The lampstands, which signify the churches, are not the light, but they welcome the light and present it to the world. The olive tree, even today, is a symbol of Israel. Olive trees supply the oil for the lamps so that they may burn brightly in the darkness. For a season, the two witnesses enjoy God’s protection, but a time is coming when they will fall victim to the nations and then lie silent.
7 On the day they finish their testimony, the beast from the abyss will declare war on them and win victory by killing them. 8 Their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city (which, spiritually speaking, is called Sodom and Egypt) where their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days, representatives of the peoples and ethnicities, languages and nations stare down at their lifeless bodies and refuse them a proper burial. 10 Because these two prophets tormented the earth dwellers by speaking God’s message, the people will rejoice over their dead bodies and celebrate their deaths by exchanging gifts with one another.
11 At the end of the three and a half days, the spirit of life that comes from God entered their corpses, raising them, and they stood again on their feet. Those who looked on were terrified by what they saw. 12 Then they heard a great voice from heaven.
A Voice: Come up here!
Their enemies watched the spectacle as the witnesses ascended into heaven in a cloud.
13 In that same hour, a great earthquake shook the earth causing one-tenth of the city to crumble into dust, and 7,000 people were killed in the earthquake. Then the rest who were left alive, quaking in fear, turned and glorified the God of heaven.
14 The second disaster has passed; watch as the third disaster comes quickly.
15 The seventh messenger sounded his trumpet, and great voices in heaven confessed:
Voices from Heaven: The kingdom of the world has given way to the kingdom of our Lord
and of His Anointed One.
He will reign throughout the ages.
When the seventh messenger blows his trumpet, the kingdom of this world comes to an end. The rule and reign of God and His Anointed has arrived in full to eclipse the rogue kings who rebelled against the Creator and mocked His good name. God’s kingdom entered our world in the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Jesus. It slipped in almost unnoticed beneath the noses of the powers that be. It grows silently as a seed in the earth until it fills the cosmos.
Today Christians live between the times: we live as aliens and strangers rescued from this present darkness, but we also live as citizens who long for the Kingdom that is to come. Until then we are to seek His kingdom and help carve out the territories for Him.
16 Then the twenty-four elders, who sit before God on their thrones, fell prostrate and worshiped God.
17 24 Elders: We give You thanks, Lord God, the All Powerful,
who is and who was.
For You have wielded Your great power
and have begun Your reign.
18 The nations have raged against You,
but Your wrath has finally come.
It is now time to judge all of the dead,
To give a just reward to Your servants, the prophets,
and to the saints and all who honor Your name,
both the small and the great,
And to destroy those who cause destruction to the earth.
19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened up, and His covenant chest could be seen within His temple. Lightning flashed all around. Noises and thunder rumbled. The earth trembled. Heavy hailstones fell from the sky.
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
The Voice (VOICE)
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.