|| The Orthodox Faith (Dogma) || Family and Youth || Sermons || Bible Study || Devotional || Spirituals || Fasts & Feasts || Coptics || Religious Education || Monasticism || Seasons || Missiology || Ethics || Ecumenical Relations || Church Music || Pentecost || Miscellaneous || Saints || Church History || Pope Shenouda || Patrology || Canon Law || Lent || Pastoral Theology || Father Matta || Bibles || Iconography || Liturgics || Orthodox Biblical topics || Orthodox articles || St Chrysostom ||
Revelation 1
Introduction and
Benediction
John's Vision of Christ
1 The
Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants--things
which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to
His servant John, 2who bore witness to the word of God, and to the
testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. 3Blessed is
he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those
things which are written in it; for the time is near.
Greeting the Seven Churches
4 John,
to the seven churches which are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace
from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who
are before His throne, 5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful
witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the
earth.
To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own
blood, 6and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to
Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
7Behold, He
is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him.
And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.
8"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,"
says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."
Vision of the Son of Man
9 I, John, both your
brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus
Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for
the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10I was in the Spirit on the Lord's
Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11saying,
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," and, "What you see,
write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to
Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and
to Laodicea."
12Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with
me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13and in the
midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment
down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.
14His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes
like a flame of fire; 15His feet were like fine brass, as if
refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters;
16He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp
two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its
strength. 17And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He
laid His right hand on me, saying to me, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and
the Last. 18I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive
forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.
19Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and
the things which will take place after this. 20The mystery of the
seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands:
The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands
which you saw are the seven churches.
Revelation
2
The Loveless Church
Christ's Letters to
Four Churches
1 "To the angel of the church of Ephesus
write,
"These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand,
who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2"I know
your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are
evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and
have found them liars; 3and you have persevered and have patience,
and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary.
4Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first
love. 5Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do
the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand
from its place--unless you repent. 6But this you have, that you
hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7"He who
has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who
overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of
the Paradise of God."'
The Persecuted
Church
8 "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,
"These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to
life: 9"I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are
rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not,
but are a synagogue of Satan. 10Do not fear any of those things
which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you
into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days.
Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
11"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death."'
The Compromising Church
12 "And to the angel
of the church in Pergamos write,
"These things says He who has the sharp
two-edged sword: 13"I know your works, and where you dwell, where
Satan's throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith
even in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed among
you, where Satan dwells. 14But I have a few things against you,
because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak
to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things
sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 15Thus you
also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I
hate. 16Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight
against them with the sword of My mouth.
17"He who has an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will
give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and
on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives
it."'
The Corrupt Church
18 "And to the angel
of the church in Thyatira write,
"These things says the Son of God, who
has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass: 19"I
know your works, love, service, faith, and your patience; and as for your
works, the last are more than the first. 20Nevertheless I have a
few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls
herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual
immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21And I gave her
time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.
22Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery
with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.
23I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know
that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of
you according to your works.
24"Now to you I say, and to the
rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the
depths of Satan, as they say, I will put on you no other burden.
25But hold fast what you have till I come. 26And he who
overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the
nations--
27"He shall rule them with a rod of iron;
They shall be dashed to pieces
like the potter's vessels'--
as I also have received from My
Father; 28and I will give him the morning star.
29"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches."'
Revelation 3
The Dead
Church
Christ's Letters to Three
Churches
1 "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,
"These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven
stars: "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you
are dead. 2Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain,
that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before
God. 3Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast
and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief,
and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. 4You have a
few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall
walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. 5He who overcomes shall
be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book
of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
6"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches."'
The Faithful Church
7 "And to the
angel of the church in Philadelphia write,
"These things says He who is
holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one
shuts, and shuts and no one opens": 8"I know your works. See, I
have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a
little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
9Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are
Jews and are not, but lie--indeed I will make them come and worship before
your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10Because you have
kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial
which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the
earth. 11Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that
no one may take your crown. 12He who overcomes, I will make him a
pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on
him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem,
which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new
name.
13"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says
to the churches."'
The Lukewarm Church
14
"And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,
"These things
says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of
God: 15"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I
could wish you were cold or hot. 16So then, because you are
lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
17Because you say, "I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of
nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and
naked-- 18I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire,
that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the
shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye
salve, that you may see. 19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.
Therefore be zealous and repent. 20Behold, I stand at the door and
knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and
dine with him, and he with Me. 21To him who overcomes I will grant
to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on
His throne.
22"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit
says to the churches.""'
Revelation 4
The Throne
Room of Heaven
John's Vision of God's Throne
1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in
heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me,
saying, "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after
this."
2Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne
set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3And He who sat there was
like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow
around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. 4Around the
throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders
sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their
heads. 5And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and
voices. Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the
seven Spirits of God.
6Before the throne there was a sea of
glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne,
were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. 7The
first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf,
the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living
creature was like a flying eagle. 8The four living creatures, each
having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest
day or night, saying:
"Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God
Almighty,
Who was and is and is
to come!"
9Whenever the living creatures give glory and
honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and
ever, 10the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the
throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns
before the throne, saying:
11"You are
worthy, O Lord,
To receive
glory and honor and power;
For
You created all things,
And by
Your will they exist and were created."
Revelation
5
The Lamb Takes the Scroll
Worthy Is the
Lamb
1 And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the
throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals.
2Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy
to open the scroll and to loose its seals?" 3And no one in heaven
or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at
it.
4So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open
and read the scroll, or to look at it. 5But one of the elders said
to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of
David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals."
6And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of
the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as
though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the
seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7Then He came and
took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
Worthy Is the Lamb
8 Now when He had taken
the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down
before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which
are the prayers of the saints. 9And they sang a new song, saying:
"You are worthy to take
the scroll,
And to open its
seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by
Your blood
Out of every tribe
and tongue and people and nation,
10And have made us
kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth."
11Then I looked, and
I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and
the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and
thousands of thousands, 12saying with a loud voice:
"Worthy is the Lamb who
was slain
To receive power and
riches and wisdom,
And strength
and honor and glory and blessing!"
13And every creature
which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the
sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:
"Blessing and honor and
glory and power
Be to Him who
sits on the throne,
And to the
Lamb, forever and ever!"
14Then the four living
creatures said, "Amen!" And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him
who lives forever and ever.
Revelation 6
First
Seal: The Conqueror
The Six Seals
1 Now I
saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living
creatures saying with a voice like thunder, "Come and see." 2And I
looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was
given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
Second
Seal: Conflict on Earth
3 When He opened the second seal, I
heard the second living creature saying, "Come and see." 4Another
horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to
take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there
was given to him a great sword.
Third Seal: Scarcity on
Earth
5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third
living creature say, "Come and see." So I looked, and behold, a black horse,
and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6And I heard
a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat
for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the
oil and the wine."
Fourth Seal: Widespread Death on
Earth
7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of
the fourth living creature saying, "Come and see." 8So I looked,
and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and
Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the
earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the
earth.
Fifth Seal: The Cry of the Martyrs
9
When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who
had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.
10And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and
true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the
earth?" 11Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was
said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the
number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as
they were, was completed.
Sixth Seal: Cosmic
Disturbances
12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and
behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of
hair, and the moon became like blood. 13And the stars of heaven
fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a
mighty wind. 14Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled
up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 15And
the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the
mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in
the rocks of the mountains, 16and said to the mountains and rocks,
"Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from
the wrath of the Lamb! 17For the great day of His wrath has come,
and who is able to stand?"
Revelation 7
The Sealed
of Israel
The Servants of God Sealed
1
After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the
earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on
the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2Then I saw another angel
ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with
a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and
the sea, 3saying, "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees
till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads."
4And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and
forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:
5of the
tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Reuben twelve
thousand were sealed;
of the
tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed;
6of the tribe of
Asher twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Naphtali twelve
thousand were sealed;
of the
tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed;
7of the tribe of
Simeon twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Levi twelve
thousand were sealed;
of the
tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed;
8of the tribe of
Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Joseph twelve
thousand were sealed;
of the
tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.
A Multitude from
the Great Tribulation
9 After these things I looked, and
behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes,
peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed
with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10and crying
out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the
throne, and to the Lamb!" 11All the angels stood around the throne
and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before
the throne and worshiped God, 12saying:
"Amen! Blessing and
glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving
and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever.
Amen."
13Then one of the elders answered, saying to me,
"Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?"
14And I said to him, "Sir, you know."
So he said to me,
"These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their
robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15Therefore
they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple.
And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. 16They shall
neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor
any heat; 17for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will
shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe
away every tear from their eyes."
Revelation
8
Seventh Seal: Prelude to the Seven
Trumpets
The Seventh Seal and Four
Trumpets
1 When He opened the seventh seal, there was
silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2And I saw the seven
angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets.
3Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the
altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of
all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.
4And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended
before God from the angel's hand. 5Then the angel took the censer,
filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were
noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.
6So the
seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
First Trumpet: Vegetation Struck
7 The first
angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were
thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green
grass was burned up.
Second Trumpet: The Seas
Struck
8 Then the second angel sounded: And something like a
great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the
sea became blood. 9And a third of the living creatures in the sea
died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
Third Trumpet:
The Waters Struck
10 Then the third angel sounded: And a
great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of
the rivers and on the springs of water. 11The name of the star is
Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the
water, because it was made bitter.
Fourth Trumpet: The Heavens
Struck
12 Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the
sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third
of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the
night.
13And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the
midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, "Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants
of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three
angels who are about to sound!"
Revelation 9
Fifth
Trumpet: The Locusts from the Bottomless Pit
The Fifth and
Sixth Trumpets
1 Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a
star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the
bottomless pit. 2And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose
out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were
darkened because of the smoke of the pit. 3Then out of the smoke
locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of
the earth have power. 4They were commanded not to harm the grass of
the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have
the seal of God on their foreheads. 5And they were not given
authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was
like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. 6In those
days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and
death will flee from them.
7The shape of the locusts was like
horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold,
and their faces were like the faces of men. 8They had hair like
women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth. 9And they had
breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like
the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. 10They
had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power
was to hurt men five months. 11And they had as king over them the
angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he
has the name Apollyon.
12One woe is past. Behold, still two
more woes are coming after these things.
Sixth Trumpet: The
Angels from the Euphrates
13 Then the sixth angel sounded:
And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before
God, 14saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the
four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." 15So the
four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year,
were released to kill a third of mankind. 16Now the number of the
army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them.
17And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had
breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of
the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire,
smoke, and brimstone. 18By these three plagues a third of mankind
was killed--by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of
their mouths. 19For their power is in their mouth and in their
tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do
harm.
20But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these
plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not
worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can
neither see nor hear nor walk. 21And they did not repent of their
murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their
thefts.
Revelation 10
The Mighty Angel with the
Little Book
The Little Book
1 I saw still
another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a
rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars
of fire. 2He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his
right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3and cried
with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, seven thunders
uttered their voices. 4Now when the seven thunders uttered their
voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying to me,
"Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them."
5The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land
raised up his hand to heaven 6and swore by Him who lives forever
and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the
things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there
should be delay no longer, 7but in the days of the sounding of the
seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be
finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.
John
Eats the Little Book
8 Then the voice which I heard from
heaven spoke to me again and said, "Go, take the little book which is open in
the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth."
9So I went to the angel and said to him, "Give me the little
book."
And he said to me, "Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach
bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth."
10Then
I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and it was as sweet
as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.
11And he said to me, "You must prophesy again about many peoples,
nations, tongues, and kings."
Revelation 11
The
Two Witnesses
The Two Witnesses; the Seventh
Trumpet
1 Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And
the angel stood, saying, "Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and
those who worship there. 2But leave out the court which is outside
the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And
they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. 3And
I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two
hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."
4These are the
two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the
earth. 5And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their
mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be
killed in this manner. 6These have power to shut heaven, so that no
rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to
turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they
desire.
The Witnesses Killed
7 When they
finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will
make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. 8And their
dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is
called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. 9Then
those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead
bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into
graves. 10And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them,
make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets
tormented those who dwell on the earth.
The Witnesses
Resurrected
11 Now after the three-and-a-half days the
breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great
fear fell on those who saw them. 12And they heard a loud voice from
heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they ascended to heaven in a cloud,
and their enemies saw them. 13In the same hour there was a great
earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand
people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of
heaven.
14The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is
coming quickly.
Seventh Trumpet: The Kingdom
Proclaimed
15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were
loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdoms of this world have become the
kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and
ever!" 16And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their
thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17saying:
"We give You thanks, O
Lord God Almighty,
The One who
is and who was and who is to come,
Because You have taken Your
great power and reigned.
18The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that
they should be judged,
And that
You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name,
small and great,
And should
destroy those who destroy the earth."
19Then the temple
of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His
temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and
great hail.
Revelation 12
The Woman, the Child,
and the Dragon
The Woman, the Child, and the
Dragon
1 Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman
clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland
of twelve stars. 2Then being with child, she cried out in labor and
in pain to give birth.
3And another sign appeared in heaven:
behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven
diadems on his heads. 4His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven
and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was
ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.
5She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron.
And her Child was caught up to God and His throne. 6Then the woman
fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they
should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
Satan Thrown Out of Heaven
7 And war broke
out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon
and his angels fought, 8but they did not prevail, nor was a place
found for them in heaven any longer. 9So the great dragon was cast
out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole
world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
10Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation,
and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have
come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and
night, has been cast down. 11And they overcame him by the blood of
the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives
to the death. 12Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in
them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come
down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time."
The Woman Persecuted
13 Now when the dragon
saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth
to the male Child. 14But the woman was given two wings of a great
eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is
nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the
serpent. 15So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a
flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the
flood. 16But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its
mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his
mouth. 17And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to
make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and
have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Revelation
13
The Beast from the Sea
The Beast from
the Sea and the Beast from the Land
1 Then I stood on the
sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven
heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a
blasphemous name. 2Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard,
his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion.
The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority.
3And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his
deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the
beast. 4So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the
beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is
able to make war with him?"
5And he was given a mouth speaking
great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for
forty-two months. 6Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against
God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in
heaven. 7It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to
overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and
nation. 8All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names
have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world.
9If anyone has an ear, let him
hear. 10He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who
kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and
the faith of the saints.
The Beast from the
Earth
11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the
earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.
12And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence,
and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast,
whose deadly wound was healed. 13He performs great signs, so that
he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of
men. 14And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs
which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell
on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and
lived. 15He was granted power to give breath to the image of the
beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as
would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16He causes
all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on
their right hand or on their foreheads, 17and that no one may buy
or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of
his name.
18Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding
calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number
is 666.
Revelation 14
The Lamb and the
144,000
The 144,000; Two Harvests
1 Then I
looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred
and forty-four thousand, having His Father's name written on their
foreheads. 2And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many
waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists
playing their harps. 3They sang as it were a new song before the
throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could
learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed
from the earth. 4These are the ones who were not defiled with
women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever
He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to
the Lamb. 5And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are
without fault before the throne of God.
The Proclamations of
Three Angels
6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst
of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the
earth--to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people-- 7saying with a
loud voice, "Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has
come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of
water."
8And another angel followed, saying, "Babylon is
fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of
the wine of the wrath of her fornication."
9Then a third angel
followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and his
image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10he
himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out
full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire
and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the
Lamb. 11And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever;
and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and
whoever receives the mark of his name."
12Here is the patience
of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith
of Jesus.
13Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me,
"Write: "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on."'
"Yes,"
says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow
them."
Reaping the Earth's Harvest
14 Then I
looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of
Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle.
15And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to
Him who sat on the cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has
come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16So
He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was
reaped.
Reaping the Grapes of Wrath
17 Then
another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a
sharp sickle.
18And another angel came out from the altar, who
had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp
sickle, saying, "Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the
vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe." 19So the angel
thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw
it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20And the
winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress,
up to the horses' bridles, for one thousand six hundred
furlongs.
Revelation 15
Prelude to the Bowl
Judgments
Prelude to the Bowl Judgments
1
Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having
the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.
2And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and
those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark
and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of
God. 3They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song
of the Lamb, saying:
"Great and marvelous are Your works,
Lord God Almighty!
Just and true are Your ways,
O King of the saints!
4Who shall not fear
You, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
For You alone are holy.
For all nations shall come and
worship before You,
For Your
judgments have been manifested."
5After these things I
looked, and behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven
was opened. 6And out of the temple came the seven angels having the
seven plagues, clothed in pure bright linen, and having their chests girded
with golden bands. 7Then one of the four living creatures gave to
the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God who lives forever
and ever. 8The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God
and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven
plagues of the seven angels were completed.
Revelation
16
The Seven Bowls
1 Then I heard a loud
voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out the bowls
of the wrath of God on the earth."
First Bowl: Loathsome
Sores
2 So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the
earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the
beast and those who worshiped his image.
Second Bowl: The Sea
Turns to Blood
3 Then the second angel poured out his bowl
on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in
the sea died.
Third Bowl: The Waters Turn to
Blood
4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the
rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5And I heard
the angel of the waters saying:
"You are righteous, O
Lord,
The One who is and who
was and who is to be,
Because
You have judged these things.
6For they have shed
the blood of saints and prophets,
And You have given them blood
to drink.
For it is their just
due."
7And I heard another from the altar saying, "Even
so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments."
Fourth Bowl: Men Are Scorched
8 Then the
fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to
scorch men with fire. 9And men were scorched with great heat, and
they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did
not repent and give Him glory.
Fifth Bowl: Darkness and
Pain
10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the
throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed
their tongues because of the pain. 11They blasphemed the God of
heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their
deeds.
Sixth Bowl: Euphrates Dried Up
12 Then
the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its
water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be
prepared. 13And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out
of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the
mouth of the false prophet. 14For they are spirits of demons,
performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole
world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
15"Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches,
and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame."
16And they gathered them together to the place called in
Hebrew, Armageddon.
Seventh Bowl: The Earth Utterly
Shaken
17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into
the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne,
saying, "It is done!" 18And there were noises and thunderings and
lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great
earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. 19Now
the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations
fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the
wine of the fierceness of His wrath. 20Then every island fled away,
and the mountains were not found. 21And great hail from heaven fell
upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God
because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly
great.
Revelation 17
The Scarlet Woman and the
Scarlet Beast
The Scarlet Woman and the Scarlet
Beast
1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls
came and talked with me, saying to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of
the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2with whom the kings of
the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made
drunk with the wine of her fornication."
3So he carried me away
in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet
beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten
horns. 4The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned
with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full
of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. 5And on her
forehead a name was written: AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with
the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great
amazement.
The Meaning of the Woman and the
Beast
7 But the angel said to me, "Why did you marvel? I
will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her,
which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8The beast that you
saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to
perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not
written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see
the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9"Here is the mind
which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman
sits. 10There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and
the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short
time. 11The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth,
and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.
12"The ten
horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but
they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast.
13These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to
the beast. 14These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will
overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are
with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."
15Then he said to
me, "The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes,
nations, and tongues. 16And the ten horns which you saw on the
beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh
and burn her with fire. 17For God has put it into their hearts to
fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the
beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18And the woman whom
you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the
earth."
Revelation 18
The Fall of Babylon the
Great
The Fall of Babylon the Great
1
After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great
authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 2And he
cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is
fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul
spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3For all the
nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of
the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth
have become rich through the abundance of her luxury."
4And I
heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you
share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5For her
sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
6Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double
according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for
her. 7In the measure that she glorified herself and lived
luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in
her heart, "I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.'
8Therefore her plagues will come in one day--death and mourning and
famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God
who judges her.
The World Mourns Babylon's
Fall
9 "The kings of the earth who committed fornication and
lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the
smoke of her burning, 10standing at a distance for fear of her
torment, saying, "Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For
in one hour your judgment has come.'
11"And the merchants of
the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise
anymore: 12merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and
pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood,
every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood,
bronze, iron, and marble; 13and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil
and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses
and chariots, and bodies and souls of men. 14The fruit that your
soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and
splendid have gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all.
15The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a
distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16and
saying, "Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple,
and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!
17For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.' Every shipmaster,
all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a
distance 18and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning,
saying, "What is like this great city?'
19"They threw dust on
their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, "Alas, alas, that
great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth!
For in one hour she is made desolate.'
20"Rejoice over her, O
heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!"
Finality of Babylon's Fall
21 Then a mighty
angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea,
saying, "Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and
shall not be found anymore. 22The sound of harpists, musicians,
flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. No craftsman of
any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall
not be heard in you anymore. 23The light of a lamp shall not shine
in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in
you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your
sorcery all the nations were deceived. 24And in her was found the
blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the
earth."
Revelation 19
Heaven Exults over
Babylon
The Marriage of the Lamb
1 After
these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,
"Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our
God! 2For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has
judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He
has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her." 3Again
they said, "Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!" 4And
the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped
God who sat on the throne, saying, "Amen! Alleluia!" 5Then a voice
came from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all you His servants and those
who fear Him, both small and great!"
6And I heard, as it were,
the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound
of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent
reigns! 7Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the
marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready."
8And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and
bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
9Then he said to me, "Write: "Blessed are those who are called
to the marriage supper of the Lamb!"' And he said to me, "These are the true
sayings of God." 10And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he
said to me, "See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of
your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony
of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
Christ on a White
Horse
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.
And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He
judges and makes war. 12His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on
His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except
Himself. 13He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name
is called The Word of God. 14And the armies in heaven, clothed in
fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15Now
out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the
nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads
the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And He
has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
The Beast and
His Armies Defeated
17 Then I saw an angel standing in the
sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the
midst of heaven, "Come and gather together for the supper of the great
God, 18that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains,
the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and
the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great."
19And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their
armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and
against His army. 20Then the beast was captured, and with him the
false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who
received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two
were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21And
the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who
sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their
flesh.
Revelation 20
Satan Bound 1000
Years
Satan Bound; the Thousand-Year Reign; Final
Judgment
1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven,
having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and
Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3and he cast him into
the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should
deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after
these things he must be released for a little while.
The Saints
Reign with Christ 1000 Years
4 And I saw thrones, and they
sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those
who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who
had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on
their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for
a thousand years. 5But the rest of the dead did not live again
until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over
such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of
Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Satanic
Rebellion Crushed
7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from
his prison 8and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the
four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle,
whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9They went up on the
breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved
city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.
10The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and
brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be
tormented day and night forever and ever.
The Great White
Throne Judgment
11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him
who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there
was found no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, small and great,
standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which
is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the
things which were written in the books. 13The sea gave up the dead
who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them.
And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14Then Death
and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the
lake of fire.
Revelation 21
All Things Made
New
The New Jerusalem
1 Now I saw a new
heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed
away. Also there was no more sea. 2Then I, John, saw the holy city,
New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned
for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying,
"Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and
they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.
4And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no
more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the
former things have passed away."
5Then He who sat on the throne
said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these
words are true and faithful."
6And He said to me, "It is done!
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the
fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7He who
overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My
son. 8But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers,
sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in
the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
The New Jerusalem
9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the
seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show
you the bride, the Lamb's wife." 10And he carried me away in the
Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy
Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11having the glory of
God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as
crystal. 12Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates,
and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names
of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13three gates on
the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates
on the west.
14Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations,
and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its
gates, and its wall. 16The city is laid out as a square; its length
is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve
thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal.
17Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits,
according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 18The
construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear
glass. 19The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with
all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second
sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20the fifth
sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the
ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth
amethyst. 21The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual
gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like
transparent glass.
The Glory of the New
Jerusalem
22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God
Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23The city had no need of the
sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The
Lamb is its light. 24And the nations of those who are saved shall
walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into
it. 25Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no
night there). 26And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the
nations into it. 27But there shall by no means enter it anything
that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are
written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
Revelation
22
The River of Life
Jesus Is Coming
Quickly
1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life,
clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.
2In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the
tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every
month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
3And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb
shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4They shall see
His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5There shall be
no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives
them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
The Time Is
Near
6 Then he said to me, "These words are faithful and
true." And the Lord God of the holy prophets sent His angel to show His
servants the things which must shortly take place.
7"Behold, I
am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this
book."
8Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I
heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed
me these things.
9Then he said to me, "See that you do not do
that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of
those who keep the words of this book. Worship God." 10And he said
to me, "Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at
hand. 11He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is
filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous
still; he who is holy, let him be holy still."
Jesus Testifies
to the Churches
12 "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My
reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13I
am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the
Last."
14Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they
may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into
the city. 15But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral
and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.
16"I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things
in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and
Morning Star."
17And the Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And
let him who hears say, "Come!" And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires,
let him take the water of life freely.
A
Warning
18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of
the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him
the plagues that are written in this book; 19and if anyone takes
away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part
from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are
written in this book.
I Am Coming Quickly
20
He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly."
Amen.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
21The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
be with you all. Amen.
|| The Orthodox Faith (Dogma) || Family and Youth || Sermons || Bible Study || Devotional || Spirituals || Fasts & Feasts || Coptics || Religious Education || Monasticism || Seasons || Missiology || Ethics || Ecumenical Relations || Church Music || Pentecost || Miscellaneous || Saints || Church History || Pope Shenouda || Patrology || Canon Law || Lent || Pastoral Theology || Father Matta || Bibles || Iconography || Liturgics || Orthodox Biblical topics || Orthodox articles || St Chrysostom ||
|| Bible Study || Biblical topics || Bibles || Orthodox Bible Study || Coptic Bible Study || King James Version || New King James Version || Scripture Nuggets || Index of the Parables and Metaphors of Jesus || Index of the Miracles of Jesus || Index of Doctrines || Index of Charts || Index of Maps || Index of Topical Essays || Index of Word Studies || Colored Maps || Index of Biblical names Notes || Old Testament activities for Sunday School kids || New Testament activities for Sunday School kids || Bible Illustrations || Bible short notes|| Pope Shenouda || Father Matta || Bishop Mattaous || Fr. Tadros Malaty || Bishop Moussa || Bishop Alexander || Habib Gerguis || Bishop Angealos || Metropolitan Bishoy ||
|| Prayer of the First Hour || Third Hour || Sixth Hour || Ninth Hour || Vespers (Eleventh Hour) || Compline (Twelfth Hour) || The First Watch of the midnight prayers || The Second Watch of the midnight prayers || The Third Watch of the midnight prayers || The Prayer of the Veil || Various Prayers from the Agbia || Synaxarium