First Peter, page 1
The Second Letter of Peter
1 1 Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: 2 grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 3 His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and excellence. 4 By these he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and become partakers of the divine nature. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge, 6 and to knowledge, self-control, and to self-control, perseverance, and to perseverance, godliness, 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For whoever lacks these things is blind and shortsighted, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall; 11 so there will be an entrance richly provided for you into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 12 Therefore I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 since I know that the putting aside of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will see to it that after my departure you will be able at any time to call these things to mind. 16 For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." 18 We ourselves heard this voice coming from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 And we have the prophetic word made more sure, and you will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by the act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. 2 1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. 2 And many will follow their licentiousness, and because of them the way of truth will be reviled. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words; from long ago their condemnation has not been idle, and their destruction has not been asleep. 4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 5 and if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6 and if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly thereafter; 7 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men 8 (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desire and despise authority. Bold and willful, they are not afraid to revile the glorious ones, 11 whereas angels, though greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord. 12 But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and killed, reviling in matters of which they are ignorant, will be destroyed in the same destruction with them, 13 suffering wrong for their wrongdoing. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you. 14 They have eyes full of adultery, that never cease from sin; they entice unstable souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! 15 Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 but he was rebuked for his own transgression by a donkeyóa beast without speechówho spoke with a man's voice and restrained the prophet's madness. 17 These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm; for them the blackest darkness has been reserved. 18 For speaking out arrogant words of vanity, they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for whatever overcomes a man, to that he is enslaved. 20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. 22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb, "A dog turns back to its own vomit," and, "A sow, after having washed, returns to wallowing in the mire." 3 1 This is now the second letter that I have written to you, beloved, and in both of them I have aroused your sincere mind by way of reminder; 2 that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken through your apostles. 3 First of all you must understand this, that scoffers will come in the last days, with scoffing, following their own lusts 4 and saying, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." 5 They deliberately ignore this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and by means of water, 6 through which the world at that time was destroyed, being deluged with water. 7 But by the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. 8 But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9 The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with fire, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy lives and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by fire, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to his promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. 14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by him in peace, spotless and blameless. 15 And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your own steadfastness. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
Second Peter, page 1
The First Letter of John
1 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have touched, concerning the Word of lifeó2 the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to usó3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we write this that our joy may be complete. 5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 2 1 My little children, I write this to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 Now by this we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He who says, "I know him," but does not keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps his word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in him: 6 he who says he abides in him ought to walk as he walked. 7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new commandment, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9 He who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in the darkness still. 10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But he who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 12 I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. 13 I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. 14 I wrote to you, little children, because you have known the Father. I wrote to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I wrote to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the worldóthe lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of lifeóis not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. 18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come; by this we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that it might be plain that none of them were of us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. 21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. 22 Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. 23 No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 24 Let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he has promised usóeternal life. 26 These things I have written to you about those who try to deceive you. 27 But the anointing which you have received from him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as his anointing teaches you about all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, abide in him. 28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does right is born of him. 3 1 See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God! And so we are! The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. 4 Everyone who commits sin also commits lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. 5 And you know that he appeared to take away our sins, and in him there is no sin. 6 No one who abides in him sins. No one who sins has either seen him or known him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you. He who does right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 He who commits sin is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one who is of God practices sin, for God's seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. 10 By this it may be seen who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not do right is not of God, nor he who does not love his brother. 11 For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12 and not be like Cain who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous. 13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. 15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. 16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or tongue but in deed and in truth. 19 By this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him 20 whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 22 and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his commandment: that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he has commanded us. 24 Now those who keep his commandments abide in him, and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. 4 1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every Spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit which does not confess Jesus is not of God. This is the spirit of the Antichrist, of which you have heard that it was coming, and now it is in the world already. 4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world and therefore speak as of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are of God. Whoever knows God listens to us; he who is not of God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 17 In this love is perfected among us, that we may have confidence for the Day of Judgment, because as he is so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. And he who fears is not made perfect in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. 5 1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the worldóour faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 This is he who came by water and bloodóJesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. 7 And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth. 8 There are three witnesses, the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree. 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God which he has borne witness of his Son. 10 He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. He who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given of his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence which we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. 16 If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he will ask, and God will give him life for those whose sin is not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. 18 We know that anyone born of God does not sin; but he who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. 19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the power of the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
First John, page 1
The Second Letter of John
1 1 The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth, 2 because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever: 3 grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love. 4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we have been commanded by the Father. 5 And now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in love. 7 For many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may receive a full reward. 9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ does not have God; he who abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting; 11 for he who greets him shares in his wicked work. 12 Though I have much to write to you, I do not want to use paper and ink, but I hope to come to see you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete. 13 The children of your chosen sister greet you.
Second John, page 1
The Third Letter of John
1 1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. 2 Beloved, I pray that you may be in good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 For I greatly rejoiced when some of the brethren arrived and testified to the truth of your life, and how you are walking in truth. 4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 5 Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers; 6 and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. 7 For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. 8 Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers in the truth. 9 I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. 10 So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping against us with evil words. And not satisfied with that, he refuses himself to welcome the brethren, and also stops those who want to welcome them and puts them out of the church. 11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself; and we add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true. 13 I had much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink; 14 I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.
Third John, page 1
The Letter of Jude
1 1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: 2 may mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. 3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain persons have crept in secretly, those who were long ago marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. 5 Now I desire to remind you, though you were once for all fully informed, that the Lord who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, he has kept in eternal chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day, 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise acted immorally and indulged in strange flesh, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. 8 Yet in the same way these men in their dreamings defile the flesh, reject authority, and revile the glorious ones. 9 But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a reviling judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" 10 But these men revile whatever they do not understand; and the things that they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals do, by these things they are destroyed. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for the sake of gain they have rushed headlong into the Balaam's error, and perished in Korah's rebellion. 12 These are the men who are blemishes in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the blackest darkness has been reserved forever. 14 It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him." 16 These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for their own advantage. 17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18 they said to you, "In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly lusts." 19 These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; 21 keep yourselves in the love of God; wait anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on some, who doubt; 23 save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. 24 Now to him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you without blemish before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
Jude, page 1
The Revelation to John
1 1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants what must soon take place. And he made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. 3 Blessed is he who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it; for the time is near. 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, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us a kingdom and priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 7 Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all tribes of the earth will mourn because of him. Even so. Amen. 8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." 9 I, John, your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 saying, "Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea." 12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a Son of Man, clothed with a robe down to the feet and girded round his chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like a flame of fire; 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined as in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters; 16 he held in his right hand seven stars, out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last, 18 and the Living One; I was dead, and behold, I am alive for evermore! And I have the keys of death and Hades. 19 Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place after this. 20 The 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 are the seven churches. 2 1 "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: 'These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands: 2 I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance. I know that you cannot bear evil men, but you have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and have found them to be false; 3 I know you have persevered and have endured for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember then from where you have fallen, repent and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 But 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 the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.' 8 "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: 'These are the words of the First and the Last, who died, and came to life: 9 I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and I know the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful even 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 will not be hurt at all by the second death.' 12 "And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: 'These are the words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13 I know 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 of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat food sacrificed to idols and to practice sexual immorality. 15 So you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore, or else I will soon come to you 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. And I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone which no one knows except him who receives it.' 18 "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: 'These are the words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze: 19 I know your works, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that your works are now more than at the first. 20 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and beguiling my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her immorality. 22 So I will cast her on a sickbed, and I will throw those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her ways. 23 And I will strike her children dead. And all the churches shall know that I am he who searches minds and hearts, and I will give to each of you according to your works. 24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I will not lay upon you any other burden; 25 only hold fast what you have until I come. 26 He who overcomes, and keeps my works until the end, to him I will give power over the nationsó 27 "He shall rule them with a rod of iron; as when potter's vessels are broken in pieces" 28ójust as I also have received from my Father; and I will give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' 3 1 "And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: 'These are the words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: I know your works; you have a name of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works perfect in the sight of my God. 3 Remember therefore what you have received and heard; keep it, and repent. But if you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come upon you. 4 Yet you have a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 5 He 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.' 7 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: 'These are the words of him who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, 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. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word, and have not denied my name. 9 Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lieólook, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and know that I have loved you. 10 Because 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. 11 I am coming soon; hold fast to what you have, so that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall never go out of it. And 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.' 14 "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 'These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation: 15 I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot! 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, "I am rich; I have become wealthy, and have need of nothing"óand do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked, 18 Therefore I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments to clothe you, and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen; and salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I rebuke and chasten. So be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 To 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.'" 4 1 After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the voice, which I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." 2 At once I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, with one sitting on the throne. 3 And he who sat there was like jasper and carnelian in appearance, and round the throne was a rainbow that looked like an emerald. 4 Round the throne were twenty- four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne come flashes of lightning, and voices and peals of thunder. And before the throne were seven lamps of fire, which are the seven spirits of God; 6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the center, around the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second creature like an ox, the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to sing, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come." 9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne, who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty- four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever; they cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 "You are worthy, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created." 5 1 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. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?" 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. 4 And I wept greatly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, "Weep not; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals." 6 And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders, I saw a Lamb standing, as if it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 And he came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals; for you were slain, and with your blood purchased men for God from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign on the earth." 11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" 13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!" 14 And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" And the elders fell down and worshipped. 6 1 Then I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals. And I heard one of the four living creatures say, as with a voice of thunder, "Come!" 2 I looked, and behold, a white horse, and its rider had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer. 3 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" 4 And out came a horse, bright red; its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that men should slay one another; and to him was given a great sword. 5 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come." And I looked, and behold, a black horse; and its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard what sounded like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine!" 7 When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" 8 I looked, and behold, a pale horse; and its rider's name was Death, and Hades was following him. And they were given power over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth. 9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained; 10 they cried out with a loud voice, "O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" 11 Then each of them were given a white robe, and they were told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren should be completed, who were to be killed as they had been. 12 I looked when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. 14 The sky vanished like a scroll that is rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the generals and the rich and the strong, and every one, slave and free, hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" 7 1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind would blow on the earth or the sea or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel ascend from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God, and he called out with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the earth and sea, 3 saying, "Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads." 4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty- four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: 5 From the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, 6 from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand, 7 from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand, 8 from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed. 9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; 10 and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, 12 saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God for ever and ever! Amen." 13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, clothed in white robes, and where have they come from?" 14 I said to him, "Sir, you know." And he said to me, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore, they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. 16 They will hunger no more, nor thirst anymore; the sun will not beat down on them, nor any scorching heat. 17 For the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." 8 1 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. 3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. And he was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel's hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth; and there were peals of thunder, voices, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. 6 The seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them. 7 The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up. 8 The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood, 9 and a third of the living creatures in the sea died; and a third of the ships were destroyed. 10 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became Wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter. 12 The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, 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 darkened. And a third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night. 13 Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, "Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the blasts of the other trumpets of the three angels who are about to sound!" 9 1 And the fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star which had fallen from heaven to earth; and he was given the key of the shaft of the bottomless pit. 2 He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up from the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. 4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green growth or any tree, but only those of mankind who have not the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 They were allowed to torture them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torture was like the torture of a scorpion, when it stings a man. 6 And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death will fly from them. 7 In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; and their faces were like human faces, 8 their hair was like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth. 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. 10 They have tails like scorpions, and stings, and their power to hurt men for five months lies in their tails. 11 They have as king over them the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he has the name Apollyon. 12 The first woe is past; behold, two woes are still to come. 13 Then the sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." 15 And the four angels, who had been held ready for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 The number of the troops of cavalry was two hundred million; I heard their number. 17 And this was how I saw the horses in my vision: the riders wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur, and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire and smoke and sulfur. 18 A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths. 19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm. 20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshipping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; 21 nor did they repent of their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immorality or their thefts. 10 1 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head; and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. 2 He had a little scroll which was open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, 3 and he cried out with a loud voice, like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. 4 And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down." 5 Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven, 6 and swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created heaven and the things in it, the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, that there will be no more delay, 7 but in the days of the trumpet of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God will be finished, as he announced to his servants the prophets. 8 Then the voice which I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, "Go, take the scroll which is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land." 9 So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, "Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey." 10 I took the little scroll from the angel's hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; but when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. 11 And I was told, "You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and tongues and kings." 11 1 Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, "Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there. 2 But leave out the court outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given over to the nations; and they will trample over the holy city for forty-two months. 3 And I will grant power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth." 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out from their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. 6 These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire. 7 When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. 9 For three days and a half men from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb. 10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. 11 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on. 13 And at that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. 14 The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is coming soon. 15 Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." 16 And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshipped God, 17 saying, "We give thanks to you, O Lord God, the Almighty, who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. 18 And the nations raged, and your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, for rewarding your servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying those who destroy the earth." 19 Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant; and there were flashes of lightning, voices, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a great hailstorm. 12 1 A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; 2 and she was with child, and she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. 4 And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven, and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child when it was born. 5 And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which to be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days. 7 And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back, 8 but they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole worldóhe was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night. 11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives even to the death. 12 Rejoice then, O heavens and you that dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!" 13 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle, so that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is to be nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. 15 And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with the flood. 16 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon had poured out of his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. 13 1 And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on his horns, and on his heads were blasphemous names. 2 The beast that I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. 3 One of its heads seemed to have a fatal wound, but its fatal wound was healed, and the whole earth followed the beast with wonder. 4 Men worshipped the dragon, because he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshipped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who can make war against him?" 5 And the beast was given a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7 Also it was given power to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and tongue and nation, 8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, every one whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the endurance and faith of the saints. 11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke like a dragon. 12 He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which he was given power to do in the presence of the beast. He ordered them to make an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast so that the image of the beast should even speak, and to cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to be given a mark on their right hand or the forehead, 17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. 18 This calls for wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man; its number is six hundred and sixty- six. 14 1 Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. 2 I heard a voice from heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn the song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless. 6 Then I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; 7 and he said with a loud voice, "Fear God, and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come; worship him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of water." 8 And another angel, a second, followed, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all the nations drink the wine of her impure passion." 9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If any one worships the beast and its image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink of the wine of God's wrath, which is poured in full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up for ever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name." 12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. 13 And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, "Write, 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!'" "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them." 14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, "Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe." 16 So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped. 17 And another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 Then another angel came out from the altar, the one who has power over fire, and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, "Put in your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, because its grapes are ripe." 19 So the angel swung his sickle on the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God. 20 And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the wine press, as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of one thousand six hundred stadia. 15 1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, because with them the wrath of God is finished. 2 And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire and, standing beside the sea of glass, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name. They held harps of God 3 and they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, "Great and marvelous are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the ages! 4 Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All the nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed." 5 After this I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened, 6 and the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple, clothed in linen, clean and bright, and girded around their chests with golden sashes. 7 Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed. 16 1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, "Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God." 2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and foul and loathsome sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshipped his image. 3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died. 4 The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, "Righteous are you, who are and who were, O Holy One, because you judged these things; 6 for they shed the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. They deserve it." 7 And I heard the altar saying, "Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and just are your judgments." 8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire. 9 Men were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues, and they did not repent and give him glory. 10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness; men gnawed their tongues in agony 11 and they cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and they did not repent of their deeds. 12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the East. 13 And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; 14 for they are spirits of demons, performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty. 15 ("Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.") 16 And they gathered them together at the place which in Hebrew is called Armageddon. 17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, "It is done!" 18 And there were flashes of lightning and voices and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be on the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty. 19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 Huge hailstones, about a hundred pounds each, fell from heaven upon men. And men cursed God for the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible. 17 1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication." 3 And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality, 5 And on her forehead was written a name of mystery,
6 And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered greatly. 7 And the angel said to me, "Why do you wonder? 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. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, because he was and is not and will come. 9 This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 And they are also seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while. 11 The beast who was, and is not, is an eighth. He belongs to the seven and he goes to destruction. 12 And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. 13 These have one purpose and they give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with him are the called and chosen and faithful." 15 And he said to me, "The waters you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. 16 And the ten horns you saw, they and the beast will hate the harlot; they will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and burn her up with fire, 17 for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and giving over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. 18 The woman that you saw is the great city which has dominion over the kings of the earth." 18 1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority; and the earth was made bright with his splendor. 2 And he called out with a mighty voice, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons, a haunt of every unclean spirit, a haunt of every unclean and hateful bird. 3 For all nations have drunk the wine of her impure passion, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich with the wealth of her wantonness." 4 Then I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins and receive of her plagues; 5 for her sins are piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. 6 Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix a double portion for her. 7 As she glorified herself and played the wanton, so give her a like measure of torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, 'A queen I sit, and I am not a widow, mourning I will never see.' 8 Therefore in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned with fire; for mighty is the Lord God who judges her. 9 And the kings of the earth, who committed fornication and were wanton with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning; 10 they will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say, 'Woe, woe, the great city, the mighty city, Babylon! In one hour has your judgment come.' 11 And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any moreó12 cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; 13 cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and chariots; and slaves and human souls. 14 The fruit you longed for has gone from you, and all your riches and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered. 15 The merchants of these things, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, 16 saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! 17 In one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!' And every shipmaster and all passengers and sailors, and all who make their living by the sea, stood far off, 18 and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, 'What city is like the great city?' 19 And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, where all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste!' 20 Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her!" 21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer. 22 And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer; and no craftsman of any craft will be found in you any longer; and the sound of a millstone will not be heard in you any longer; 23 and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on the earth." 19 1 After this I heard what sounded like the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, 2 for his judgments are true and just; he has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he has avenged on her the blood of his servants." 3 And again they shouted, "Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever." 4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshipped God who is seated on the throne, saying, "Amen. Hallelujah!" 5 And a voice came from the throne, saying, "Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both small and great." 6 Then I heard what sounded like the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him the glory! For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean"; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 Then the angel said to me, "Write, 'Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.'" And he said to me, "These are true words of God." 10 Then I fell at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, "You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." 11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name written on him which no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses, and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he treads the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 And he has on his robe and on his thigh a name written,
17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he cried to all the birds that fly in midheaven, "Come, gather for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great." 19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who sits on the horse and against his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with sulfur. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword that came from the mouth of him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh. 20 1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key of the abyss and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any more, until the thousand years were ended. After these things he must be released for a short time. 4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom judgment was given. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony to Jesus and because of the word of God, and who had not worshipped the beast or his image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life, and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years. 7 When the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will come out to deceive the nations which are at the four corners of the earth, that is, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the seashore. 9 And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat upon it; from his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 The sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them, and all were judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. 21 1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. And he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; 4 he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away." 5 And he who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." And he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." 6 Then he said to me, "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life without cost. 7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the unbelieving, the immoral, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their lot will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." 9 Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues, and spoke to me, saying, "Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb." 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 The one who talked with me had a gold measuring rod to measure the city, and its gates and its walls. 16 The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod, twelve thousand stadia; its length and width and height are equal. 17 He also measured its wall, a hundred and forty-four cubits by a man's measure, which is also an angel's. 18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as clear as glass. 19 The foundations of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. 22 And I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25 In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be shut; 26 they will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 Nothing unclean shall enter it, nor any one who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. 22 1 Then he showed me the river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And there will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light; and they will reign for ever and ever. 6 And he said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants the things which must soon take place." 7 "And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book." 8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me. 9 But he said to me, "Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brethren the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God." 10 And he said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 He who does wrong, let him do wrong still; and he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he who does right, let him do right still; and he who is holy, let him be holy still." 12 "Behold, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me, to render to every man according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." 14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star." 17 The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let him who hears say, "Come." And let him who is thirsty come; let him who wishes take the water of life without price. 18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are described in this book. 20 He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.