Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

¹³ A messenger went to get Micaiah. He said to him, “Look. The other prophets agree. All of them are saying the king will have success. So agree with them. Say the same thing they do.”

¹⁴ But Micaiah said, “You can be sure that the Lord lives. And here is something you can be just as sure of. I can only tell the king what the Lord tells me to say.”

¹⁵ When Micaiah arrived, the king spoke to him. He asked, “Should we go to war against Ramoth Gilead, or not?”

“Attack,” he answered. “You will win. The Lord will hand Ramoth Gilead over to you.”

¹⁶ The king said to him, “I’ve made you promise to tell the truth many times before. So don’t tell me anything but the truth in the name of the Lord.”

¹⁷ Then Micaiah answered, “I saw all the Israelites scattered on the hills. They were like sheep that didn’t have a shepherd. The Lord said, ‘These people do not have a master. Let each of them go home in peace.’ ”

¹⁸ The king of Israel spoke to Jehoshaphat. He said, “Didn’t I tell you he never prophesies anything good about me? He only prophesies bad things.”

¹⁹ Micaiah continued, “Listen to the Lord’s message. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne. All the angels of heaven were standing around him. Some were standing at his right side. The others were standing at his left side. ²⁰ The Lord said, ‘Who will get Ahab to attack Ramoth Gilead? I want him to die there.’

“One angel suggested one thing. Another suggested something else. ²¹ Finally, a spirit came forward and stood in front of the Lord. The spirit said, ‘I’ll get Ahab to do it.’

²² “ ‘How?’ the Lord asked.

“The spirit said, ‘I’ll go out and put lies in the mouths of all his prophets.’

“ ‘You will have success in getting Ahab to attack Ramoth Gilead,’ said the Lord. ‘Go and do it.’

²³ “So the Lord has put lies in the mouths of all your prophets. He has said that great harm will come to you.”

The Lamb and the 144,000

14 I looked, and there in front of me was the Lamb. He was standing on Mount Zion. With him were 144,000 people. Written on their foreheads were his name and his Father’s name. ² I heard a sound from heaven. It was like the roar of rushing waters and loud thunder. The sound I heard was like the music of harps being played. ³ Then everyone sang a new song in front of the throne. They sang it in front of the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000. They had been set free from the evil of the earth. ⁴ They had not committed sexual sins with women. They had kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among human beings as a first offering to God and the Lamb. ⁵ They told no lies. They are without blame.

The Three Angels

⁶ I saw another angel. He was flying high in the air. He came to tell everyone on earth the good news that will always be true. He told it to every nation, tribe and people, no matter what language they spoke. ⁷ In a loud voice he said, “Have respect for God. Give him glory. The hour has come for God to judge. Worship him who made the heavens and the earth. Worship him who made the sea and the springs of water.”

⁸ A second angel followed him. He said, “ ‘Fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen!’ (Isaiah 21:9) The city of Babylon made all the nations drink the strong wine of her terrible sins.”

⁹ A third angel followed them. He said in a loud voice, “There will be trouble for anyone who worships the beast and its statue! There will be trouble for anyone who has its mark on their forehead or their hand! ¹⁰ They, too, will drink the wine of God’s great anger. His wine has been poured full strength into the cup of his anger. They will be burned with flaming sulfur. The holy angels and the Lamb will see it happen. ¹¹ The smoke of their terrible suffering will rise for ever and ever. Day and night, there will be no rest for anyone who worships the beast and its statue. There will be no rest for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”