Book of Common Prayer

¹¹ And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and around the living creatures and the elders. And I heard thousands of thousands ¹² saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was killed to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honour and glory and blessing! ¹³ And all the creatures that are in heaven and on the earth, and under the earth and in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying, Blessing, honour, glory, and power be to him who sits upon the seat, and to the Lamb forevermore! ¹⁴ And the four living creatures said, Amen! And the 24 elders fell upon their faces and worshipped him who lives forevermore.

The Lamb opens six of the seven seals, and many things follow the opening thereof.

6 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say, as it were the noise of thunder, Come and see. ² And I saw, and behold, there was a white horse, and he that sat on him had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he went forth conquering, and to overcome.

³ And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second creature say, Come and see. ⁴ And there went out another horse that was red. And power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another. And there was given to him a great sword.

⁵ And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third creature say, Come and see. And I looked, and lo, a black horse, and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. ⁶ And I heard a voice in the midst of the four creatures say, A measure of wheat for a denarius, and three measures of barley for a denarius; and oil and wine, see you do not harm.

⁷ And when he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth creature say, Come and see. ⁸ And I looked, and behold, a green horse. And the name of him who sat on it was death, and hell followed after him, and power was given to them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death that comes by the dangerous creatures of the earth.

⁹ And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who were killed for the word of God and for the testimony that they had. ¹⁰ And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long will you wait, O Lord holy and true, to judge, and to avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? ¹¹ And long white garments were given to every one of them. And it was said to them that they should rest for a little season, until the number of their fellows and brethren, and of those who would be killed as they were, was fulfilled.

¹⁸ Hear therefore the similitude of the sower. ¹⁹ Whosoever hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, there comes the evil one, and catches away that which was sown in his heart; and this is he who received the seed by the wayside. ²⁰ But he who received the seed in the stony ground is the person who hears the word of God, and at once receives it with joy. ²¹ Yet he has no roots in himself, and therefore endures but a season, for as soon as tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, at once he falls. ²² He who received the seed among thorns is the person who hears the word of God, but the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and so he is made unfruitful. ²³ But he who receives the seed in good ground is the person who hears the word and understands it; who also bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold.