Chapter 1 |
| 1 This is the revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave Him to show His servants the events that must happen soon. God sent His angel to deliver this revelation to His servant John. |
| 2 John confirmed that he heard the Word of God and saw Jesus Christ. John told what he had learned. |
| 3 Blessed is the one who reads, hears, and obeys the words that John wrote in this prophecy. The time is coming when all this will be fulfilled. |
| 4 I, John, am writing to the seven churches in Asia. Receive grace and peace from the One who is, who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before God’s throne. |
| 5 Receive grace and peace also from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness. He was the first to rise from the dead, and He rules over all the kings of the earth. All glory be to Him who loves us and who has washed us from our sins by His blood. |
| 6 Jesus has made us part of the Kingdom of God and priests to serve God, His Father. All glory and power belong to Him forever. Amen. |
| 7 Look, Christ is coming from heaven on the clouds. All people will see Him, even those who crucified Him. Then all the nations of the earth will mourn bitterly before Him. Yes, everything will happen exactly like that. Amen. |
| 8 The Lord says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I am the One who is, who was, and who is to come. I am God Almighty.” |
| 9 I, John, am your brother. We all belong to the Kingdom of God, and together with you, I patiently endure suffering for the sake of Jesus Christ. I was exiled to the island of Patmos because I preached the Word of God and testified about Jesus Christ. |
| 10 On Sunday, I was in the Spirit, and suddenly I heard a loud voice behind me like the sound of a trumpet. The voice said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last. |
| 11 Write down in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches located in Asia. This is to be read in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.” |
| 12 I turned around to see who was speaking to me, and I saw seven golden lampstands. |
| 13 Among the seven lampstands stood someone who looked like the Son of Man. He was dressed in a long robe, and He had a golden belt across His chest. |
| 14 The hair on His head was white like wool and like snow. His eyes were blazing like flames of fire. |
| 15 His feet were shining like polished bronze heated in a furnace. His voice sounded like the roar of mighty waters. |
| 16 He held seven stars in His right hand. A sharp double-edged sword came out of His mouth. His face was shining like the bright sun. |
| 17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as if I were dead. But He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid! I am the first and the last. |
| 18 I am alive. I was dead, but now I am alive again, and I will live forever. Amen. I hold the keys of death and hell. |
| 19 So write down everything you have seen: both what is happening now and what will happen in the future. |
| 20 You have seen that I hold seven stars in My hand and stand among the seven golden lampstands. This is what this mystery means: the seven stars are the messengers whom God has appointed to serve in the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.” |
Chapter 2 |
| 1 Write this to the messenger whom God has appointed to serve in the church in Ephesus, “This is what the One who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands says. |
| 2 I know all your deeds. I see how hard you work and how patient you are. You cannot tolerate those who do evil. You have tested and exposed those who call themselves apostles. And you have become convinced that they are liars. |
| 3 You have gone through many hardships and have patiently endured everything. You have worked hard for My name and have never given up. |
| 4 But I have a reason for displeasure: you have left your first love. |
| 5 So remember how much you loved Me before. See how far you have fallen from that first love. Repent and do what you did at first. But if you do not repent, I will come to you soon and remove your lampstand from its place. |
| 6 But there is something I can praise you for. You hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, just as I do. |
| 7 The one who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches, “To the one who overcomes, I will give the fruit of the tree of life, which is in the middle of God’s paradise.” |
| 8 Write this to the messenger whom God has appointed to serve in the church in Smyrna, “This is what the First and the Last says — the One who was dead but is now alive again.” |
| 9 I know the sufferings you are facing. You are poor, but in reality you are rich. I know that there are people who spread slander about you. They claim to be Jews, but this is not true. Their synagogue belongs to Satan. |
| 10 Do not fear the suffering you are about to face. The Devil will cast some of you into prison to test your faith, and you will suffer for ten days. But remain faithful to the very end, even if you have to die. And I will give you the crown of life as your reward. |
| 11 The one who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches, “The second death will not harm the one who overcomes.” |
| 12 Write this to the messenger whom God has appointed to serve in the church in Pergamum, “This is what the One who holds the double-edged sword says. |
| 13 I know that you live where Satan’s throne is. But you have remained faithful to My name. You did not deny your faith in Me even in those days when My faithful witness Antipas was killed among you. |
| 14 But I have a reason for displeasure. There are those among you who follow the teaching of Balaam. He taught King Balak how to entice the people of Israel into sin. So the Israelites began to eat food sacrificed to idols and to act immorally (Numbers 31:16). |
| 15 There are also those among you who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans, which I hate. |
| 16 Repent. Otherwise, I will come to you soon and fight against these people with My Word, which comes out of My mouth like a sword. |
| 17 The one who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches, “To the one who overcomes, I will give the right to eat the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it. And only the one who receives it will know that name.” |
| 18 Write to the messenger whom God has appointed to serve in the church in Thyatira: “This is what the Son of God says, whose eyes blaze like fire and whose feet shine like polished bronze.” |
| 19 I know everything you do. I see your love, ministry, faith, and patience. I know that now you are doing even more good than before. |
| 20 But I have a reason for displeasure. You allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to lead My servants astray. She teaches them to act immorally and to eat food sacrificed to idols. |
| 21 I gave her time to repent and to turn away from her immoral way of life, but she did not repent. |
| 22 So, I will make her lie sick in bed. And those who commit immorality with her will suffer greatly unless they repent of their deeds. |
| 23 And I will strike her children with death. Then all the churches will know that I see the hearts and thoughts of people. And each of you will receive from Me what he deserves according to his deeds. |
| 24 But there are also those in the church in Thyatira who do not follow this teaching and do not know what the followers of this teaching call “the deep things of Satan.” And I say to you: I do not require anything from you except one thing — |
| 25 Hold on to what you have until I come. |
| 26 I will give authority over the nations to the one who overcomes and does My will to the end. |
| 27 And he will rule over them with an iron rod and break them like clay pots. He will have the same authority that I received from My Father. |
| 28 And I will also give him the morning star. |
| 29 The one who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” |
Chapter 3 |
| 1 Write this to the messenger whom God has appointed to serve in the church in Sardis, “This is what the One who has the seven spirits of God and who holds the seven stars in His right hand says.” I know all your deeds. You have a name, as if you are alive, but in reality you are dead. |
| 2 Wake up and do not let what little you have left die. I see that you have not completed the works that My God entrusted to you. |
| 3 Remember everything that you received from God. Remember everything that you heard and follow it. Repent and wake up. But if you do not wake up, I will come to you unexpectedly, like a thief, and you will not know when it will happen. |
| 4 But there are a few people in your church in Sardis who have not defiled themselves with evil and have not stained their clothes. They will walk with Me in white clothes, because they are worthy of it. |
| 5 The one who overcomes will be dressed in white clothes. I will not erase his name from the Book of Life, and I will declare before My Father and His angels that he belongs to Me. |
| 6 The one who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” |
| 7 Write this to the messenger whom God has appointed to serve in the church in Philadelphia, “This is what the Holy and True One says, the One who has the key of David. What He opens, no one can shut. And what He shuts, no one can open. |
| 8 I know all your deeds. Look, I have opened a door before you that no one can shut. You have little strength, but you have remained faithful to My word and have not denied My name. |
| 9 Some people call themselves Jews, but they are lying, because their synagogue belongs to Satan. Look, I will make them come and bow down at your feet. Then they will acknowledge that I love you. |
| 10 You have shown patience and have remained faithful to My word. So I will keep you safe during the time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test everyone who lives on the earth. |
| 11 Look, I am coming soon. So hold firmly to what you have. Then no one will be able to take away your reward. |
| 12 The one who overcomes, I will make a pillar in the temple of My God. And he will never leave the temple of God. On the one who overcomes, I will write the name of My God and the name of the city that belongs to My God. It will be the new Jerusalem that will come down from heaven from My God. I will also write My new name on the one who overcomes. |
| 13 The one who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” |
| 14 Write this to the messenger whom God has appointed to serve in the church in Laodicea: “This is what the Amen says, the One whose words can be completely trusted. He is the faithful and true witness. He is the source of everything that God created. |
| 15 I know all your deeds. You are neither cold nor hot. It would be better if you were completely cold or completely hot than to be the way you are now. |
| 16 But you are lukewarm—neither cold nor hot—and you make Me sick. So I will spit you out. |
| 17 You say, “I have become rich. I have become so rich that I need nothing.” But you do not realize that in reality you are miserable and pitiful. You have become poor, blind, and completely naked. |
| 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, so that you may become truly rich. Also buy from Me white clothes to dress yourself and not expose what should remain hidden under your clothes. Then you will no longer shame yourself. Also buy from Me eye ointment to anoint your eyes, so that you may begin to see. |
| 19 Those whom I love, I correct and discipline. So stop being indifferent and repent. |
| 20 Look, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and have dinner with him, and he with Me. |
| 21 To the one who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also overcame and now sit with My Father on His throne. |
| 22 The one who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” |
Chapter 4 |
| 1 After this I saw an open door in heaven. I heard again the same voice that sounded like a trumpet. It said to me, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” |
| 2 Immediately I was in the Spirit. I saw a throne in heaven, and the One who was sitting on it. |
| 3 The One sitting on the throne shone like jasper, clear as crystal, and like carnelian, bright red like fire. Around the throne was a rainbow that glowed green like an emerald. |
| 4 There were 24 more thrones, and 24 elders who were seated on them. They were dressed in white clothes, and each of them had a golden crown on his head. |
| 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings of thunder, and voices. There were seven lamps burning with fire in front of the throne. These are the seven spirits of God. |
| 6 Also in front of the throne there was a sea of glass that shone like crystal. In the center and around the throne were four living creatures with many eyes in front and behind. |
| 7 The first creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox. The third had a face like a man. And the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. |
| 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings. Their bodies were covered with eyes, they had them even on their wings and under their wings. Day and night they never stopped saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. The One who was, who is, and who is to come!” |
| 9 These creatures gave glory, honor, and thanks to the One who sits on the throne and lives forever. |
| 10 At the same time, the 24 elders fell down before the One who sits on the throne and worshiped the One who lives forever. They took off their crowns and laid them before the throne. They said, |
| 11 “Our Lord and God, You are worthy to receive glory and honor from us. All power belongs to You, because You created everything. And all Your creation exists by Your will.” |
Chapter 5 |
| 1 Then I saw a book in the form of a scroll in the right hand of the One who was sitting on the throne. The book was written on both sides and sealed with seven seals. |
| 2 After this I saw a mighty angel who proclaimed with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open this book and break its seals?” |
| 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the book or even look inside of it. |
| 4 I wept bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the book or even look inside of it. |
| 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! Look, the Lion from the tribe of Judah, the descendant of King David, has won the victory. Now He is able to open the book and break its seven seals.” |
| 6 Then I saw a Lamb. He was standing in the center of the throne, and there were the four living creatures and the elders around Him. The Lamb looked as if He had been slain and sacrificed. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, whom God sent out into all the earth. |
| 7 The Lamb came to the One who was sitting on the throne and took the book from His right hand. |
| 8 When He took it, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the sacrificial Lamb. Each of them had harps and golden bowls full of fragrant incense, which are the prayers of God’s holy people. |
| 9 And they sang a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the book and break its seals, because You were sacrificed. You paid with Your blood for the sins of people from every tribe, language, nation, and country to bring them to God. |
| 10 You made them part of God’s Kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will rule on the earth.” |
| 11 Then I heard the voices of many angels and saw them around the throne. There were thousands upon thousands and tens of thousands of them. The living creatures and the elders were there as well. |
| 12 They were saying with a loud voice: “The Lamb who was sacrificed is worthy to receive power, wealth, wisdom, and strength. He is worthy to receive honor, glory, and blessing.” |
| 13 I heard all creation in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and in the sea saying: “Blessing and honor, glory and power belong forever to the One who sits on the throne and to the sacrificial Lamb.” |
| 14 Then the four living creatures said, “Amen.” And the 24 elders fell down and worshiped the One who lives forever. |
Chapter 6 |
| 1 I saw the sacrificial Lamb break the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” |
| 2 I looked and saw a white horse. Its rider was armed with a bow, and he had a crown on his head. He rode out as a conqueror to win the victory. |
| 3 When the sacrificial Lamb broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come and see.” |
| 4 I saw another fiery red horse come out. Its rider was armed with a large sword. This rider received authority to take peace from the earth, and after that people began to kill one another. |
| 5 When the sacrificial Lamb broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” I looked and saw a black horse. Its rider was holding scales in his hand. |
| 6 And I heard a voice coming from where the four living creatures were. It said, “A person will be able to buy one kilogram of wheat and three kilograms of barley for one day’s work. But do not harm the olive oil and the wine.” |
| 7 When the sacrificial Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the fourth living creature say, “Come and see.” |
| 8 I looked and saw a deathly pale horse. Its rider’s name was Death, and Hell followed behind him. They received authority over a fourth of the earth to kill people with the sword, famine, and deadly diseases. Death and Hell could also use wild animals to kill people. |
| 9 When the sacrificial Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of the people. They were those who had been killed because they preached the Word of God and faithfully testified about Christ. |
| 10 They cried out with a loud voice: “Holy and true Lord, all authority belongs to You! When will You judge those who live on the earth? When will You avenge our blood?” |
| 11 Then God gave each of them a white robe and said, “Wait a little longer until your brothers and those who serve God together with you are also killed, just as you were. Then the full number of those who will be killed for preaching My Word will be complete.” |
| 12 When the sacrificial Lamb broke the sixth seal, I saw a great earthquake. The sun became dark and black like rough cloth made from goat hair. The moon became red like blood. |
| 13 Then the stars fell from the sky to the earth. They fell just as unripe figs fall from a tree when a strong wind shakes it. |
| 14 The sky rolled up like a scroll and disappeared. All the mountains and islands were moved from their places. |
| 15 Then all the kings of different countries, the rulers, the rich, the commanders, the powerful people, and all slaves and free people hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. |
| 16 They were saying: “Mountains and rocks, fall on us! Hide us from the One who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the sacrificial Lamb. |
| 17 The day of their great wrath has come. And who will be able to stand?” |
Chapter 7 |
| 1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth. They were holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind would blow on the land, on the sea, or on the trees. |
| 2 Then I saw another angel. He was coming up from the east, and he had the seal of the living God. He shouted loudly to the four angels who had received power to harm the land and the sea: |
| 3 “Do not harm the land, the sea, or the trees until we place a seal on the forehead of every person who faithfully serves our God.” |
| 4 And I heard how many people had received this seal: 144,000 people from all the tribes of Israel. |
| 5 From the tribe of Judah — 12,000 people received the seal. From the tribe of Reuben — 12,000 people, from the tribe of Gad — 12,000 people. |
| 6 From the tribe of Asher — 12,000 people received the seal. From the tribe of Naphtali — 12,000 people, from the tribe of Manasseh — 12,000 people. |
| 7 From the tribe of Simeon — 12,000 people received the seal. From the tribe of Levi — 12,000 people, from the tribe of Issachar — 12,000 people. |
| 8 From the tribe of Zebulun — 12,000 people received the seal. From the tribe of Joseph — 12,000 people, from the tribe of Benjamin — 12,000 people. |
| 9 After this I saw a vast multitude of people. There were so many of them that no one could count them. They were people from every nation, tribe, country, and language. They were standing before the throne and before the sacrificial Lamb. The people were dressed in white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. |
| 10 They were shouting loudly: “Salvation comes from our God, who sits on the throne, and from the Lamb, who became the sacrifice for our sins!” |
| 11 Then all the angels who stood around the throne, around the elders, and around the four living creatures fell facedown before the throne and worshiped God. |
| 12 They were saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might belong to our God forever! Amen.” |
| 13 Then one of the elders asked me, “Who are these people dressed in white robes, and where did they come from?” |
| 14 I answered him: “Sir, you are the one who knows.” And he said to me: “These are the ones who have gone through terrible suffering and have come here out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the sacrificial Lamb and have made them white.” |
| 15 That is why they now stand before God’s throne and serve God day and night in His temple. The One who sits on the throne will live among them and shelter them with His presence. |
| 16 They will never again be hungry or thirsty. They will not suffer from the burning sun or from the scorching heat. |
| 17 For the sacrificial Lamb, who is in the middle of the throne, will shepherd them. He will lead them to springs of water that give life. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” |
Chapter 8 |
| 1 When the sacrificial Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. |
| 2 And I saw seven angels. They stood before God, and each of them was given a trumpet. |
| 3 Then another angel came and stood at the altar. He had a golden censer — it was a bowl used for burning incense. The angel was given a large amount of fragrant incense so that he could add it to the prayers of all God’s holy people and offer all this on the golden altar before God’s throne. |
| 4 Then the smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s holy people, rose from the angel’s hands up to God. |
| 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw the censer down to the earth. After this there were noises, rumblings of thunder, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. |
| 6 And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them. |
| 7 When the first angel sounded his trumpet, hail and fire mixed with blood fell on the earth. A third of the earth and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up as well. |
| 8 Then the second angel sounded his trumpet. Then something like a huge mountain, blazing with fire, was thrown into the sea. And a third of the sea turned into blood. |
| 9 A third of the creatures living in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed as well. |
| 10 When the third angel sounded his trumpet, a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch. It fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. |
| 11 The name of this star is Wormwood. So a third of the waters became bitter like wormwood, and many people died from this water. |
| 12 Then the fourth angel sounded his trumpet. And a third of the sun, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars were struck and turned dark. Because of this, the sun gave one third less light during the day, and the night also became one third darker. |
| 13 Then I saw an angel flying through the sky like an eagle. And I heard him say loudly, “Woe, woe, woe to those who live on the earth, because the remaining three angels are about to sound their trumpets!” |
Chapter 9 |
| 1 Then the fifth angel sounded his trumpet. And I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to the earth. It received the key to the shaft that leads to the bottomless pit. |
| 2 When the star opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, such thick smoke poured out of it like smoke from a huge furnace. There was so much smoke in the air that the sun turned dark. |
| 3 Then locusts came out of the smoke onto the earth. And they received power to sting like earthly scorpions. |
| 4 They were told: “Do not harm the grass of the earth, or plants, or trees. Harm only those people who do not have God's seal on their foreheads.” |
| 5 The locusts could not kill people, but they could torment them for five months. People suffered pain as if they had been stung by a scorpion. |
| 6 In those days, people will look for death, but they will not find it. They will want to die, but death will flee from them. |
| 7 The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they had something like golden crowns, and their faces looked like human faces. |
| 8 They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. |
| 9 They had something that looked like iron breastplates. And the sound of their wings was like the roar of chariots when many horses rushed into battle. |
| 10 The locusts had tails with stingers like scorpions. And with those tails, they could harm people for five months. |
| 11 They had a king over them, who was the angel of the bottomless pit. In Hebrew his name is Abaddon, and in Greek his name is Apollyon, which means “Destroyer.” |
| 12 The first woe has passed. But two more woes are coming soon. |
| 13 Then the sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice. It came from the golden altar with four horns on its corners, which stood before God. |
| 14 And that voice said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet: “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” |
| 15 These four angels had already been prepared for this hour, day, month, and year. Then they were released to kill a third of humanity. |
| 16 I heard that there were 200 million horsemen in the army. |
| 17 In the vision I saw horses and the riders on them. The riders wore armor that was fiery red, dark blue, and yellow-gray. The heads of the horses were like lions’ heads. Fire, smoke, and sulfur came out of their mouths. |
| 18 The fire, smoke, and sulfur that came out of the horses’ mouths were three plagues that killed a third of humanity. |
| 19 The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails. Their tails were like snakes with heads, and with these tails they harmed people. |
| 20 The rest of the people, who were not killed by these plagues, still did not repent of the things they had done. They continued to worship evil spirits. They kept praying to idols they had made out of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, even though these idols cannot see, hear, or walk. |
| 21 They still did not repent of their murders, their witchcraft, their sexual immorality, or their thefts. |
Chapter 10 |
| 1 I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was wrapped in a cloud, and there was a rainbow above his head. His face shone like the sun, and his legs were like pillars of fire. |
| 2 He was holding a little book in the form of an open scroll in his hand. And he placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land. |
| 3 Then he shouted as loudly as a lion roars. When the angel shouted, the voices of the seven thunders sounded. |
| 4 When the seven thunders spoke, I wanted to write down their words, but I heard a voice from heaven: “Keep secret what the seven thunders said, and do not write it down.” |
| 5 Then I saw the angel, who was standing with one foot on the sea and the other on the land. He raised his right hand toward heaven and said: |
| 6 “I swear by the One who lives forever. I swear by the One who created heaven, the earth, the sea, and everything that exists in them, that there will be no more delay.” |
| 7 The days will come when the seventh angel will sound his trumpet. Then God will fulfill His secret plan, which He had already revealed to His servants the prophets.” |
| 8 Then the voice from heaven that I had heard before spoke to me again: “Go to the angel who is standing with one foot on the sea and the other on the land. Take from his hand the little open book that looks like a scroll.” |
| 9 I went to the angel and asked him: “Give me this little book.” He said to me: “Take it and eat it. In your mouth it will be sweet like honey, but later it will become bitter in your stomach.” |
| 10 I took the little book from the angel’s hand and ate it. In my mouth it was sweet like honey. But when I ate it, it became bitter in my stomach. |
| 11 And the angel said to me: “You must prophesy again about many nations, tribes, languages, and kings.” |
Chapter 11 |
| 1 I was given a long measuring rod that looked like a walking stick. And I heard: “Get up. Measure God’s temple and the altar. Also count how many people are worshiping in the temple.” |
| 2 But do not measure the outer court, because it does not belong to the Jews, but to the nations that do not know God. They will take control of the holy city and hold it for 42 months. |
| 3 I will give authority to My two witnesses. They will wear clothes made of rough cloth and will prophesy for 1,260 days. |
| 4 These two witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of all the earth.” |
| 5 If anyone wants to harm them, fire will come out of the mouths of these witnesses and destroy their enemies. Anyone who wants to harm them will perish. |
| 6 They will have such authority that they will be able to shut the sky. So during the days when they prophesy, there will be no rain on the earth. They will also have authority to turn water into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. |
| 7 When they finish their testimony, the beast will come up out of the bottomless pit and wage war against them. He will defeat them and kill them. |
| 8 Their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city where our Lord was crucified. This city is symbolically called “Sodom and Egypt.” |
| 9 For three and a half days, people from different nations, tribes, languages, and countries will look at their dead bodies. And no one will allow them to be buried. |
| 10 The people who live on the earth will rejoice over their death. They will celebrate and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented all who live on the earth. |
| 11 But after three and a half days, God gave them breath and brought them back to life, and they both stood on their feet. Then great fear came over everyone who saw this. |
| 12 Then the two witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And before the eyes of their enemies, they went up to heaven in a cloud. |
| 13 At that very hour a great earthquake happened, and a tenth of the city collapsed. And 7,000 people were killed in it. The rest were terrified and gave glory to the God who lives in heaven. |
| 14 The second woe has passed. But look, the third woe is coming soon. |
| 15 Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices were heard in heaven, saying: “Now the authority over the whole world belongs to our Lord and Christ, and He will reign forever.” |
| 16 Then the 24 elders, who were sitting before God on their thrones, fell facedown and worshiped God. |
| 17 They said: “We thank You, Lord God Almighty. You are the One who is, who always was, and who will come again. You have shown Your great power and have begun to reign.” |
| 18 Because of this the nations became furious. But when the time came to judge the dead, You poured out Your wrath and destroyed those who destroy the earth. The time also came to reward Your servants the prophets, Your holy people, and all people, from the least to the greatest, who have great reverence for Your name. |
| 19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened. And the ark of the covenant appeared in the temple — it was the sign of God’s covenant with His people. Then lightning flashed, loud noises and rumblings of thunder were heard. Also an earthquake happened, and heavy hail fell. |
Chapter 12 |
| 1 I saw a great sign in heaven. It was a woman clothed with the sun. The moon was under her feet, and on her head was a crown of twelve stars. |
| 2 She was pregnant. Her labor pains began, and she cried out in pain. |
| 3 Then I saw another sign in heaven. It was a huge red dragon. It had seven heads and ten horns. On each head was a crown. |
| 4 With his tail he swept away a third of the stars from heaven and threw them down to the earth. The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth. He wanted to devour her baby as soon as it was born. |
| 5 She gave birth to a son who will rule all the nations with an iron rod. So God took her child up to Himself, to the place where His throne is. |
| 6 But the woman fled into the wilderness. There God had prepared a place for her, where she would be taken care of and fed for 1,260 days. |
| 7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought against Michael. |
| 8 But the dragon could not win, and he and his angels lost their place in heaven. |
| 9 Michael threw this huge dragon down from heaven to the earth together with his angels. This is the ancient serpent who is called the devil — the one who falsely accuses people. He is also called Satan — the one who opposes God. He deceives and leads the whole world astray. |
| 10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying: “Now salvation has come, and God has shown His power. He has established His Kingdom, and Christ has received authority and begun to reign. For the one who accused our brothers and slandered them day and night before our God has been thrown down.” |
| 11 They overcame the devil by the blood of Christ, who became the sacrificial Lamb, and by their testimony about Him. They did not cling to their lives and were not afraid to die for Him. |
| 12 So rejoice, heavens and all who live in them! But woe to you, people of the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you. He is raging with great fury, because he knows that he has only a little time left. |
| 13 When the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he began to persecute the woman who had given birth to the son. |
| 14 The woman was given two wings of a great eagle so that she could fly away from the serpent into the wilderness. This was the place that God had prepared for her. There she would be taken care of and fed for three and a half years: first one year, then two more years, and another six months. |
| 15 Then the serpent poured water out of his mouth like a rushing river to sweep the woman away with the flood. |
| 16 But the earth helped the woman. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured out of his mouth. |
| 17 The dragon was furious with the woman and went to wage war against the rest of her children. These are the ones who keep God’s commandments and live to testify about Jesus Christ. |
Chapter 13 |
| 1 The dragon stood on the sandy seashore. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It had seven heads, and on each head was written a name that insulted God. It had ten horns, and on each horn was a crown. |
| 2 The beast that I saw looked like a leopard. It had paws like a bear and a mouth like a lion. The dragon gave this beast his power, his throne, and great authority. |
| 3 I saw that one of the beast’s seven heads seemed to have a deadly wound, but his deadly wound had been healed. The whole world was amazed by this and followed the beast. |
| 4 The people worshiped the dragon, because he had given authority to the beast. They also worshiped the beast. They said, “Who can be compared to the beast? Who can fight against him and defeat him?” |
| 5 The beast received authority from the dragon to speak arrogantly and insult God. He had the right to act this way for 42 months — that is three and a half years. |
| 6 He began to insult God and dishonor His name. He spoke terrible words about the place where God lives and about those who live in heaven. |
| 7 The beast received authority to wage war against God's holy people and to conquer them. He also had authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation. |
| 8 All the people on the earth will worship the beast. These are the ones whose names are not written in the Book of Life that belongs to the Lamb, who was sacrificed for people’s sins before God created the world. |
| 9 The one who has ears, let him hear and understand. |
| 10 The one who must go into captivity will go into captivity. And the one who must be killed with the sword will be killed with the sword. During this time, God’s holy people must patiently endure suffering and not lose their faith. |
| 11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. |
| 12 He did whatever the first beast wanted. And he acted with the same authority as the first beast. The second beast forced the people of the whole earth to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound had been healed. |
| 13 The second beast performed amazing miracles. In front of all the people, he even brought fire down from heaven to the earth. |
| 14 He deceived the people of the whole earth with the miracles he performed in the name of the first beast. He told the people to make an image of the first beast, who had been fatally wounded by the sword but survived. |
| 15 The second beast received authority to breathe life into the image of the first beast. And this image began to speak and demand worship. Everyone who refused to worship it was killed. |
| 16 The second beast demanded that every person receive a mark — a special sign on the right hand or on the forehead. This mark would be on ordinary people and influential people, on the rich and the poor, on the free and the slaves. |
| 17 And if a person does not have this mark with the beast’s name or the number that represents his name, he cannot buy or sell anything. |
| 18 Wisdom is needed here. The one who is able to understand should calculate the number of the beast, because this number is connected with a man. And this number is 666. |
Chapter 14 |
| 1 Then I saw the sacrificial Lamb standing on Mount Zion. There were 144,000 people with Him. They had the name of the Lamb and the name of the Lamb’s Father written on their foreheads. |
| 2 I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of mighty waters and like the rumbling of thunder. I also heard music, as if harpists were playing their harps. |
| 3 They sang a new song before God’s throne, before the four living creatures, and before the elders. And no one could learn this song except the 144,000 people whom God redeemed from among all who live on the earth. |
| 4 These are the ones who did not defile themselves with women, because they never had sexual relations. These are the ones who follow the sacrificial Lamb wherever He goes. God redeemed them from among all people as firstfruits, and now they belong to God and to the sacrificial Lamb. |
| 5 These are the ones who never spoke lies. So they stand before God’s throne without blame or fault. |
| 6 Then I saw another angel flying high in the sky. He carried the eternal Good News about Christ to proclaim it to all who live on the earth — to every nation, tribe, language, and people. |
| 7 The angel spoke with a loud voice: “Fear God and give glory to Him, because the time of judgment has come. Worship the One who created heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.” |
| 8 Another angel followed this angel, saying, “Babylon has fallen! The great city has been destroyed! She made all the nations drink the destructive wine of her sexual immorality and corruption.” |
| 9 A third angel followed these two angels. He spoke loudly, “Do not worship the beast or his image. Do not receive his mark on your forehead or on your hand. |
| 10 But those who do this will drink the strong wine from the cup that is filled with God’s wrath. Then in the presence of the holy angels and the sacrificial Lamb, they will be tormented in fire and burning sulfur. |
| 11 Their torment will never end, and the smoke of their torment will rise forever. Day and night there will be no rest for those who worship the beast and his image and receive the mark with his name on their forehead or on their hand.” |
| 12 During this time, God’s holy people must patiently endure suffering, keep God's commandments, and not lose faith in Jesus. |
| 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: From now on, blessed are those who die believing in the Lord.” The Spirit says, "Yes, they will rest from their hard work, and their deeds will follow them.” |
| 14 After this I saw a white cloud. The One who was sitting on the cloud was like the Son of Man. He had a golden crown on His head, and in His hand He held a sharp sickle. |
| 15 Then another angel came out of the temple. He shouted loudly to the One who was sitting on the cloud, “The time for harvest has come. Take Your sickle and reap the harvest that has ripened on the earth.” |
| 16 And the One who was sitting on the cloud swung the sickle over the earth and reaped the harvest. |
| 17 After this, another angel came out of the heavenly temple. He also had a sharp sickle. |
| 18 Then another angel, who had authority over fire, came from the altar. He shouted loudly to the angel who held the sharp sickle, “Take your sharp sickle and cut the clusters of grapes from the earth, because the grapes are already ripe.” |
| 19 Then the angel swung his sickle over the earth and cut the grapes. He threw them into the huge winepress, and then God showed His wrath. |
| 20 The grapes were crushed in the winepress outside the city, and blood began to flow from the winepress. There was so much blood that it rose as high as the horses’ bridles and spread for about 300 kilometers. |
Chapter 15 |
| 1 I saw another great and amazing sign in heaven. Seven angels held the last seven plagues, and after that God would finish pouring out His wrath. |
| 2 I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire. Those who had won victory over the beast, over his image, and over the number connected with the beast’s name were standing on this sea. They had harps that God had given them. |
| 3 They sang the song of God's servant Moses and the song of the sacrificial Lamb: “Great and wonderful are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Righteous and true are Your ways, King of all nations! |
| 4 Lord, who will not tremble in fear before You and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship You, because they have seen that You judge righteously.” |
| 5 Then I saw the temple in heaven opened. It was called the Tabernacle of Testimony. This temple looked like the holy tent where God’s revelations were kept — the revelations that God gave to Israel as a sign of His covenant with them. |
| 6 The seven angels came out of the temple carrying the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, bright linen, and each of them had a golden belt across his chest. |
| 7 Then one of the four living creatures gave each angel a golden bowl. Each bowl was filled with the wrath of God, who lives forever. |
| 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from God’s glory and power. No one could enter the temple until the seven angels had finished pouring out the seven plagues. |
Chapter 16 |
| 1 I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls filled with God’s wrath.” |
| 2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl onto the earth. Then the people who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image developed terrible, painful sores that were filled with pus. |
| 3 The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea. Then the water in the sea became like the blood of a dead man, and every living creature in the sea died. |
| 4 The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they turned into blood. |
| 5 And I heard the angel who had authority over the waters say: “Lord, You are righteous and holy. You are the One who is and who always was. You have sent these judgments. |
| 6 You did this because they shed the blood of Your holy people and Your prophets. So You gave them blood to drink — they deserve it. |
| 7 And I heard a voice from the altar saying, “Yes, Lord God Almighty, You judge truly and justly.” |
| 8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it began to scorch the people with fire. |
| 9 Intense heat burned the people, and they cursed the name of God, who has authority over these plagues. But they still did not repent of their sins or give glory to God. |
| 10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. People bit their tongues because of severe torment and pain. |
| 11 They kept cursing the God of heaven because of all their suffering and the sores that had appeared on their bodies. But they still did not repent of their deeds. |
| 12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great Euphrates River. And the water in the river dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the east. |
| 13 Then I saw three unclean spirits coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They looked like frogs. |
| 14 These were demonic spirits that performed miracles and showed supernatural signs. They went out to the kings of all the nations of the world to gather them for battle on that great day when Almighty God will show His power. |
| 15 “Look, I come unexpectedly like a thief. So blessed is the one who stays awake and does not take off his clothes. Such a person will not be caught by surprise. And he will not be ashamed like someone who is found naked.” |
| 16 Then the demonic spirits gathered the kings of all the nations of the world to the place that is called Armageddon in Hebrew. |
| 17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air. And a loud voice came from the throne in the heavenly temple, saying, “It is finished!” |
| 18 Then lightning flashed and thunder roared. A loud noise arose, and such a powerful earthquake occurred as had never happened before in all human history. |
| 19 The great city of Babylon was split into three parts, and the cities of the other nations became ruins. God remembered Babylon and gave her to drink the cup of wine that He had filled with His furious wrath. |
| 20 Then all the islands disappeared, and not a single mountain remained. |
| 21 Huge hailstones fell from heaven on the people, and each one weighed about 35 kilograms. The hail badly wounded and severely injured the people, and they cursed God because of this terrible plague. |
Chapter 17 |
| 1 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came to me and said, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the extremely immoral woman who sits by many waters.” |
| 2 The kings of all nations committed sexual immorality with her. And all the people who live on the earth became drunk with her immorality, as if from wine. |
| 3 Then the angel carried me in the Spirit into the wilderness. There I saw a woman who was sitting on a bright red beast. Many names that insult God were written on it. The beast had seven heads and ten horns. |
| 4 The woman was dressed in reddish-purple and bright red clothing. She adorned herself with gold, precious stones, and pearls. In her hand she held a golden cup. This cup was filled with the filthy and disgusting things that she does when she commits sexual immorality. |
| 5 A name with a hidden meaning was written on her forehead: “Babylon the Great — the mother of all immoral women and of all the disgusting things that people do on the earth.” |
| 6 I saw that this woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people and with the blood of those who testified about Jesus. And I looked at her in complete amazement. |
| 7 The angel asked me, “Why are you so amazed? I will reveal to you the mystery of this woman and of the beast that she rides on. It is the beast that has seven heads and ten horns. |
| 8 You saw this beast. At first he existed, but then he disappeared. But he will appear again and come up out of the bottomless pit. Then the people who live on the earth will look at him in amazement. These are the ones whose names have not been written in the Book of Life since the creation of the world. But then this beast will go to destruction. |
| 9 Wisdom and understanding are needed here. The seven heads of the beast mean seven hills on which the woman sits. |
| 10 The seven heads of the beast also mean seven kings. Five of them have already stopped ruling. The sixth king is ruling now, and the seventh king has not yet come to power. When he takes the throne, his rule will last for a short time. |
| 11 The beast that once existed, then disappeared, and will appear again is the eighth king. But he also belongs to the group of those seven kings, and he will go to destruction. |
| 12 You also saw the beast’s ten horns. These horns mean ten kings who are not ruling yet. But they will receive authority for a short time and will rule together with the beast. |
| 13 They will have one purpose, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. |
| 14 The ten kings and the beast will fight against the sacrificial Lamb. But He will overcome them, because He is Lord over all who have authority and King over all rulers. And the sacrificial Lamb will be with His called, chosen, and faithful people. |
| 15 Then the angel said to me, “You saw the waters where this immoral woman sits. These waters mean huge crowds of people from every nation and language.” |
| 16 You also saw the ten horns of the beast. This means that the beast and the ten kings will hate this immoral woman. They will ruin her, and she will be left completely naked. They will devour her flesh, and they will burn what is left of her with fire. |
| 17 God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose. So these ten kings will act together, and they will give their authority to the beast. This will continue until God fulfills His words. |
| 18 This woman that you saw symbolizes the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.” |
Chapter 18 |
| 1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his glory. |
| 2 He shouted with a mighty voice: “Babylon has fallen, the great city has been destroyed! It has become a home for demons and a place where all unclean spirits hide. All unclean and disgusting birds and animals also live there.” |
| 3 Babylon is like a woman consumed by immorality. She made all nations drink the destructive wine of her sexual immorality. The kings of different nations committed sexual immorality with her. And merchants from all over the world became rich because of her excessive luxury. |
| 4 I heard another voice from heaven: “My people, come away from this immoral woman and do not take part in her sins. Otherwise, the same plagues that come upon her will also come upon you.” |
| 5 Her sins have reached heaven. And God has remembered all the evil she has done. |
| 6 Treat her the same way she treated others. Pay her back double for what she has done. Take the cup in which she mixed wine, and prepare for her a drink twice as strong. |
| 7 She glorified herself and lived in luxury, so bring her the same amount of suffering and grief. For she says in her heart, “I live like a queen. I am not a widow, and I will never know grief!” |
| 8 So in one day these plagues will come upon her: death, grief, famine, and destruction by fire. The Lord God will show His power and judge her. |
| 9 The kings of different nations committed sexual immorality with her and enjoyed her luxury. When she burns in the fire, they will see the smoke and will weep and mourn for her. |
| 10 They will stand far away and be terrified by her suffering. They will say, “Woe, woe to you, great and powerful city of Babylon! In a single moment God began His judgment against you.” |
| 11 Merchants from all over the world will weep and mourn over Babylon, because no one will buy their goods anymore. |
| 12 In the past they sold Babylon gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls. The city bought different kinds of fabric from them: fine linen, reddish-purple fabric, silk fabric, and bright red fabric. The merchants sold various items made of fragrant wood. Babylon bought from them all kinds of goods made of ivory and expensive wood. It also bought items made of bronze, iron, and marble. |
| 13 The merchants sold cinnamon, spices, and fragrant incense. They sold fragrant oils and aromatic resin. The city bought wine, olive oil, fine flour, and wheat from them. The merchants sold cattle, sheep, horses, and chariots. Babylon bought people’s bodies and their souls. |
| 14 The merchants will say, “Babylon, your soul longed for pleasure, but now you have nothing left. All your luxury and splendor have disappeared forever. And you will never live in wealth again.” |
| 15 The merchants sold all their goods to Babylon, and because of this they became rich. But they will stand far away and be terrified by her suffering. They will weep and mourn for her. |
| 16 The merchants will say, “Woe, woe to you, great city! You were clothed in fine linen and wore reddish-purple and bright red garments. You adorned yourself with gold, precious stones, and pearls.” |
| 17 But in a single moment all this great wealth was destroyed. All the captains of merchant ships, their passengers, sailors, and everyone who earns a living from the sea will stand far away and look at the city. |
| 18 When all these people see the smoke rising from the city’s fire, they will shout, “What other city can compare with this great city?” |
| 19 Then all these people will throw ashes on their heads. They will shout, weep, and mourn over Babylon: “Woe, woe to you, great city! All who had ships on the sea became rich because of your wealth. But you were destroyed in a single moment!” |
| 20 Rejoice over this, heaven! Rejoice also, God’s holy people, apostles, and prophets, because God has carried out His judgment against this city for what it did to you.” |
| 21 Then a mighty angel picked up a huge stone the size of a millstone used for grinding grain and threw it into the sea. He said, “With the same force God will throw down the great city of Babylon, and it will disappear forever.” |
| 22 No one will hear any music in the city anymore: no harps, flutes, or trumpets. People of every profession will disappear, and no one will trade anymore. The sound of millstones will never again be heard in the city. |
| 23 No one will light a lamp there again, and no one will hear the voices of a bridegroom and a bride anymore. Babylon, your merchants were the great people of this world. But you practiced witchcraft, and deceived all the nations with it. |
| 24 You shed the blood of the prophets, God’s holy people, and all who were killed on the earth.” |
Chapter 19 |
| 1 After this, I heard such a loud noise in heaven, as if a huge crowd was shouting loudly, “Hallelujah! Salvation, glory, honor, and power belong to our God!” |
| 2 O God, You judge truly and justly. You have carried out Your judgment on this extremely immoral woman who corrupted the earth with her immorality. She killed those who faithfully served You. And You have repaid her for the blood of Your servants.” |
| 3 The huge crowd shouted again: “Hallelujah! The smoke from the burning of this great city will rise forever!” |
| 4 Then the 24 elders and the four living creatures fell down before God, who was sitting on the throne. They worshiped Him and said, “Amen! Hallelujah!” |
| 5 Then a voice came from the throne: “Praise our God, all who serve Him faithfully. Glorify Him, all who tremble before Him in fear. Exalt Him, all people — both the ordinary and the influential.” |
| 6 I heard such a loud noise as if a huge crowd was shouting. It was like the roar of mighty waterfalls and the rumbling of thunder. Everyone was shouting: “Hallelujah! The Lord God Almighty reigns. |
| 7 Let’s rejoice, celebrate, and glorify Him. The time has come for the wedding feast, and the bride of the sacrificial Lamb has prepared herself to meet Him.” |
| 8 She was given clean and shining clothes made of fine linen. These clothes represent the righteous deeds of God’s holy people. |
| 9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the sacrificial Lamb.’” Then the angel added, “These are the true words of God.” |
| 10 Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “No, do not do that! I serve God like you and your brothers who testify about their faith in Jesus. Worship God, because the Spirit who gives prophecy always speaks about Jesus.” |
| 11 Then I saw heaven opened and a white horse. The one who was riding the horse is called Faithful and True. He judges and fights with justice. |
| 12 His eyes were like blazing fire. And He had many crowns on His head. A name was written on this rider, and only He Himself knows it. |
| 13 He is dressed in a robe soaked in blood. And His name is “The Word of God.” |
| 14 The armies of heaven follow Him on white horses. They are dressed in clean white clothing made of fine linen. |
| 15 A sharp sword comes out of His mouth to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He treads the grapes in the winepress to show how Almighty God pours out His wrath and anger. |
| 16 A name is written on His robe and on His thigh: “King of all kings and Lord of all who have authority.” |
| 17 Then I saw another angel standing in the sun. He shouted loudly to all the birds flying high in the sky: “Come, gather together for the great feast that God has prepared. |
| 18 You will eat the bodies of kings, commanders, and mighty men. You will eat the bodies of horses and their riders. You will eat the bodies of all people — the free and the slaves, the ordinary and the influential.” |
| 19 Then I saw the beast, the kings of all the nations of the world, and their armies. They gathered together to fight against the One who was riding the horse and against His army. |
| 20 But the beast was captured. Along with him, the false prophet was also captured — the one who performed miracles in the name of the beast. Through these miracles, he deceived those who had accepted the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. Then the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the lake of fire that was burning with sulfur. |
| 21 And all the rest were killed by the sword that came out of the mouth of the One who was riding the horse. And all the birds fed on their bodies until they were full. |
Chapter 20 |
| 1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven. In his hand he held the key to the bottomless pit and a large chain. |
| 2 He seized the dragon — that ancient serpent who is called the devil and Satan — and chained him for a thousand years. |
| 3 The angel threw him into the bottomless pit. He closed it and sealed it so that the devil could no longer deceive the nations. But when the thousand years come to an end, the devil will be set free for a short time. |
| 4 Then I saw thrones. Those who were sitting on them received authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because they testified about Jesus and believed in God’s Word. They had not worshiped the beast or his image. They had not accepted the mark of the beast on their foreheads or on their hands. These people came back to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. |
| 5 This is the first resurrection. The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years came to an end. |
| 6 Blessed and holy are those whom God will raise in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them. They will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with Him for a thousand years. |
| 7 When the thousand years come to an end, Satan will be released from his prison. |
| 8 Then he will begin to deceive the nations all over the earth again. These nations are called Gog and Magog. Satan will gather them for war, and their numbers will be as great as the sand on the seashore. |
| 9 They will spread across the earth. They will surround the place where God’s holy people live and will camp around the city that God loves. Then God will send fire from heaven and destroy the armies of these nations. |
| 10 And the devil, who deceived the nations, will be thrown into the lake of fire burning with sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet already are. They will suffer there day and night, and their torment will last forever. |
| 11 Then I saw a great white throne and the One who was sitting on it. Earth and heaven disappeared from His presence and no longer existed. |
| 12 And I saw those who had already died — ordinary people and influential people. They stood before God’s throne. I also saw books that were opened, and among them was the Book of Life. God judged the dead according to their deeds that were written in the books. |
| 13 Then the sea gave up all the dead who were in it. Death and Hell also gave up those who were in them. And God judged each person according to what he had done. |
| 14 Then God threw Death and Hell into the lake of fire. This is the second death. |
| 15 God threw into the lake of fire those whose names were not written in the Book of Life. |
Chapter 21 |
| 1 I saw a new heaven and a new earth, because the former heaven and the former earth had disappeared. And there was no more sea. |
| 2 I, John, saw the holy city of Jerusalem. It was the new Jerusalem, and it was coming down out of heaven from God. It was like a bride who had prepared herself to meet her bridegroom and had adorned herself for him. |
| 3 And I heard a loud voice from the heavenly throne: “Look, God’s house will now be among the people, and God will live with them. They will be His people, and He will be their God. God Himself will be with them.” |
| 4 God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death. There will be no more grief, crying, or pain, because the former world has disappeared. |
| 5 The One who was sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” And He added, “Write this down, because these words are true and trustworthy.” |
| 6 Then He said to me, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega. I am the beginning and the end. I will freely give water from the spring of living water to the one who is thirsty. |
| 7 The one who overcomes will inherit all this. I will be his God, and he will be My son. |
| 8 But those who gave in to fear and did not believe in God will end up in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. Those wicked people who murdered, lived in sexual immorality, practiced witchcraft, worshiped idols, and lied will also be there. This is the second death.” |
| 9 After this, one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me. He said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the sacrificial Lamb.” |
| 10 Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain. He showed me the holy city of Jerusalem that was coming down out of heaven from God. |
| 11 God’s glory filled the city. And it shone like a precious stone — like clear jasper, like crystal. |
| 12 Jerusalem was surrounded by a high and wide wall with twelve gates. An angel stood at each gate. The names of the twelve tribes of Israel were written on the gates. |
| 13 The wall was square-shaped. There were three gates on each side of the wall: three on the east, three on the north, three on the south, and three on the west. |
| 14 The city wall had twelve foundations. The names of the twelve apostles who were chosen by the sacrificial Lamb were written on the foundations. |
| 15 The angel who was speaking with me had a golden rod to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. |
| 16 The city was laid out in a square: its length and width were equal. Then the angel measured the city with the golden rod. It was 2,253 kilometers long and 2,253 kilometers wide. The wall was also 2,253 kilometers high. |
| 17 The angel also measured the thickness of the wall. It was 65 meters thick. The angel used the same units of measurement as people. |
| 18 The city wall was built of jasper that was clear as crystal. And the city itself was made of pure gold that was also clear as glass. |
| 19 The wall stood on twelve foundations that were decorated with different precious stones. The first foundation was made of jasper, clear as crystal. The second was sky-blue sapphire. The third was bluish-green agate. And the fourth was bright green emerald. |
| 20 The fifth foundation was red-and-white onyx. The sixth was fiery red carnelian. The seventh was golden chrysolite. The eighth was sea-green beryl. The ninth foundation was clear yellowish-green topaz. The tenth was green chrysoprase. The eleventh was blue-violet jacinth. And the twelfth was bright violet amethyst. |
| 21 The city had twelve gates, and each gate was made of a single pearl. The street of the city was made of pure gold that was clear as glass. |
| 22 I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the sacrificial Lamb are its temple. |
| 23 The city has no need of the sun or the moon, because the glory of God illuminates it. And the sacrificial Lamb is its lamp. |
| 24 The saved nations will live in the light of this city. And the kings of all the nations of the world will bring their glory and honor into it — everything that is valuable and worthy. |
| 25 The gates of the city will never be closed during the day, and there will be no night there at all. |
| 26 All the nations will also bring into it everything valuable and worthy. |
| 27 Nothing impure will ever enter this city. Those who do disgusting things and live in lies will not enter it either. Only those whose names are written in the Book of Life that belongs to the sacrificial Lamb will live in the city. |
Chapter 22 |
| 1 Then the angel showed me a river flowing with water that gives life. The river was clear like crystal. It flowed from the throne where God sits together with the sacrificial Lamb. |
| 2 This river flowed through the middle of the city street, and the tree of life grew along the river. It bore fruit 12 times a year, and each month it produced fresh fruit. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. |
| 3 There will be nothing cursed in the city. The throne where God sits together with the sacrificial Lamb will be there, and God’s servants will serve God. |
| 4 They will see the face of God, and His name will be written on their foreheads. |
| 5 There will be no night there. People will no longer need lamps or sunlight, because the Lord God Himself will give them light. And they will reign forever. |
| 6 Then he said to me, “These words are true and trustworthy. The Lord God gives His Spirit to the prophets. And He sent His angel to show His servants what must soon happen.” |
| 7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who obeys the prophetic words that are written in this book.” |
| 8 I, John, saw and heard all these things myself. After everything I had heard and seen, I fell at the feet of the angel who had shown me all these events to worship him. |
| 9 But he said to me, “No, do not do that! I serve God like you, your brothers the prophets, and all who obey what is written in this book. Worship God!” |
| 10 Then the angel said to me, “Do not hide the prophetic words written in this book. The time when all these things must happen will come soon. |
| 11 Let the unrighteous person continue to do evil. Let the impure person continue to defile himself. But let the righteous person continue to do what is right. And let the holy person continue to live a holy life.” |
| 12 “Look, I am coming soon. Then everyone will receive what he deserves for what he has done.” |
| 13 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” |
| 14 Blessed are those who obey God's commandments. They have washed their robes in the blood of the sacrificial Lamb. And they will receive the right to eat the fruit that grows on the tree of life. They will also have the right to enter the city through the gates. |
| 15 But all the others who did disgusting things will remain outside the city. Those who practiced witchcraft, lived in sexual immorality, committed murder, worshiped idols, and loved to act dishonestly will not enter it. |
| 16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to tell your churches about all these things. I am the descendant of King David and the heir to his throne. I am the bright Morning Star.” |
| 17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears this also say, “Come!” Come, everyone who is thirsty. Come, everyone who wants to drink, and take the water of life freely. |
| 18 I also warn everyone who hears the prophetic words of this book. If anyone adds anything to these words, God will add to that person the plagues that are written in this book. |
| 19 And if anyone takes away anything from the prophetic words of this book, God will remove that person from the Book of Life. He will not allow him to eat fruit from the tree of life or enter the holy city that is described in this book. |
| 22 Jesus, the faithful witness of all these things, says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! |
| 21 May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ remain with you all. Amen. |