1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his
servants what must soon take place; he made it known by sending his
angel to his servant John, 2 who testified to the word of God and to
the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.
3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of the prophecy, and
blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written in it; for the
time is near.
Epistolary salutation
4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to
come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from
Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the
ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and
made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be
glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
7 Look! He is coming with the clouds;
every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him;
and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail.
So it is to be. Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who
was and who is to come, the Almighty.
9 I, John, your brother who share with you in Jesus the persecution and
the kingdom and the patient endurance, was on the island called
Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I
was in the spirit on the LORD’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice
like a trumpet 11 saying, “Write in a book what you see and send it to
the seven churches, to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamum, to Thyatira,
to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
12 Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me, and on
turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the
lampstands I saw one like the Son of Man, clothed with a long robe
and with a golden sash across his chest. 14 His head and his hair were
white as white wool, white as snow; his eyes were like a flame of fire,
15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined as in a furnace, and his
voice was like the sound of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held
seven stars, and from his mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword, and
his face was like the sun shining with full force.
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he placed his
right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last,
18 and the living one. I was dead, and see, I am alive forever and ever;
and I have the keys of Death and of Hades. 19 Now write what you
have seen, what is, and what is to take place after this. 20 As for the
mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven
golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven
churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of
him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the
seven golden lampstands:
2 “I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance. I know
that you cannot tolerate evildoers; you have tested those who claim to
be apostles but are not, and have found them to be false. 3 I also know
that you are enduring patiently and bearing up for the sake of my
name, and that you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against
you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember
then from what you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at
first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its
place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this is to your credit: you hate the works
of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 Let anyone who has an ear listen
to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who conquers,
I will give permission to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise
of God.
The second message to Smyrna
8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the
words of the first and the last, who was dead and came to life:
9 “I know your affliction and your poverty, even though you are rich. I
know the slander on the part of those who say that they are Jews and
are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are
about to suffer. Beware, the devil is about to throw some of you into
prison so that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have
affliction. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the
churches. Whoever conquers will not be harmed by the second death.
The third message to Pergamum
12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the
words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword:
13 “I know where you are living, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you are
holding fast to my name, and you did not deny your faith in me even
in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed
among you, where Satan lives. 14 But I have a few things against you:
you have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught
Balak to put a stumbling block before the people of Israel, so that they
would eat food sacrificed to idols and practice fornication. 15 So you
also have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent
then. If not, I will come to you soon and make war against them with
the sword of my mouth. 17 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what
the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who conquers I will
give some of the hidden manna, and I will give a white stone, and on
the white stone is written a new name that no one knows except the
one who receives it.
The fourth message to Thyatira
18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the
words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose
feet are like burnished bronze:
19 “I know your works — your love, faith, service, and patient
endurance. I know that your last works are greater than the first. 20
But I have this against you: you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls
herself a prophet and is teaching and beguiling my servants to practice
fornication and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to
repent, but she refuses to repent of her fornication. 22 Beware, I am
throwing her on a bed, and those who commit adultery with her I am
throwing into great distress, unless they repent of her doings; 23 and I
will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am
the one who searches minds and hearts, and I will give to each of you
as your works deserve. 24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not
hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call ‘the deep
things of Satan,’ to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden; 25
only hold fast to what you have until I come. 26 To everyone who
conquers and continues to do my works to the end,
I will give authority over the nations;
27 to rule them with an iron rod,
as when clay pots are shattered —
28 even as I also received authority from my Father. To the one who
conquers I will also give the morning star. 29 Let anyone who has an
ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.
1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words
of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars:
“I know your works; you have a name of being alive, but you are dead.
2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is on the point of death,
for I have not found your works perfect in the sight of my God. 3
Remember then what you received and heard; obey it, and repent. If
you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at
what hour I will come to you. 4 Yet you have still a few persons in
Sardis who have not soiled their clothes; they will walk with me,
dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 If you conquer, you will be
clothed like them in white robes, and I will not blot your name out of
the book of life; I will confess your name before my Father and before
his angels. 6 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is
saying to the churches.
The sixth message to Philadelphia
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of the holy one, the true one,
who has the key of David,
who opens and no one will shut,
who shuts and no one opens:
8 “I know your works. Look, I have set before you an open door, which
no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet
you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make
those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are
not, but are lying — I will make them come and bow down before your
feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. 10 Because you have
kept my word of patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of
trial that is coming on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the
earth. 11 I am coming soon; hold fast to what you have, so that no one
may seize your crown. 12 If you conquer, I will make you a pillar in the
temple of my God; you will never go out of it. I will write on you the
name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new
Jerusalem that comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own
new name. 13 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is
saying to the churches.
The seventh message to Laodicea
14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The words of the
Amen, the faithful and true witness, the origin of God’s creation:
15 “I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you
were either cold or hot. 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither
cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, ‘I
am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.’ You do not realize that
you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 Therefore I
counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be
rich; and white robes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your
nakedness from being seen; and salve to anoint your eyes so that you
may see. 19 I reprove and discipline those whom I love. Be earnest, therefore, and repent. 20 Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking;
if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat
with you, and you with me. 21 To the one who conquers I will give a
place with me on my throne, just as I myself conquered and sat down
with my Father on his throne. 22 Let anyone who has an ear listen to
what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”
1 After this I looked, and there in heaven a door stood open! And the
first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said,
“Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2
At once I was in the spirit, and there in heaven stood a throne, with
one seated on the throne! 3 And the one seated there looks like jasper
and carnelian, and around the throne is a rainbow that looks like an
emerald. 4 Around the throne are twenty-four thrones, and seated on
the thrones are twenty-four elders, dressed in white robes, with golden
crowns on their heads. 5 Coming from the throne are flashes of
lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and in front of the
throne burn seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God;
6 and in front of the throne there is something like a sea of glass, like
crystal.
Around the throne, and on each side of the throne, are four living
creatures, full of eyes in front and behind: 7 the first living creature like
a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature
with a face like a human face, and the fourth living creature like a
flying eagle. 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six
wings, are full of eyes all around and inside. Day and night without
ceasing they sing,
“Holy, holy, holy,
the Lord God the Almighty,
who was and is and is to come.”
9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks
to the one who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10
the twenty-four elders fall before the one who is seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever; they cast their crowns before the throne, singing,
11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
and by your will they existed and were created.” [Revelation 5] 1 Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll
written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals; 2 and I
saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to
open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on
earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. 4
And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to
open the scroll or to look into it. 5 Then one of the elders said to me,
“Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David,
has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and
among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered,
having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God
sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right
hand of the one who was seated on the throne. 8 When he had taken
the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell
before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense,
which are the prayers of the saints. 9 They sing a new song:
“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals,
for you were slaughtered and by your blood you
ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language
and people and nation;
10 you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God,
and they will reign on earth.”
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the
throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads
of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 singing with full voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!”
13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the
earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing,
“To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the elders fell
down and worshiped. [Revelation 6] The opening of the first six seals; four seals of destruction
1 Then I saw the Lamb open one of the seven seals, and I heard one of
the four living creatures call out, as with a voice of thunder, “Come!” 2
I looked, and there was a white horse! Its rider had a bow; a crown was
given to him, and he came out conquering and to conquer.
3 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature
call out, “Come!” 4 And out came another horse, bright red; its rider
was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people would
slaughter one another; and he was given a great sword.
5 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature call
out, “Come!” I looked, and there was a black horse! Its rider held a
pair of scales in his hand, 6 and I heard what seemed to be a voice in
the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a
day’s pay, and three quarts of barley for a day’s pay, but do not
damage the olive oil and the wine!”
7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth
living creature call out, “Come!” 8 I looked and there was a pale green
horse! Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed with him; they
were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword,
famine, and pestilence, and by the wild animals of the earth.
Three seals of judgment; the fifth seal
9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of
those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the
testimony they had given; 10 they cried out with a loud voice,
“Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge
and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?” 11 They were
each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the
number would be complete both of their fellow servants and of their
brothers and sisters, who were soon to be killed as they themselves had
been killed.
The opening of the sixth seal
12 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and there came a great
earthquake; the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became
like blood, 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree
drops its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. 14 The sky vanished like a
scroll rolling itself up, and every mountain and island was removed
from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the magnates and
the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and
free, hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling
to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of
the one seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb; 17 for
the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth,
holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind could blow
on earth or sea or against any tree. 2 I saw another angel ascending
from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God, and he
called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power
to damage earth and sea, 3 saying, “Do not damage the earth or the
sea or the trees, until we have marked the servants of our God with a
seal on their foreheads.”
4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred
forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the people of Israel:
5 From the tribe of Judah twelve thousand sealed,
from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand,
6 from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand,
7 from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand,
8 from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand sealed.
9 After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one
could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and
languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in
white, with palm branches in their hands. 10 They cried out in a loud
voice, saying,
“Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and
to the Lamb!”
11 And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders
and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the
throne and worshiped God, 12 singing,
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor
and power and might
be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed
in white, and where have they come from?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you
are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who
have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and
made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 For this reason they are before the throne of God,
and worship him day and night within his temple,
and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.
16 They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;
the sun will not strike them,
nor any scorching heat;
17 for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd,
and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” [Revelation 8] The seventh seal
1 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven
for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before
God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
3 Another angel with a golden censer came and stood at the altar; he
was given a great quantity of incense to offer with the prayers of all
the saints on the golden altar that is before the throne. 4 And the
smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God
from the hand of the angel. 5 Then the angel took the censer and
filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth; and there
were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an
earthquake.
The first six trumpets; four trumpets of destruction
6 Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets made ready to
blow them.
7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and there came hail and fire, mixed
with blood, and they were hurled to the earth; and a third of the earth
was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green
grass was burned up.
8 The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great
mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea. 9 A third of the
sea became blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a
third of the ships were destroyed.
10 The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven,
blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the
springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the
waters became wormwood, and many died from the water, because it
was made bitter.
12 The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck,
and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of
their light was darkened; a third of the day was kept from shining, and
likewise the night.
13 Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it
flew in midheaven, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, at
the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to
blow!” [Revelation 9] Three trumpets of woe; the plague of monstrous locusts
1 And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen
from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the
bottomless pit; 2 he opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from
the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun
and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. 3 Then from
the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given authority
like the authority of scorpions of the earth. 4 They were told not to
damage the grass of the earth or any green growth or any tree, but
only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
5 They were allowed to torture them for five months, but not to kill
them, and their torture was like the torture of a scorpion when it
stings someone. 6 And in those days people will seek death but will not
find it; they will long to die, but death will flee from them.
7 In appearance the locusts were like horses equipped for battle. On
their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like
human faces, 8 their hair like women’s hair, and their teeth like lions’
teeth; 9 they had scales like iron breastplates, and the noise of their
wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into
battle. 10 They have tails like scorpions, with stingers, and in their tails
is their power to harm people for five months. 11 They have as king
over them the angel of the bottomless pit; his name in Hebrew is
Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.
12 The first woe has passed. There are still two woes to come.
The plague of monstrous cavalry
13 Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the
four horns of the golden altar before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel
who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the
great river Euphrates.” 15 So the four angels were released, who had
been held ready for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, to kill
a third of humankind. 16 The number of the troops of cavalry was two
hundred million; I heard their number. 17 And this was how I saw the
horses in my vision: the riders wore breastplates the color of fire and of
sapphire and of sulfur; the heads of the horses were like lions’ heads,
and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. 18 By these
three plagues a third of humankind was killed, by the fire and smoke
and sulfur coming out of their mouths. 19 For the power of the horses
is in their mouths and in their tails; their tails are like serpents, having
heads; and with them they inflict harm.
20 The rest of humankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did
not repent of the works of their hands or give up worshiping demons
and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which
cannot see or hear or walk. 21 And they did not repent of their murders
or their sorceries or their fornication or their thefts.
1 And I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped
in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head; his face was like the sun, and
his legs like pillars of fire. 2 He held a little scroll open in his hand.
Setting his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 he gave
a great shout, like a lion roaring. And when he shouted, the seven
thunders sounded. 4 And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was
about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what
the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” 5 Then the
angel whom I saw standing on the sea and the land
raised his right hand to heaven
6 and swore by him who lives forever and ever,
who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and
the sea and what is in it: “There will be no more delay, 7 but in the
days when the seventh angel is to blow his trumpet, the mystery of
God will be fulfilled, as he announced to his servants the prophets.”
8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again,
saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is
standing on the sea and on the land.” 9 So I went to the angel and told
him to give me the little scroll; and he said to me, “Take it, and eat; it
will be bitter to your stomach, but sweet as honey in your mouth.” 10
So I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it; it was
sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach was
made bitter.
11 Then they said to me, “You must prophesy again about many
peoples and nations and languages and kings.” [Revelation 11] The measuring of the temple and the two witnesses
1 Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Come
and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship
there, 2 but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that
out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample over the holy city for forty-two months. 3 And I will grant my two witnesses
authority to prophesy for one thousand two hundred sixty days,
wearing sackcloth.”
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand
before the Lord of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire
pours from their mouth and consumes their foes; anyone who wants to
harm them must be killed in this manner. 6 They have authority to shut
the sky, so that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying,
and they have authority over the waters to turn them into blood, and
to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire.
7 When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up
from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and
kill them, 8 and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city
that is prophetically called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was
crucified. 9 For three and a half days members of the peoples and
tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and
refuse to let them be placed in a tomb; 10 and the inhabitants of the
earth will gloat over them and celebrate and exchange presents,
because these two prophets had been a torment to the inhabitants of
the earth.
11 But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God
entered them, and they stood on their feet, and those who saw them
were terrified. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to
them, “Come up here!” And they went up to heaven in a cloud while
their enemies watched them. 13 At that moment there was a great
earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were
killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to
the God of heaven.
The seventh trumpet
14 The second woe has passed. The third woe is coming very soon.
15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud
voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord
and of his Messiah,
and he will reign forever and ever.”
16 Then the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell
on their faces and worshiped God, 17 singing,
“We give you thanks, Lord God Almighty,
who are and who were,
for you have taken your great power
and begun to reign.
18 The nations raged,
but your wrath has come,
and the time for judging the dead,
for rewarding your servants, the prophets
and saints and all who fear your name,
both small and great,
and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”
19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his
covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of
lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.
1 A great portent appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun,
with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve
stars. 2 She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pangs, in the
agony of giving birth. 3 Then another portent appeared in heaven: a
great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems
on his heads. 4 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and
threw them to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman
who was about to bear a child, so that he might devour her child as
soon as it was born. 5 And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is
to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. But her child was snatched
away and taken to God and to his throne; 6 and the woman fled into
the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, so that there
she can be nourished for one thousand two hundred sixty days.
7 And war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against
the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but they were
defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9 The
great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the
Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world — he was thrown
down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, proclaiming,
“Now have come the salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God
and the authority of his Messiah,
for the accuser of our comrades has been thrown down,
who accuses them day and night before our God.
11 But they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony,
for they did not cling to life even in the face of death.
12 Rejoice then, you heavens
and those who dwell in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea,
for the devil has come down to you
with great wrath,
because he knows that his time is short!”
13 So when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the
earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14
But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle, so that she
could fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to her place where she
is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. 15 Then from his
mouth the serpent poured water like a river after the woman, to
sweep her away with the flood. 16 But the earth came to the help of
the woman; it opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the
dragon had poured from his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was angry
with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her children,
those who keep the commandments of God and hold the testimony of
Jesus.
The two beasts
18 Then the dragon took his stand on the sand of the seashore.
[Revelation 13] 1 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, having ten
horns and seven heads; and on its horns were ten diadems, and on its
heads were blasphemous names. 2 And the beast that I saw was like a
leopard, its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s
mouth. And the dragon gave it his power and his throne and great
authority. 3 One of its heads seemed to have received a death-blow,
but its mortal wound had been healed. In amazement the whole earth
followed the beast. 4 They worshiped the dragon, for he had given his
authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is
like the beast, and who can fight against it?”
5 The beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous
words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. 6
It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his
name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7 Also it
was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. It was
given authority over every tribe and people and language and nation,
8 and all the inhabitants of the earth will worship it, everyone whose
name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the
book of life of the Lamb that was slaughtered.
9 Let anyone who has an ear listen:
10 If you are to be taken captive,
into captivity you go;
if you kill with the sword,
with the sword you must be killed.
Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.
11 Then I saw another beast that rose out of the earth; it had two horns
like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of
the first beast on its behalf, and it makes the earth and its inhabitants
worship the first beast, whose mortal wound had been healed. 13 It
performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to
earth in the sight of all; 14 and by the signs that it is allowed to
perform on behalf of the beast, it deceives the inhabitants of earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that had been wounded
by the sword and yet lived; 15 and it was allowed to give breath to the
image of the beast so that the image of the beast could even speak
and cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be
killed. 16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor,
both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead,
17 so that no one can buy or sell who does not have the mark, that is,
the name of the beast or the number of its name. 18 This calls for
wisdom: let anyone with understanding calculate the number of the
beast, for it is the number of a person. Its number is six hundred sixty-six.
1 Then I looked, and there was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion! And
with him were one hundred forty-four thousand who had his name
and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice
from heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud
thunder; the voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on
their harps, 3 and they sing a new song before the throne and before
the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that
song except the one hundred forty-four thousand who have been
redeemed from the earth. 4 It is these who have not defiled themselves
with women, for they are virgins; these follow the Lamb wherever he
goes. They have been redeemed from humankind as first fruits for God
and the Lamb, 5 and in their mouth no lie was found; they are
blameless.
6 Then I saw another angel flying in midheaven, with an eternal gospel
to proclaim to those who live on the earth — to every nation and tribe
and language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give
him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come; and worship him
who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
8 Then another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is
Babylon the great! She has made all nations drink of the wine of the
wrath of her fornication.”
9 Then another angel, a third, followed them, crying with a loud voice,
“Those who worship the beast and its image, and receive a mark on
their foreheads or on their hands, 10 they will also drink the wine of
God’s wrath, poured unmixed into the cup of his anger, and they will
be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels
and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment
goes up forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who
worship the beast and its image and for anyone who receives the mark
of its name.”
12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the
commandments of God and hold fast to the faith of Jesus.
13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the
dead who from now on die in the Lord.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they
will rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.”
14 Then I looked, and there was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud
was one like the Son of Man, with a golden crown on his head, and a
sharp sickle in his hand! 15 Another angel came out of the temple,
calling with a loud voice to the one who sat on the cloud, “Use your
sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of
the earth is fully ripe.” 16 So the one who sat on the cloud swung his
sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.
17 Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too
had a sharp sickle. 18 Then another angel came out from the altar, the
angel who has authority over fire, and he called with a loud voice to
him who had the sharp sickle, “Use your sharp sickle and gather the
clusters of the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe.” 19 So the angel
swung his sickle over the earth and gathered the vintage of the earth,
and he threw it into the great wine press of the wrath of God. 20 And
the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from
the wine press, as high as a horse’s bridle, for a distance of about two
hundred miles.
1 Then I saw another portent in heaven, great and amazing: seven
angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath
of God is ended.
2 And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mixed with fire, and
those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of
its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their
hands. 3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the
song of the Lamb:
“Great and amazing are your deeds,
Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways,
King of the nations!
4 Lord, who will not fear
and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come
and worship before you,
for your judgments have been revealed.”
5 After this I looked, and the temple of the tent of witness in heaven
was opened, 6 and out of the temple came the seven angels with the
seven plagues, robed in pure bright linen, with golden sashes across
their chests. 7 Then one of the four living creatures gave the seven
angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever
and ever; 8 and the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of
God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the
seven plagues of the seven angels were ended. [Revelation 16] The pouring of the bowls
1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels,
“Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”
2 So the first angel went and poured his bowl on the earth, and a foul
and painful sore came on those who had the mark of the beast and
who worshiped its image.
3 The second angel poured his bowl into the sea, and it became like
the blood of a corpse, and every living thing in the sea died.
4 The third angel poured his bowl into the rivers and the springs of
water, and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters
say,
“You are just, O Holy One, who are and were,
for you have judged these things;
6 because they shed the blood of saints and prophets,
you have given them blood to drink.
It is what they deserve!”
7 And I heard the altar respond,
“Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty,
your judgments are true and just!”
8 The fourth angel poured his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to
scorch people with fire; 9 they were scorched by the fierce heat, but
they cursed the name of God, who had authority over these plagues,
and they did not repent and give him glory.
10 The fifth angel poured his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its
kingdom was plunged into darkness; people gnawed their tongues in
agony, 11 and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and
sores, and they did not repent of their deeds.
12 The sixth angel poured his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its
water was dried up in order to prepare the way for the kings from the
east. 13 And I saw three foul spirits like frogs coming from the mouth
of the dragon, from the mouth of the beast, and from the mouth of
the false prophet. 14 These are demonic spirits, performing signs, who
go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for
battle on the great day of God the Almighty. 15 (“See, I am coming like
a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and is clothed, not going about naked and exposed to shame.”) 16 And they assembled them at
the place that in Hebrew is called Harmagedon.
17 The seventh angel poured his bowl into the air, and a loud voice
came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 And
there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a
violent earthquake, such as had not occurred since people were upon
the earth, so violent was that earthquake. 19 The great city was split
into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. God remembered
great Babylon and gave her the wine-cup of the fury of his wrath. 20
And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found; 21
and huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, dropped
from heaven on people, until they cursed God for the plague of the
hail, so fearful was that plague. [Revelation 17] The fall of Babylon, which is Rome; the vision of the woman
1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said
to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great whore who is
seated on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth have
committed fornication, and with the wine of whose fornication the
inhabitants of the earth have become drunk.” 3 So he carried me away
in the spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet
beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and
ten horns. 4 The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and
adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden
cup full of abominations and the impurities of her fornication; 5 and
on her forehead was written a name, a mystery: “Babylon the great,
mother of whores and of earth’s abominations.” 6 And I saw that the
woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of the
witnesses to Jesus.
When I saw her, I was greatly amazed. 7 But the angel said to me,
“Why are you so amazed? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and
of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. 8 The
beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to ascend from the
bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the inhabitants of the earth, whose names have not been written in the book of life from the
foundation of the world, will be amazed when they see the beast,
because it was and is not and is to come.
9 “This calls for a mind that has wisdom: the seven heads are seven
mountains on which the woman is seated; also, they are seven kings, 10
of whom five have fallen, one is living, and the other has not yet come;
and when he comes, he must remain only a little while. 11 As for the
beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven,
and it goes to destruction. 12 And the ten horns that you saw are ten
kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they are to receive
authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. 13 These are
united in yielding their power and authority to the beast; 14 they will
make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord
of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen
and faithful.”
15 And he said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the whore is
seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. 16 And
the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the whore;
they will make her desolate and naked; they will devour her flesh and
burn her up with fire. 17 For God has put it into their hearts to carry
out his purpose by agreeing to give their kingdom to the beast, until
the words of God will be fulfilled. 18 The woman you saw is the great
city that rules over the kings of the earth.” [Revelation 18] Dirge over the fallen city
1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having
great authority; and the earth was made bright with his splendor. 2 He
called out with a mighty voice,
“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!
It has become a dwelling place of demons,
a haunt of every foul spirit,
a haunt of every foul bird,
a haunt of every foul and hateful beast.
3 For all the nations have drunk
of the wine of the wrath of her fornication,
and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her,
and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power
of her luxury.”
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,
“Come out of her, my people,
so that you do not take part in her sins,
and so that you do not share in her plagues;
5 for her sins are heaped high as heaven,
and God has remembered her iniquities.
6 Render to her as she herself has rendered,
and repay her double for her deeds;
mix a double draught for her in the cup she mixed.
7 As she glorified herself and lived luxuriously,
so give her a like measure of torment and grief.
Since in her heart she says,
‘I rule as a queen;
I am no widow,
and I will never see grief,’
8 therefore her plagues will come in a single day —
pestilence and mourning and famine —
and she will be burned with fire;
for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”
9 And the kings of the earth, who committed fornication and lived in
luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke
of her burning; 10 they will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and
say,
“Alas, alas, the great city,
Babylon, the mighty city!
For in one hour your judgment has come.”
11 And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no
one buys their cargo anymore, 12 cargo of gold, silver, jewels and
pearls, fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet, all kinds of scented wood, all
articles of ivory, all articles of costly wood, bronze, iron, and marble, 13
cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, olive oil, choice flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, slaves — and
human lives.
14 “The fruit for which your soul longed
has gone from you,
and all your dainties and your splendor
are lost to you,
never to be found again!”
15 The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will
stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud,
16 “Alas, alas, the great city,
clothed in fine linen,
in purple and scarlet,
adorned with gold,
with jewels, and with pearls!
17 For in one hour all this wealth has been laid waste!”
And all shipmasters and seafarers, sailors and all whose trade is on the
sea, stood far off 18 and cried out as they saw the smoke of her
burning,
“What city was like the great city?”
19 And they threw dust on their heads, as they wept and mourned,
crying out,
“Alas, alas, the great city,
where all who had ships at sea
grew rich by her wealth!
For in one hour she has been laid waste.”
20 Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints and apostles and prophets!
For God has given judgment for you against her.
21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and
threw it into the sea, saying,
“With such violence Babylon the great city
will be thrown down,
and will be found no more; 22 and the sound of harpists and minstrels and of flutists and
trumpeters will be heard in you no more;
and an artisan of any trade
will be found in you no more;
and the sound of the millstone
will be heard in you no more;
23 and the light of a lamp
will shine in you no more;
and the voice of bridegroom and bride
will be heard in you no more;
for your merchants were the magnates of the earth,
and all nations were deceived by your sorcery.
24 And in you was found the blood of prophets and of saints,
and of all who have been slaughtered on earth.” [Revelation 19] Doxology
1 After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great
multitude in heaven, saying,
“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power to our God,
2 for his judgments are true and just;
he has judged the great whore
who corrupted the earth with her fornication,
and he has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”
3 Once more they said,
“Hallelujah!
The smoke goes up from her forever and ever.”
4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down
and worshiped God who is seated on the throne, saying,
“Amen. Hallelujah!”
5 And from the throne came a voice saying,
“Praise our God,
all you his servants,
and all who fear him,
small and great.”
6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like
the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunderpeals,
crying out,
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
7 Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready;
8 to her it has been granted to be clothed
with fine linen, bright and pure” —
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are
invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me,
“These are true words of God.” 10 Then I fell down at his feet to
worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow
servant with you and your comrades who hold the testimony of Jesus.
Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
The victory of Christ and the heavenly armies
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! Its rider is
called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes
war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many
diadems; and he has a name inscribed that no one knows but himself.
13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called The
Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, wearing fine linen, white
and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth
comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he
will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the
fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh
he has a name inscribed, “King of kings and Lord of lords.”
17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he
called to all the birds that fly in midheaven, “Come, gather for the
great supper of God, 18 to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains,
the flesh of the mighty, the flesh of horses and their riders — flesh of
all, both free and slave, both small and great.” 19 Then I saw the beast
and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war
against the rider on the horse and against his army. 20 And the beast
was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed in its
presence the signs by which he deceived those who had received the
mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were
thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21 And the rest
were killed by the sword of the rider on the horse, the sword that
came from his mouth; and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.
[Revelation 20]
The defeat of Satan; the temporary imprisonment of Satan and the
reign of Christ and the martyrs
1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand
the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 He seized the
dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound
him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and locked and
sealed it over him, so that he would deceive the nations no more, until
the thousand years were ended. After that he must be let out for a
little while.
4 Then I saw thrones, and those seated on them were given authority
to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for
their testimony to Jesus and for the word of God. They had not
worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on
their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with
Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life
until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6
Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. Over
these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God
and of Christ, and they will reign with him a thousand years.
The release of Satan and the final conflict
7 When the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his
prison 8 and will come out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, in order to gather them for battle; they are
as numerous as the sands of the sea. 9 They marched up over the
breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the
beloved city. And fire came down from heaven and consumed them. 10
And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire
and sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will
be tormented day and night forever and ever.
The last judgment
11 Then I saw a great white throne and the one who sat on it; the earth
and the heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for
them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the
throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, the
book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, as
recorded in the books. 13 And the sea gave up the dead that were in it,
Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and all were
judged according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades
were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of
fire; 15 and anyone whose name was not found written in the book of
life was thrown into the lake of fire.
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and
the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw
the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from
God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a
loud voice from the throne saying,
“See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
4 he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.”
5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making
all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are
trustworthy and true.” 6 Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the
Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will
give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who
conquer will inherit these things, and I will be their God and they will
be my children. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted,
the murderers, the fornicators, the sorcerers, the idolaters, and all liars,
their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is
the second death.”
The measuring of the city
9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the
seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the
bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And in the spirit he carried me away
to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem
coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It has the glory of God and a
radiance like a very rare jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It has a
great, high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and
on the gates are inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of the
Israelites; 13 on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the
south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the
city has twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the
twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15 The angel who talked to me had a measuring rod of gold to
measure the city and its gates and walls. 16 The city lies foursquare, its
length the same as its width; and he measured the city with his rod,
fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal. 17 He
also measured its wall, one hundred forty-four cubits by human
measurement, which the angel was using. 18 The wall is built of jasper,
while the city is pure gold, clear as glass. 19 The foundations of the wall
of the city are adorned with every jewel; the first was jasper, the
second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx,
the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth
topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth
amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, each of the gates is a single pearl, and the street of the city is pure gold, transparent as
glass.
22 I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the
Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to
shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24
The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring
their glory into it. 25 Its gates will never be shut by day — and there
will be no night there. 26 People will bring into it the glory and the
honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone
who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are
written in the Lamb’s book of life. [Revelation 22] The river and the tree of life
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as
crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the
middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of
life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and
the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 Nothing
accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of
the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; 4 they will see
his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And there will be
no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will
be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
Epilogue
6 And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true, for the
Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show
his servants what must soon take place.”
7 “See, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of
the prophecy of this book.”
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I
heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel
who showed them to me; 9 but he said to me, “You must not do that! I
am a fellow servant with you and your comrades the prophets, and
with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!”
10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of
this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the
filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be
holy.”
12 “See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to
everyone’s work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the
last, the beginning and the end.”
14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the
right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside
are the dogs and sorcerers and fornicators and murderers and
idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
16 “It is I, Jesus, who sent my angel to you with this testimony for the
churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright
morning star.”
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.”
And let everyone who hears say, “Come.”
And let everyone who is thirsty come.
Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book:
if anyone adds to them, God will add to that person the plagues
described in this book; 19 if anyone takes away from the words of the
book of this prophecy, God will take away that person’s share in the
tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
