The Vision of the First Seal Opened
6 Then I saw the lamb open the first of the seven seals. I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Go!” 2 Then I looked, and there was a white horse! Its rider had a bow, and a victor’s crown had been given to him. He went out as a conqueror to conquer.
The Vision of the Second Seal Opened
3 When the lamb[a] opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Go!” 4 A second horse went out. It was fiery red, and its rider was given permission to take peace away from the earth and to make people slaughter one another. So he was given a large sword.
The Vision of the Third Seal Opened
5 When the lamb[b] opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Go!” I looked, and there was a black horse! Its rider held a scale in his hand. 6 I heard what sounded like a voice from among the four living creatures, saying, “One day’s ration of wheat for a day’s wage, or three day’s ration of barley for a day’s wage![c] But don’t damage the olive oil or the wine!”
The Vision of the Fourth Seal Opened
7 When the lamb[d] opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Go!” 8 I looked, and there was a pale green horse! Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades[e] followed him. They were given authority over one-fourth of the earth to kill people using wars, famines, plagues, and the wild animals of the earth.
The Vision of the Fifth Seal Opened
9 When the lamb[f] opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the word of God and the testimony they had given. 10 They cried out in a loud voice,
“Holy and true Sovereign,
how long will it be before you judge
and take revenge on those living on the earth
who shed our blood?”
11 Each of them was given a white robe. They were told to rest a little longer until the number of[g] their fellow servants and their brothers was completed, who would be killed as they themselves had been.
The Vision of the Sixth Seal Opened
12 Then I saw the lamb[h] open the sixth seal. There was a powerful earthquake. The sun turned as black as sackcloth made of hair, and the full moon turned as red as blood.[i] 13 The stars in the sky fell to the earth like a fig tree drops its fruit when it is shaken by a strong wind. 14 The sky vanished like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth, the important people, the generals, the rich, the powerful, and all the slaves and free people concealed themselves in caves and among the rocks in the mountains. 16 They told the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb. 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to endure it?”
The Vision of the Sealing of 144,000 People
7 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 could blow on the land, on the sea, or on any tree. 2 I saw another angel coming from the east having the seal of the living God. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been permitted to harm the land and sea, 3 “Don’t harm the land, the sea, or the trees until we have marked the servants of our God with a seal on their foreheads.”
4 I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000. Those who were sealed were from every tribe of Israel: 5 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad, 6 12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh, 7 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar, 8 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, and 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed.
The Vision of Tribulation Saints
9 After these things, I looked, and there was a crowd so large that no one was able to count it! They were from every nation, tribe, people, and language. They were standing in front of the throne and the lamb and were wearing white robes, with palm branches in their hands. 10 They cried out in a loud voice,
“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the lamb!”
11 All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell on their faces in front of the throne and worshipped God, 12 saying,
“Amen! Praise, glory, wisdom, thanks, honor, power, and strength
be to our God forever and ever! Amen!”
13 “Who are these people wearing white robes,” one of the elders asked me, “and where did they come from?”
14 I told him, “Sir, you know.”
Then he told me, “These are the people who are coming out of the terrible suffering.[j] They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. 15 That is why:
“They are in front of the throne of God
and worship[k] him night and day in his Temple.
The one who sits on the throne will shelter them.
16 They will never be hungry or thirsty again.
Neither the sun nor its heat will ever beat down on them,
17 because the lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd.
He will lead them to springs filled with the water of life,
and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”[l]
Footnotes:
Revelation 6:3 Lit. he
Revelation 6:5 Lit. he
Revelation 6:6 A denarius was equivalent to a day’s wage for a laborer.
Revelation 6:7 Lit. he
Revelation 6:8 I.e. the realm of the dead
Revelation 6:9 Lit. he
Revelation 6:11 The Gk. lacks the number of
Revelation 6:12 Lit. him
Revelation 6:12 Lit. became like blood
Revelation 7:14 Or great tribulation
Revelation 7:15 Or serve
Revelation 7:17 Isa 25:8
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