Read the New Testament in 24 Weeks
19 After these things I heard what sounded like the loud voice of a vast throng in heaven, saying,
“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
2 because his judgments are true and just.[a]
For he has judged[b] the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality,
and has avenged the blood of his servants[c] poured out by her own hands!”[d]
3 Then[e] a second time the crowd shouted, “Hallelujah!” The smoke rises from her forever and ever.[f] 4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures threw themselves to the ground[g] and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne, saying: “Amen! Hallelujah!”
5 Then[h] a voice came from the throne, saying:
“Praise our God
all you his servants,
and all you who fear him,
both the small and the great!”
The Wedding Celebration of the Lamb
6 Then[i] I heard what sounded like the voice of a vast throng, like the roar of many waters and like loud crashes of thunder. They were shouting:[j]
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God,[k] the All-Powerful,[l] reigns!
7 Let us rejoice[m] and exult
and give him glory,
because the wedding celebration of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
8 She was permitted to be dressed in bright, clean, fine linen”[n] (for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints).[o]
9 Then[p] the angel[q] said to me, “Write the following: Blessed are those who are invited to the banquet at the wedding celebration of the Lamb!” He also said to me, “These are the true words of God.” 10 So[r] I threw myself down[s] at his feet to worship him, but[t] he said, “Do not do this![u] I am only[v] a fellow servant[w] with you and your brothers and sisters[x] who hold to the testimony about[y] Jesus. Worship God, for the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
The Son of God Goes to War
11 Then[z] I saw heaven opened and here came[aa] a white horse! The[ab] one riding it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice[ac] he judges and goes to war. 12 His eyes are like a fiery[ad] flame and there are many diadem crowns[ae] on his head. He has[af] a name written[ag] that no one knows except himself. 13 He is dressed in clothing dipped[ah] in blood, and he is called[ai] the Word of God. 14 The[aj] armies that are in heaven, dressed in white, clean, fine linen,[ak] were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth extends a sharp sword, so that with it he can strike the nations.[al] He[am] will rule[an] them with an iron rod,[ao] and he stomps the winepress[ap] of the furious[aq] wrath of God, the All-Powerful.[ar] 16 He has a name written on his clothing and on his thigh: “King of kings and Lord of lords.”
17 Then[as] I saw one angel standing in[at] the sun, and he shouted in a loud voice to all the birds flying high in the sky:[au]
“Come, gather around for the great banquet[av] of God,
18 to eat[aw] your fill[ax] of the flesh of kings,
the flesh of generals,[ay]
the flesh of powerful people,
the flesh of horses and those who ride them,
and the flesh of all people, both free and slave,[az]
and small and great!”
19 Then[ba] I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to do battle with the one who rode the horse and with his army. 20 Now[bb] the beast was seized, and along with him the false prophet who had performed the signs on his behalf[bc]—signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur.[bd] 21 The[be] others were killed by the sword that extended from the mouth of the one who rode the horse, and all the birds gorged[bf] themselves with their flesh.
The Thousand Year Reign
20 Then[bg] I saw an angel descending from heaven, holding[bh] in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain. 2 He[bi] seized the dragon—the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan—and tied him up for a thousand years. 3 The angel[bj] then[bk] threw him into the abyss and locked[bl] and sealed it so that he could not deceive the nations until the one thousand years were finished. (After these things he must be released for a brief period of time.)
4 Then[bm] I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge.[bn] I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. These[bo] had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. They[bp] came to life[bq] and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were finished.)[br] This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who takes part[bs] in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them,[bt] but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.
Satan’s Final Defeat
7 Now[bu] when the thousand years are finished, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive[bv] the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog,[bw] to bring them together for the battle. They are as numerous as the grains of sand in the sea.[bx] 9 They[by] went up[bz] on the broad plain of the earth[ca] and encircled[cb] the camp[cc] of the saints and the beloved city, but[cd] fire came down from heaven and devoured them completely.[ce] 10 And the devil who deceived[cf] them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur,[cg] where the beast and the false prophet are[ch] too, and they will be tormented there day and night forever and ever.
The Great White Throne
11 Then[ci] I saw a large[cj] white throne and the one who was seated on it; the earth and the heaven[ck] fled[cl] from his presence, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. Then[cm] books were opened, and another book was opened—the book of life.[cn] So[co] the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds.[cp] 13 The[cq] sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death[cr] and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each one was judged according to his deeds. 14 Then[cs] Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire. 15 If[ct] anyone’s name[cu] was not found written in the book of life, that person[cv] was thrown into the lake of fire.
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