The Sixth Trumpet

¹³ The sixth angel blew his trumpet. From the four^[a] horns of the golden altar^(A) that is before God, I heard a voice ¹⁴ say to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels^(B) bound at the great river Euphrates.”^{(C) 15} So the four angels who were prepared for the hour, day, month, and year^(D) were released to kill a third^(E) of the human race. ¹⁶ The number of mounted troops was two hundred million;^[b] 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.^{(F) 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^(G) to stop worshiping demons^(H) and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood,^(I) which cannot see, hear, or walk.^{(J) 21} And they did not repent of their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immorality, or their thefts.

The Family’s Return to Nazareth

³⁹ When they had completed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.^{(A) 40} The boy grew up and became strong, filled with wisdom, and God’s grace was on him.^(B)

In His Father’s House

⁴¹ Every year his parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival.^{(C) 42} When he was twelve years old, they went up according to the custom of the festival.^{(D) 43} After those days were over,^(E) as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents^[a] did not know it. ⁴⁴ Assuming he was in the traveling party, they went a day’s journey. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵ When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him. ⁴⁶ After three days, they found him in the temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ And all those who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸ When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him,^(F) “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”^(G)

⁴⁹ “Why were you searching for me?” he asked them. “Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?”^{[b] 50} But they did not understand what he said to them.^(H)

In Favor with God and with People

⁵¹ Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them. His mother kept all these things in her heart.^{(I) 52} And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.^(J)

¹⁵ For I do not understand what I am doing,^(A) because I do not practice what I want to do,^(B) but I do what I hate. ¹⁶ Now if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. ¹⁷ So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me.

The Mighty Angel and the Small Scroll

10 Then I saw another mighty angel^(A) coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow^(B) over his head.^[a] His face was like the sun, his legs^[b] were like pillars of fire,^{(C) 2} and he held a little scroll opened in his hand. He put his right foot on the sea, his left on the land,