¹³ The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the four horns^(A) of the golden altar that is before God.^{(B) 14} It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels^(C) who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”^{(D) 15} And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released^(E) to kill a third^(F) of mankind.^{(G) 16} The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number.^(H)

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^(I) came fire, smoke and sulfur.^{(J) 18} A third^(K) of mankind was killed^(L) by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur^(M) 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^(N) of the work of their hands;^(O) they did not stop worshiping demons,^(P) and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk.^{(Q) 21} Nor did they repent^(R) of their murders, their magic arts,^(S) their sexual immorality^(T) or their thefts.

The Angel and the Little Scroll

10 Then I saw another mighty angel^(U) coming down from heaven.^(V) He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow^(W) above his head; his face was like the sun,^(X) and his legs were like fiery pillars.^{(Y) 2} He was holding a little scroll,^(Z) which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,^{(AA) 3} and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion.^(AB) When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders^(AC) spoke. ⁴ And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write;^(AD) but I heard a voice from heaven^(AE) say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”^(AF)

⁵ Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land^(AG) raised his right hand to heaven.^{(AH) 6} And he swore^(AI) by him who lives for ever and ever,^(AJ) 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,^(AK) and said, “There will be no more delay!^{(AL) 7} But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet,^(AM) the mystery^(AN) of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”^(AO)

⁸ Then the voice that I had heard from heaven^(AP) spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll^(AQ) 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.’^[a]”^{(AR) 10} I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth,^(AS) but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. ¹¹ Then I was told, “You must prophesy^(AT) again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”^(AU)

The Two Witnesses

11 I was given a reed like a measuring rod^(AV) and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. ² But exclude the outer court;^(AW) do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles.^(AX) They will trample on the holy city^(AY) for 42 months.^(AZ)