Book of Common Prayer

16 I heard a loud voice coming from the temple. It said to the seven angels, `Go and pour the seven bowls of God's anger on the earth.'

² So the first angel went and poured his bowl on the earth. Then a bad, dirty sore came on the people who had the mark of the animal on them, and who worshipped its idol.

³ The second angel poured his bowl on the sea. It turned into blood like that of a person who has been killed. Everything in the sea that had life died.

⁴ The third angel poured his bowl on the rivers and the places where there was water. They turned into blood.

⁵ And I heard the angel of the water say, `Holy One, you who live now and who always have lived, and will live for ever; you are right because you have punished them this way.

⁶ They killed God's people and the prophets. Now you have given them blood to drink. This is what they should get!'

⁷ I heard the people under the altar say, `Yes, Lord God, you have all power! The way you punish is true and right!'

⁸ The fourth angel poured his bowl on the sun. Then the sun was given the power to burn people with fire.

⁹ People were burned because the sun was so hot. And they spoke wrongly about the name of God, cursing him because he had the power to send these troubles. But they would not stop the wrong things they were doing. They would not respect and honour God.

¹⁰ The fifth angel poured his bowl on the throne of the beast. The place where he ruled became dark. People bit their tongues because of the pain they had.

¹¹ They cursed God in heaven because of their pain and sores. But they did not stop the wrong things they were doing. They would not turn back to God.

¹⁰ Jesus was teaching in one of the meeting houses on the Sabbath day.

¹¹ A woman was there who had a spirit that had made her sick for eighteen years. She had to bend down all the time and could not stand up straight.

¹² Jesus saw her and called her to come to him. Then he said, `Woman, you are healed. You are not sick any longer.'

¹³ Jesus put his hands on her, and right away she stood up straight. And she praised God.

¹⁴ The ruler of the meeting house was angry because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath day. He said to the people, `There are six days to work. You should come to be healed on those days, and not on the Sabbath day.'

¹⁵ The Lord said to him, `You are not true to yourselves! Every one of you unties his cow or horse and takes it to the water to drink on the Sabbath day. Do you not?

¹⁶ This woman belongs to Abraham's family. Satan has tied her for eighteen years. Is it not right that she should be set free on the Sabbath day?'

¹⁷ When he said that, all those who had talked against him were ashamed. All the other people were very glad for all the wonderful things Jesus did.