Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
The Opening of the Scroll
5 Then[a] I saw in the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne a scroll written on the front and back[b] and sealed with seven seals.[c] 2 And I saw a powerful angel proclaiming in a loud voice: “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?” 3 But[d] no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or look into it. 4 So[e] I began weeping bitterly[f] because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 Then[g] one of the elders said[h] to me, “Stop weeping![i] Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered;[j] thus he can open[k] the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 Then[l] I saw standing in the middle of the throne[m] and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders, a Lamb that appeared to have been killed.[n] He had[o] seven horns and seven eyes, which[p] are the seven[q] spirits of God[r] sent out into all the earth. 7 Then[s] he came and took the scroll[t] from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne, 8 and when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders threw themselves to the ground[u] before the Lamb. Each[v] of them had a harp and golden bowls full of incense (which are the prayers of the saints).[w] 9 They were singing a new song:[x]
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals
because you were killed,[y]
and at the cost of your own blood[z] you have purchased[aa] for God
persons[ab] from every tribe, language,[ac] people, and nation.
10 You have appointed[ad] them[ae] as a kingdom and priests[af] to serve[ag] our God, and they will reign[ah] on the earth.”
11 Then[ai] I looked and heard the voice of many angels in a circle around the throne, as well as the living creatures and the elders. Their[aj] number was ten thousand times ten thousand[ak]—thousands times thousands— 12 all of whom[al] were singing[am] in a loud voice:
“Worthy is the lamb who was killed[an]
to receive power and wealth
and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and praise!”
13 Then[ao] I heard every creature—in heaven, on earth, under the earth, in the sea, and all that is in them—singing:[ap]
“To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise, honor, glory, and ruling power[aq] forever and ever!”
14 And the four living creatures were saying “Amen,” and the elders threw themselves to the ground[ar] and worshiped.
The Seven Seals
6 I looked on when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a thunderous voice,[as] “Come!”[at] 2 So[au] I looked,[av] and here came[aw] a white horse! The[ax] one who rode it[ay] had a bow, and he was given a crown,[az] and as a conqueror[ba] he rode out to conquer.
3 Then[bb] when the Lamb[bc] opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come!” 4 And another horse, fiery red,[bd] came out, and the one who rode it[be] was granted permission[bf] to take peace from the earth, so that people would butcher[bg] one another, and he was given a huge sword.
5 Then[bh] when the Lamb opened the third seal I heard the third living creature saying, “Come!” So[bi] I looked,[bj] and here came[bk] a black horse! The[bl] one who rode it[bm] had a balance scale[bn] in his hand. 6 Then[bo] I heard something like a voice from among the four living creatures saying, “A quart[bp] of wheat will cost a day’s pay[bq] and three quarts of barley will cost a day’s pay. But[br] do not damage the olive oil and the wine!”
7 Then[bs] when the Lamb opened the fourth seal I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come!” 8 So[bt] I looked[bu] and here came[bv] a pale green[bw] horse! The[bx] name of the one who rode it[by] was Death, and Hades followed right behind.[bz] They[ca] were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill its population with the sword,[cb] famine, and disease,[cc] and by the wild animals of the earth.
9 Now[cd] when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been violently killed[ce] because of the word of God and because of the testimony they had given. 10 They[cf] cried out with a loud voice,[cg] “How long,[ch] Sovereign Master,[ci] holy and true, before you judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood?” 11 Each[cj] of them was given a long white robe and they were told to rest for a little longer, until the full number was reached[ck] of both their fellow servants[cl] and their brothers who were going to be killed just as they had been.
12 Then[cm] I looked when the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and a huge[cn] earthquake took place; the sun became as black as sackcloth made of hair,[co] and the full moon became blood red;[cp] 13 and the stars in the sky[cq] fell to the earth like a fig tree dropping[cr] its unripe figs[cs] when shaken by a fierce[ct] wind. 14 The sky[cu] was split apart[cv] like a scroll being rolled up,[cw] and every mountain and island was moved from its place. 15 Then[cx] the kings of the earth, the[cy] very important people, the generals,[cz] the rich, the powerful, and everyone, slave[da] and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They[db] said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who is seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb,[dc] 17 because the great day of their[dd] wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?”[de]
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