The Beast from the Sea

13 Then ^[a]I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw ^(A)a beast rising up out of the sea, ^(B)having ^[b]seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a ^(C)blasphemous name. ² Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The ^(D)dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. ³ And I saw one of his heads ^(E)as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And ^(F)all the world marveled and followed the beast. ⁴ So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, ^(G)“Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”

⁵ And he was given ^(H)a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to ^[c]continue for ^(I)forty-two months. ⁶ Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, ^(J)His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. ⁷ It was granted to him ^(K)to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And ^(L)authority was given him over every ^[d]tribe, tongue, and nation. ⁸ All who dwell on the earth will worship him, ^(M)whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain ^(N)from the foundation of the world.

^9 (O)If anyone has an ear, let him hear. ^10 (P)He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; ^(Q)he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. ^(R)Here is the ^[e]patience and the faith of the saints.

The Beast from the Earth

¹¹ Then I saw another beast ^(S)coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. ¹² And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, ^(T)whose deadly wound was healed. ^13 (U)He performs great signs, ^(V)so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. ^14 (W)And he deceives ^[f]those who dwell on the earth ^(X)by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword ^(Y)and lived. ¹⁵ He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak ^(Z)and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. ¹⁶ He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, ^(AA)to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, ¹⁷ and that no one may buy or sell except one who has ^[g]the mark or ^(AB)the name of the beast, ^(AC)or the number of his name.

^18 (AD)Here is wisdom. Let him who has ^(AE)understanding calculate ^(AF)the number of the beast, ^(AG)for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.

The Lamb and the 144,000

14 Then I looked, and behold, ^[h]a ^(AH)Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him ^(AI)one hundred and forty-four thousand, ^[i]having His Father’s name ^(AJ)written on their foreheads. ² And I heard a voice from heaven, ^(AK)like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of ^(AL)harpists playing their harps. ³ They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song ^(AM)except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. ⁴ These are the ones who were not defiled with women, ^(AN)for they are virgins. These are the ones ^(AO)who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These ^(AP)were ^[j]redeemed from among men, ^(AQ)being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. ⁵ And ^(AR)in their mouth was found no ^[k]deceit, for ^(AS)they are without fault ^[l]before the throne of God.

The Proclamations of Three Angels

⁶ Then I saw another angel ^(AT)flying in the midst of heaven, ^(AU)having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—^(AV)to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— ⁷ saying with a loud voice, ^(AW)“Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; ^(AX)and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

⁸ And another angel followed, saying, ^(AY)“Babylon^[m] is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because ^(AZ)she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”

⁹ Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ^(BA)“If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his ^(BB)mark on his forehead or on his hand, ¹⁰ he himself ^(BC)shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is ^(BD)poured out full strength into ^(BE)the cup of His indignation. ^(BF)He shall be tormented with ^(BG)fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. ¹¹ And ^(BH)the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

^12 (BI)Here is the ^[n]patience of the saints; ^(BJ)here^[o] are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.

¹³ Then I heard a voice from heaven saying ^[p]to me, “Write: ^(BK)‘Blessed are the dead ^(BL)who die in the Lord from now on.’ ”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, ^(BM)“that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow ^(BN)them.”

Reaping the Earth’s Harvest

¹⁴ Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. ¹⁵ And another angel ^(BO)came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, ^(BP)“Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come ^[q]for You to reap, for the harvest ^(BQ)of the earth is ripe.” ¹⁶ So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.

Reaping the Grapes of Wrath

¹⁷ Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.

¹⁸ And another angel came out from the altar, ^(BR)who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, ^(BS)“Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” ¹⁹ So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into ^(BT)the great winepress of the wrath of God. ²⁰ And ^(BU)the winepress was trampled ^(BV)outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, ^(BW)up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred ^[r]furlongs.

Prelude to the Bowl Judgments

15 Then ^(BX)I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: ^(BY)seven angels having the seven last plagues, ^(BZ)for in them the wrath of God is complete.

² And I saw something like ^(CA)a sea of glass ^(CB)mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, ^(CC)over his image and ^[s]over his mark and over the ^(CD)number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, ^(CE)having harps of God. ³ They sing ^(CF)the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the ^(CG)Lamb, saying:

⁵ After these things I looked, and ^[u]behold, ^(CM)the ^[v]temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. ⁶ And out of the ^[w]temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, ^(CN)clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands. ^7 (CO)Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God ^(CP)who lives forever and ever. ^8 (CQ)The temple was filled with smoke ^(CR)from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.