Fifth Vision: The Lampstand and Olive Trees

4 The angel who spoke with me came again and wakened me, as one is wakened from sleep.^{(A) 2} He said to me, “What do you see?” And I said, “I see a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it; there are seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it.^{(B) 3} And by it there are two olive trees, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”^{(C) 4} I said to the angel who spoke with me, “What are these, my lord?” ⁵ Then the angel who spoke with me answered me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” ⁶ He said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts.^{(D) 7} What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain, and he shall bring out the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’ ”^(E)

⁸ Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ⁹ “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you.^{(F) 10} For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel.

“These seven are the eyes of the Lord that range through the whole earth.”^{(G) 11} Then I said to him, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?” ¹² And a second time I said to him, “What are these two branches of the olive trees that pour out the oil^[a] through the two golden pipes?” ¹³ He said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” ¹⁴ Then he said, “These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.”^(H)

⁹ And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever,^{(A) 10} the twenty-four elders fall before the one who is seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever; they cast their crowns before the throne, singing,^(B)

The Scroll and the Lamb

5 Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed^[a] with seven seals,^{(D) 2} and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” ³ And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. ⁴ And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. ⁵ Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”^(E)

The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten young women^[a] took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.^{[b](A) 2} Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.^{(B) 3} When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. ⁵ As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept.^{(C) 6} But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ ⁷ Then all those young women^[c] got up and trimmed their lamps.^{(D) 8} The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet, and the door was shut.^{(E) 11} Later the other young women^[d] came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’^{(F) 12} But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ ¹³ Keep awake, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.^[e](G)