Book of Common Prayer

⁴ Then the twenty-four leaders and the four living beings kneeled down. They worshipped God who was sitting on his throne, and they said, `Amen! Yes, it is so! Praise God!'

⁵ A voice from the throne said, `Praise our God, all his servants, all who respect and honour him: you who are great and you who are not great, praise him!'

⁶ Then I heard a sound in heaven. It sounded like many people and much water flowing and like loud thunder. They said, `Praise God! The Lord our God, who has all power, rules!

⁷ We will be glad and very happy! We will praise him. The time has come for the Lamb to marry. The woman who will marry him is ready.

⁸ She was given the right to wear fine linen, shining and clean.' The fine linen means the good things God's people have done.

⁹ The angel said to me, `Write this: God blesses those who are called to come to the wedding feast of the Lamb.' And he said to me, `These are the true words of God.'

¹⁰ Then I kneeled down in front of him to worship him. But he said to me, `You must not do that! I am only a servant like you and like your brothers who tell about Jesus. Worship God! Those who tell about Jesus have the spirit of a prophet.'

¹¹ Then I saw heaven open, and I saw a white horse! The One who rode him is called `One who can be Trusted' and `The True One'. He punishes and makes war in the right way.

¹² His eyes were like a flame of fire. On his head were many crowns. He had a name written on him, but no man knew what it was but he himself.

¹³ He wore clothes that had been dipped in blood. His name is `The Word of God'.

¹⁴ The armies of heaven followed him on white horses and they were dressed in fine linen, shining and clean.

¹⁵ A long knife or sword comes from his mouth. With it he will punish and control the people of the nations. He will rule them with an iron stick. He is like the winepress that presses the water out of the fruit. It is the place where God, who has all power, shows his great anger.

¹⁶ A name is written on his clothes and on his leg: it is King of kings, and Lord of lords.

²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming to him. `Look,' said John. `See God's special Lamb! He takes away the wrong ways of the world.

³⁰ Here is the man I told you about. I said that the one who is coming after me is greater than I am, because he lived before I lived.

³¹ I myself did not know who he was. But I came and baptized people in water so that the people of Israel would know who he was.'

³² John also said, `I saw the Spirit coming from the sky. He came down on him like a dove. It stayed on him.

³³ I myself did not know who he was. But he who sent me to baptize people in water told me. He said, "You will see the Spirit coming from the sky on a man. That man will baptize people in the Holy Spirit."

³⁴ I saw the Spirit coming on him, and I have told you. This man is the Son of God.'