Book of Common Prayer

5 I saw a book in the right hand of the one who sat on the chief chair. It had writing on the front and the back. It was locked with seven locks.

² I saw a strong angel calling with a loud voice. He said, `Who can open the book and break its locks?'

³ And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the book or look in it.

⁴ I cried very much because no one could open the book or look in it.

⁵ Then one of the leaders said to me, `Do not cry. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah has won! The One who was born into David's family has won! He can open the book and break its seven locks.'

⁶ I saw a Lamb standing in front of the throne and the four living beings, and in front of the leaders. It looked as if it had been killed. It had seven horns and seven eyes. They are the seven Spirits of God who are sent out all over the earth.

⁷ He went and took the book from the right hand of the One who sat on the throne.

⁸ And when he took the book, the four living beings and the twenty-four leaders kneeled down in front of the Lamb. Every one of them had a harp and a gold bowl. The bowls were full of incense that smelled very sweet when it was burned. These bowls are the words of God's people when they talk to him.

⁹ And the four living beings and the leaders sang a new song. The new song was: `You are able to take the book and to open its locks, because you were killed. You have set the people free and bought them for God with the cost of your blood. They are from every tribe, language, nation, and country.

¹⁰ You have made them into kings and priests for our God. They will rule on the earth.'

¹⁰ The disciples came to Jesus and asked him, `Why do you tell the people these stories?'

¹¹ Jesus answered them, `You can learn the secret things about the kingdom of heaven. But they cannot learn them.

¹² Anyone who already has something will get more, and he will have plenty. But he who does not have anything, even the little that he has will be taken away from him.

¹³ That is why I tell them stories. They look, but they do not see. They listen, but they do not hear or understand.

¹⁴ They make what Isaiah the prophet said long ago, come true. `Isaiah said: "You will listen and listen, but you will not understand. You will look and look, but you will not see.

¹⁵ The hearts of these people have no feeling. They do not hear well with their ears. And they have shut their eyes. They do not want to see with their eyes. They do not want to hear with their ears. They do not want to understand in their hearts. They do not want to turn to me. If they did turn, I would heal them."

¹⁶ `God is blessing your eyes because they see. God is blessing your ears because they hear.

¹⁷ I tell you the truth. Many prophets and good men wanted to see what you see, but they did not see them. They wanted to hear what you hear, but they did not hear them.