Part 42

AND I saw on the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a _volume of a_ book written within, and on the back sealed with seven seals. (2)And I saw mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to break the seals thereon? (3)And no man was able in heaven, nor upon earth, nor under the earth, to open the book, nor to look into it.

(4)And I wept much because no man was found worthy either to open or read the book, or even to look upon it. (5)And one of the presbyters said unto me, Weep not: behold the lion who is of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed, to open the book, and to break the seven seals upon it. (6)And I beheld, and lo! in the midst of the throne, and of the four living beings, and in the midst of the presbyters, stood a lamb as just slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God that are sent forth into all the world: (7)and he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that was seated upon the throne. (8)And when he had taken the book, the four living beings and the four and twenty presbyters prostrated themselves before the lamb, having each harps, and vases of gold, full of perfumes smoaking, which are the prayers of the saints. (9)And they sung a new song, saying, Worthy art thou to take the book, and to open the seals thereon; because thou hast been slaughtered, and hast redeemed us for God by thy blood, out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation; (10)and hast made us for our God kings and priests, and we shall reign upon the earth.

(11)And I looked, and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and the living beings, and the presbyters, and their number was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, (12)crying with a loud voice, Worthy is the slaughtered lamb to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and might, and honour, and glory, and blessing. (13)And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and those who are on the sea, and all things which are therein, heard I, saying, To him who is seated on the throne, and to the lamb, be blessing, and honour, and glory, and might for ever and ever. (14)And the four living beings said, Amen. And the four and twenty presbyters prostrated themselves, and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

CHAP. VI.

AND I saw when the lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard one of the four living beings, saying, as with a voice of thunder, Come, and see. (2)And I looked, and lo! a white horse; and he who sat on it held a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer.

(3)And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living being say, Come and see. (4)And there went out another horse flame-coloured; and to him who sat thereon there was power given to take peace from the earth, and that men should kill each other; and there was given to him a great sword.

(5)And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living being say, Come and see. And I saw, and lo! a black horse; and he that sat upon it had a pair of scales in his hand. (6)And I heard a voice from amidst the four living beings saying, A choenix[154] of wheat for a denarius[155], and three choenixs of barley for a denarius; yet to the oil and the wine do no injury.

(7)And when he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living being saying, Come and see. (8)And I looked, and lo! a pale coloured horse, and one sat on it, whose name was Death, and the grave followed after him: and power was given to them to kill the fourth part of the earth with the sword, and with famine, and with death, and with the wild beasts of the earth.

(9)And when he opened the fifth seal I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they maintained. (10)And they cried with a loud voice, How long will it be, O sovereign, the holy one and the true, ere thou judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth? (11)And to each of them were given white robes, and it was told them that they should wait yet a little longer space, until the number of their fellow-servants and their brethren, who should be slain as well as they, should be completed.

(12)And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and lo! there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; (13)and the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as the fig-tree sheddeth her early ripe figs when shaken by a mighty wind: (14)and the heaven was removed away as a volume rolled up and every mountain and island were removed out of their places: (15)and the kings of the earth, and the grandees, and the rich, and the military commanders, and the men in power, and every slave, and every free man, hid themselves in the caves, and in the rocks of the mountains; (16)and said to the mountains and to the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him who sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: (17)for the great day of his wrath is come, and who is able to stand?

CHAP. VII.

AND after these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, to hold back the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, neither on the sea, nor on any tree. (2)And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom power was given for them to hurt the earth and the sea, (3)saying, Hurt not the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. (4)And I heard the number of those who were sealed; one hundred and forty and four thousand were sealed out of every tribe of the children of Israel. (5)Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. (6)Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephtalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasseh were sealed twelve thousand. (7)Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. (8)Of the tribe of Zebulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

(9)After these things I looked, and beheld a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation, and tribe, and people, and tongue, standing before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches in their hands (10)and crying with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God that sitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb. (11)And all the angels stood in a circle about the throne, and the presbyters and the four living beings, and fell on their faces before the throne, and worshipped God, (12)saying, Amen: blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might be to our God for ever and ever. Amen.

(13)And one of the presbyters addressed me, saying, Who are these persons who are clothed in white robes? and from whence came they? (14)And I said to him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are persons who are come out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb. (15)Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. (16)They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun scorch them, nor any burning heat. (17)Because the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will feed them, as a shepherd, and lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes.

CHAP. VIII.

AND when he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about half an hour. (2)And I saw the seven angels which stood before God, and there were given to them seven trumpets. (3)And another angel came, and stood by the altar, holding a golden censer; and there were given to him many perfumes, to offer with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. (4)And the smoke of the perfumes went up with the prayers of the saints, out of the angel's hand before God. (5)And the angel took the censer, and filled it from the fire of the altar, and cast it upon the earth: and there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

(6)And the seven angels holding the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

(7)And the first angel blew the trumpet, and there were hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast on the earth; and a third part of the trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.

(8)And the second angel sounded, and there was cast into the sea as it were a vast mountain burning with fire: and the third part of the sea became blood; (9)and a third part of the creatures having life, which are in the sea, died; and a third part of the ships was destroyed.

(10)And the third angel blew the trumpet, and there fell from heaven a great star, burning as a torch, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of water; (11)and the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters was turned into wormwood, and multitudes of men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

(12)And the fourth angel sounded, and a third part of the sun was smitten, and a third part of the moon, and a third part of the stars; so that a third part of them was darkened, and the day had no light during a third part of it, and the night likewise.

(13)And I saw and heard one angel flying in the mid-heavens, saying with a loud voice, Wo, wo, wo, to the dwellers upon earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels, which are ready to sound.

CHAP. IX.

AND the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven to the earth; and to him was given the key of the pit of the abyss _of hell_. (2)And he opened the pit of the abyss; and a smoke ascended out of the pit like the smoke of a vast furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit. (3)And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth; and power was given to them, such power as the scorpions of the earth possess. (4)And it was told them, Hurt not the grass of the earth, nor any herb, nor any tree, but only those men who have not the seal of God in their foreheads. (5)And it was given them in charge that they should not kill these men outright, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment is as the torment of a scorpion when he striketh a man. (6)And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall earnestly desire to die, and death shall fly from them. (7)And the figures of the locusts were like horses equipped for war; and upon their heads there were as crowns, like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. (8)And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions. (9)And they had breastplates, as breastplates of iron: and the sound of their wings was as the rumbling of chariots of many horses rushing to battle. (10)And they had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and they had power to hurt men five months. (11)And they had over them a king, the angel of the abyss _of hell_, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Appollyon. (12)One woe is past; and, behold, there are coming yet two woes after these.

(13)And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a great voice from the four horns of the altar of gold which is before God, (14)saying to the sixth angel who held the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound at the great river Euphrates. (15)And the four angels were loosed, who were ready at the hour, and day, and month, and year, to kill the third part of mankind. (16)And the number of the armies of cavalry was two myriads of myriads and I heard the number of them. (17)And in this manner saw I the horses in the vision, and those who were mounted upon them, having breastplates of the colour of fire, and jacinth, and sulphur; and the horses' heads were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceeded fire and smoke and brimstone. (18)By these three were slain the third part of mankind, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the sulphur, which proceeded out of their mouths. (19)For their powers are in their mouth, and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads, and with them they do hurt. (20)And the residue of mankind, who were not slain by these plagues, repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of wood, and of stone: which can neither see nor hear, nor walk: (21)and they repented not of their murders, nor of their magical arts, nor of their whoredom, nor of their thefts.

CHAP. X.

AND I saw another mighty angel descending from heaven, clothed with a cloud; and a rainbow on his head, and his countenance as the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: (2)and he held in his hand a little book open; and he placed his right foot on the sea, and his left on the land, (3)and cried with a loud voice, as a lion roareth: and when he had cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices. (4)And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, Seal up the things, which the seven thunders have spoken, and write them not down.

(5)And the angel which I saw standing upon the sea and upon the land lifted up his hand towards heaven, (6)and he swore by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created the heaven and the things which are therein, and the earth and the things which are in it, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that time shall be no longer: (7)but that in the days of the blast of the seventh angel, when he shall sound, then shall the mystery of God be completed, as he spake by his own servants the prophets.

(8)And the voice which I heard out of heaven again spoke to me, and said, Go take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel that standeth upon the sea and upon the land. (9)And I went up to the angel, saying unto him, Give me that little book. And he saith to me, Take it, and eat it up; and it will make thy belly bitter, though in thy mouth it will be sweet as honey. (10)And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth as honey sweet; yet when I had eaten it, my belly was made bitter. (11)And he said to me, Thou must prophesy again before many people, and nations, and tongues, and monarchs.

CHAP. XI.

AND there was given me a cane like a measuring staff; and the angel stood by, saying, Arise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and those who worship therein. (2)But the exterior court of the temple leave out, and measure it not; because it is given to the Gentiles: and they shall trample under foot the holy city forty-two months. (3)And I will give charge to my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. (4)These are the two olive trees, and the two lamps which stand before the face of the God of the earth. (5)And if any person attempts to hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any person attempts to injure them, he must thus be slain. (6)These have power to shut up the heaven, that no rain water the earth during the days of their prophecy: and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they will. (7)And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast which ascendeth out of hell shall make war with them, and shall overcome them, and put them to death. (8)And their corpses shall be exposed in the streets of the great city, which is called spiritually Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. (9)And they of the people and tribes and tongues and nations will look upon their corpses three days and half, and they will not permit their corpses to be laid in sepulchres. (10)And the dwellers upon earth will rejoice over them, and be very glad, and will send gifts to each other; because these two prophets were a torment to those who dwell on the earth. (11)And after three days and half, the spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood up on their feet; and great terror fell on those who beheld them. (12)And they heard a great voice out of heaven, saying unto them, Ascend up hither. And they ascended into heaven in a cloud: and their enemies beheld them. (13)And in the same hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and there were slain in the earthquake seven thousand men of note: and the rest were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven. (14)The second woe is past; behold the third woe is coming quickly.

(15)And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of the world are become our Lord's, and his Messiah's, and he shall reign for ever and ever. (16)And the four and twenty presbyters, who were seated before God upon their thrones, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, (17)saying, We give thanks to thee, Lord the Almighty God, who is and who was, and who is coming, because thou hast assumed thy great power, and hast set up the throne of thy kingdom. (18)Though the nations were incensed, yet thy wrath came, and the time of the dead to be judged, and to give the reward to thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to all who fear thy name, to the small and to the great; and to destroy those who have destroyed the earth.

(19)And the temple of God was opened in the heaven, and there appeared the ark of his covenant in his temple: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and earthquake, and a great hail.

CHAP. XII.

AND there appeared a great sign in the heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: (2)and being with child, she cried out in travailing pain, and in anguish to be delivered.

(3)And there appeared another sign in the heaven; and lo! a great fiery dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his heads seven crowns. (4)And his tail drew a third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them on the earth: and the dragon placed himself before the woman who was ready to be delivered, that when she should bring forth, he might devour her babe. (5)And she brought forth a male child, who should rule the nations with an iron sceptre: and her infant was caught up to God, and his throne. (6)And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that she might there be fed during a thousand two hundred and sixty days.

(7)Then was there war in the heaven: Michael and his angels warred against the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels, (8)and they could not prevail; neither was there any more place found for them in the heaven. (9)And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, who is called the Devil, and Satan, who deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (10)And I heard a great voice saying in the heaven, Now is come the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ; because the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accused them before our God day and night. (11)And they have vanquished him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto death. (12)Therefore be exceeding glad ye heavens, and ye who dwell in them. Wo to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time.

(13)And when the dragon saw that he was cast out into the earth, he persecuted the woman which had brought forth the male child. (14)And there were given to the woman two wings of a great eagle, that she should fly into the wilderness, unto her place, where she is supported there for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. (15)And the serpent cast out after the woman, from his mouth water, as a river, that he might sweep her away with the flood. (16)And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth. (17)And the dragon was incensed against the woman, and went forth to make war against the remnant of her seed, who keep the commandments of God, and hold the testimony of Jesus Christ.

CHAP. XIII.

AND I stood upon the sand of the sea, and I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon the horns ten diadems, and upon the heads a title of blasphemy. (2)And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his throne, and great authority. (3)And I saw one of his heads as if wounded unto death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the earth wondered after the beast. (4)And they worshipped the dragon who had given authority to the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like to the beast? who is able to wage war with him? (5)And there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and there was given to him authority to make war forty-two months.

(6)And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. (7)And it was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and authority was given to him over every tribe, and tongue, and nation. (8)And all the inhabitants who dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (9)He that hath an ear, let him hear. (10)If any person leads _others_ into captivity, he shall be led into captivity; if any person kills with the sword, he must be slain by the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

(11)And I saw another beast rising up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, though he spake as the dragon. (12)And he exerciseth all the authority of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth, and those who inhabit therein, to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed. (13)And he performeth great signs, so that he even causeth fire to come down from heaven to the earth, in the sight of men, (14)and deceiveth the inhabitants of the earth by the signs, which he is enabled to perform before the beast, saying to the dwellers upon the earth, that they should make an image for the beast who had the stroke of the sword, and survived. (15)And he is enabled to impart life to the image of the beast that even the image of the beast should speak, and cause as many as will not worship the image of the beast to be put to death. (16)And he causeth all the small and the great, the rich and the poor, the freemen and the slaves, to receive a brand upon their right hand, and upon their foreheads: (17)and that no man may buy or sell, but he that hath the mark impressed, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. (18)Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding calculate the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred sixty-six.

CHAP. XIV.