Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

The golden censer

8 When the lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven, lasting about half an hour. ² I saw the seven angels who were standing in front of God; they were given seven trumpets. ³ Another angel came and stood before the altar. He was holding a golden censer, and he was given a large quantity of incense so that he could offer it, along with the prayers of all God’s holy people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. ⁴ The smoke of incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose up from the hand of the angel in front of God. ⁵ Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it on the earth. There were crashes of thunder, loud rumblings, lightning, and an earthquake.