Job Speaks of Life’s Woes

The Mighty Angel with the Little Book

10 I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. ^(A)And a rainbow was on ^(B)his head, his face was like the sun, and ^(C)his feet like pillars of fire. ² He had a little book open in his hand. ^(D)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, ^(E)seven thunders uttered their voices. ⁴ Now when the seven thunders ^[a]uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying ^[b]to me, ^(F)“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 ^(G)raised up his ^[c]hand to heaven ⁶ and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, ^(H)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, ^(I)that there should be delay no longer, ⁷ but ^(J)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, ^(K)“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, ^(L)and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, ^(M)my stomach became bitter. ¹¹ And ^[d]he said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.”

The Two Witnesses

11 Then I was given ^(A)a reed like a measuring rod. ^[a]And the angel stood, saying, ^(B)“Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. ² But leave out ^(C)the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, ^(D)for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will ^(E)tread the holy city underfoot for ^(F)forty-two months. ³ And I will give power to my two ^(G)witnesses, ^(H)and they will prophesy ^(I)one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

⁴ These are the ^(J)two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the ^[b]God of the earth. ⁵ And if anyone wants to harm them, ^(K)fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. ^(L)And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. ⁶ These ^(M)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 ^(N)finish their testimony, ^(O)the beast that ascends ^(P)out of the bottomless pit ^(Q)will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. ⁸ And their dead bodies will lie in the street of ^(R)the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, ^(S)where also ^[c]our Lord was crucified. ^9 (T)Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations ^[d]will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, ^(U)and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. ^10 (V)And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, ^(W)and send gifts to one another, ^(X)because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

The Witnesses Resurrected

^11 (Y)Now after the three-and-a-half days ^(Z)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 ^[e]they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” ^(AA)And they ascended to heaven ^(AB)in a cloud, ^(AC)and their enemies saw them. ¹³ In the same hour ^(AD)there was a great earthquake, ^(AE)and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid ^(AF)and gave glory to the God of heaven.

^14 (AG)The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.

Seventh Trumpet: The Kingdom Proclaimed

¹⁵ Then ^(AH)the seventh angel sounded: ^(AI)And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ^(AJ)“The ^[f]kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, ^(AK)and He shall reign forever and ever!” ¹⁶ And ^(AL)the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and ^(AM)worshiped God, ¹⁷ saying:

¹⁹ Then ^(AR)the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of ^[i]His covenant was seen in His temple. And ^(AS)there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, ^(AT)and great hail.