Bible in 90 Days

Greetings

¹ From: Jude, a servant of Jesus the Messiah,^[a] and yet a brother of James.

To: Those who have been called, who are loved^[b] by God the Father and kept safe by Jesus, the Messiah.^[c]

² May mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance!

Warning about False Teachers

³ Dear friends, although I was eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I found it necessary to write to you and urge you to continue your vigorous defense of the faith that was passed down to the saints once and for all. ⁴ For some people have slipped in among you unnoticed. They were written about long ago as being deserving of this condemnation because they are ungodly. They turn the grace of our God into uncontrollable lust and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus the Messiah.^[d]

⁵ Now I want to remind you, even though you are fully aware of these things, that the Lord who once saved his people from the land of Egypt later destroyed those who did not believe. ⁶ He has also held in eternal chains those angels who did not keep their own position but abandoned their assigned place. They are held in deepest darkness for judgment on the great day.^{[e] 7} Likewise, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities near them, which like them committed sexual sins and pursued homosexual activities,^[f] serve as an example of the punishment of eternal fire.

⁸ In a similar way, these dreamers also defile their flesh, reject the Lord’s authority,^[g] and slander his glorious beings. ⁹ Even the archangel Michael, when he argued with the Devil and fought over the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him. Instead, he said, “May the Lord rebuke you!”^{[h] 10} Whatever these people do not understand, they slander. Like irrational animals, they are destroyed by the very things they know by instinct. ¹¹ How terrible it will be for them! For they lived like Cain did^[i], rushed headlong into Balaam’s error to make a profit, and destroyed themselves, as happened^[j] in Korah’s rebellion. ¹² These people are stains on your love feasts.^[k] They feast with you without any sense of awe.^[l] They are shepherds who care only for themselves. They are waterless clouds blown about by the winds. They are autumn trees that are fruitless, totally^[m] dead, and uprooted. ¹³ They are wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their own shame. They are wandering stars for whom the deepest darkness has been reserved forever.

¹⁴ Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied about these people when he said,

¹⁶ These people are complainers and faultfinders, following their own desires. They say arrogant things and flatter people in order to take advantage of them.

Advice to the Readers

¹⁷ But you, dear friends, must remember the statements and predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah.^{[o] 18} They kept telling you, “In the last times there will be mockers, following their own ungodly desires.”^{[p] 19} These are the people who cause divisions. They are worldly, devoid of the Spirit.

²⁰ But you, dear friends, must continue to build your most holy faith for your own benefit. Furthermore, continue to pray in the Holy Spirit. ²¹ Remain in God’s love as you look for the mercy of our Lord Jesus the Messiah,^[q] which brings eternal life. ²² Show mercy to those who have doubts. ²³ Save others by snatching them from the fire. To others, show mercy with fear, hating even the clothes stained by their sinful lives.^[r]

Final Prayer

²⁴ Now to the one who is able to keep you from falling and to make you stand joyful and faultless in his glorious presence, ²⁵ to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus the Messiah,^[s] our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time and for all eternity! Amen.

The Revelation of Jesus the Messiah to the Seven Churches

1 This is^[t] the revelation of Jesus the Messiah,^[u] which God gave him to show his servants the things that must happen soon. He made it known by sending his messenger^[v] to his servant John, ² who testified about this message from God and the testimony about Jesus the Messiah.^{[w] 3} How blessed is the one who reads aloud and those who hear the words of this prophecy and obey what is written in it, for the time is near!

⁴ From^[x] John to the seven churches in Asia. May grace and peace be yours from the one who is, who was, and who is coming, from the seven spirits who are in front of his throne, ⁵ and from Jesus the Messiah,^[y] the witness, the faithful one,^[z] the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To the one who loves us and has freed^[aa] us from our sins by his blood ⁶ and has made us a kingdom, priests for his God and Father, be glory and power forever and ever! Amen.

So be it! Amen.

⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” declares the Lord God, “the one who is, who was, and who is coming, the Almighty.”

John’s Vision of the Messiah

⁹ I am John, your brother and partner in the oppression, kingdom, and patience that comes because of Jesus. I was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony about Jesus. ¹⁰ I came to be in the Spirit on the Day of the Lord, when I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet, ¹¹ saying, “Write on a scroll what you see, and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”

¹² Then I turned to see who^[ab] was talking to me, and when I turned I saw seven gold lamp stands. ¹³ Among the lamp stands there was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash around his chest.^{[ac] 14} His head and his hair were white like wool, in fact, as white as snow. His eyes were like flames of fire, ¹⁵ his feet were like glowing bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of raging waters. ¹⁶ In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword. His face was like the sun when it shines with full force.

¹⁷ When I saw him, I fell down at his feet like a dead man. But he placed his right hand on me and said, “Stop being afraid! I am the first and the last, ¹⁸ the living one. I was dead—but look!—I am alive forever and ever! I have the keys of Death and Hades.^{[ad] 19} Therefore, write down what you have seen, what is, and what is going to happen after this. ²⁰ The secret meaning of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lamp stands is this: the seven stars are the messengers^[ae] of the seven churches, and the seven lamp stands are the seven churches.”

The Letter to the Church in Ephesus

2 “To the messenger^[af] of the church in Ephesus, write:

‘The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lamp stands, says this:

² ‘I know what you’ve been doing, your toil, and your endurance. I also know that you cannot tolerate evil people. You have tested those who call themselves apostles, but are not, and have found them to be false. ³ You have endured and suffered because of my name, yet you have not grown weary. ⁴ However, I have this against you: You have abandoned the love you had at first. ⁵ Therefore, remember how far you have fallen. Repent and go back to what you were doing at first. If you don’t, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place—unless you repent. ⁶ But this is to your credit: You hate the actions of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

⁷ ‘Let everyone^[ag] listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. I will give the privilege of eating from the tree of life that is in God’s paradise to everyone who overcomes.’”^[ah]

The Letter to the Church in Smyrna

⁸ “To the messenger^[ai] of the church in Smyrna, write:

‘The first and the last, who was dead and became alive, says this:

⁹ ‘I know your suffering and your poverty—though you are rich—and the slander committed by those who claim to be Jews but are not. They are the synagogue of Satan. ¹⁰ Don’t be afraid of what you are going to suffer. Look! The Devil is going to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested. For ten days you will undergo suffering. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the victor’s crown of life.

¹¹ ‘Let everyone^[aj] listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who overcomes^[ak] will never be hurt by the second death.’”

The Letter to the Church in Pergamum

¹² “To the messenger^[al] of the church in Pergamum, write:

‘The one who holds the sharp, two-edged sword, says this:

¹³ ‘I know where you live. Satan’s throne is there. Yet you hold on to my name and have not denied your faith in me,^[am] even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was killed in your presence, where Satan lives. ¹⁴ But I have a few things against you: You have there some who hold to the teaching of Balaam, the one who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the people of Israel so that they would eat food sacrificed to idols and practice immorality. ¹⁵ You also have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. ¹⁶ So repent. If you don’t, I will come to you quickly and wage war against them with the sword of my mouth.

¹⁷ ‘Let everyone^[an] listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. I will give some of the hidden manna to everyone who overcomes.’”^[ao] I will also give him a white stone. On the white stone is written a new name that no one knows except the person who receives it.’”

The Letter to the Church in Thyatira

¹⁸ “To the messenger^[ap] of the church in Thyatira, write:

‘The Son of God, whose eyes are like flaming fire and whose feet are like glowing bronze, says this:

¹⁹ ‘I know what you’ve been doing—your love, faithfulness,^[aq] service, and endurance—and that your last actions are greater than the first. ²⁰ But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet and who teaches and leads my servants to practice immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. ²¹ I gave her time to repent, but she refused to repent of her immorality. ²² Look! I am going to strike her with illness.^[ar] Those who commit adultery with her will also suffer greatly, unless they repent from acting like her. ²³ I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts. I will reward each of you as your actions deserve.

²⁴ ‘But as for the rest of you in Thyatira—you who do not hold to this teaching and who have not learned what some people call the deep things of Satan—I won’t burden you with anything else. ²⁵ Just hold on to what you have until I come. ²⁶ I will give authority over the nations to the person who overcomes^[as] and continues to do what I’ve commanded^[at] to the end, and

²⁸ ‘Just as I have received authority from my Father, I will also give him the morning star.

²⁹ ‘Let everyone^[av] listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

The Letter to the Church in Sardis

3 “To the messenger^[aw] of the church in Sardis, write:

‘The one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says this:

‘I know what you’ve been doing. You are known for being alive, but you are dead. ² Be alert, and strengthen the things that are left, which are about to die. I note that your actions are incomplete before my God. ³ So remember what you received and heard. Obey it, and repent. If you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you won’t know the time when I will come to you. ⁴ But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me in white clothes because they are worthy. ⁵ The person who overcomes^[ax] in this way will wear white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the Book of Life. I will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father and his angels.

⁶ ‘Let everyone^[ay] listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

The Letter to the Church in Philadelphia

⁷ “To the messenger^[az] of the church in Philadelphia, write:

‘says this:

⁸ ‘I know what you’ve been doing. Look! I have put in front of you an open door that no one can shut. You have only a little strength, but you have obeyed my word and have not denied my name. ⁹ I will make those who belong to the synagogue of Satan—those who claim to be Jews and aren’t, but are lying—come and bow down at your feet. Then they will realize that I have loved you. ¹⁰ Because you have obeyed my command to endure,^[bc] I will keep you from the hour of testing that is coming to the whole world to test those living on the earth. ¹¹ I am coming soon! Hold on to what you have so that no one takes your victor’s crown. ¹² I will make the one who overcomes^[bd] to become a pillar in the sanctuary of my God, and he will never go out of it again. I will write on him the name of my God, the name of the city of my God (the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God), and my own new name.

¹³ ‘Let everyone^[be] listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

The Letter to the Church in Laodicea

¹⁴ “To the messenger^[bf] of the church in Laodicea, write:

‘The Amen, the witness who is faithful and true, the originator of God’s creation, says this:

¹⁵ ‘I know your actions, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. ¹⁶ Since you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am going to spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ You say, “I am rich. I have become wealthy. I don’t need anything.” Yet you don’t realize that you are miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. ¹⁸ Therefore, I advise you to buy from me gold purified in fire so you may be rich, white clothes to wear so your shameful nakedness won’t show, and ointment to put on your eyes so you may see. ¹⁹ I correct and discipline those whom I love, so be serious and repent! ²⁰ Look! I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone listens to my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he will eat^[bg] with me. ²¹ I will give a place to sit with me on my throne to the one who overcomes,^[bh] just as I have overcome^[bi] and have sat down with my Father on his throne.

²² ‘Let everyone^[bj] listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

The Vision of God’s Throne

4 After these things, I saw a door standing open in heaven. The first voice that I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” ² Instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven with a person seated on the throne. ³ The person sitting there looked like jasper and carnelian, and there was a rainbow around the throne that looked like an emerald. ⁴ Around the throne were 24 other thrones, and on these thrones sat 24 elders wearing white robes and gold victor’s crowns on their heads. ⁵ Flashes of lightning, noises, and peals of thunder came from the throne. Burning in front of the throne were seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God.

⁶ In front of the throne was something like a sea of glass as clear as crystal. In the center of the throne and on each side of the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. ⁷ The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature was like an ox, the third living creature had a face like a human, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. ⁸ Each of the four living creatures had six wings and were full of eyes inside and out. Without stopping day or night they were saying,

⁹ Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, ¹⁰ the 24 elders bow down and worship in front of the one who sits on the throne, the one who lives forever and ever. They throw their victor’s crowns in front of the throne and say,

The Vision of the Scroll with Seven Seals

5 Then I saw in the right hand of the one who sits on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the outside, sealed with seven seals. ² I also saw a powerful angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” ³ No one in heaven, on earth, or under the earth could open the scroll or look inside it. ⁴ I began to cry bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or look inside it.

⁵ “Stop crying,” one of the elders told me. “Look! The Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered. He can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

The Vision of the Lamb Taking the Scroll

⁶ Then I saw a lamb standing in the middle of the throne, the four living creatures, and the elders. He looked^[bk] like he had been slaughtered. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent into all the earth. ⁷ He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who sits on the throne.

⁸ When the lamb had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders bowed down in front of him. Each held a harp and a gold bowl full of incense, the prayers of the saints. ⁹ They sang a new song:

The Vision of the Song of the Lamb

¹¹ Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels, the living creatures, and the elders surrounding the throne. They numbered 10,000’s times 10,000 and thousands times thousands. ¹² They sang with a loud voice,

¹³ I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and on the sea, and everything that is in them, saying,

¹⁴ Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!”, and the elders bowed down and worshipped.

The Vision of the First Seal Opened

6 Then I saw the lamb open the first of the seven seals. I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Go!” ² Then I looked, and there was a white horse! Its rider had a bow, and a victor’s crown had been given to him. He went out as a conqueror to conquer.

The Vision of the Second Seal Opened

³ When the lamb^[bn] opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Go!” ⁴ A second horse went out. It was fiery red, and its rider was given permission to take peace away from the earth and to make people slaughter one another. So he was given a large sword.

The Vision of the Third Seal Opened

⁵ When the lamb^[bo] opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Go!” I looked, and there was a black horse! Its rider held a scale in his hand. ⁶ I heard what sounded like a voice from among the four living creatures, saying, “One day’s ration of wheat for a day’s wage, or three day’s ration of barley for a day’s wage!^[bp] But don’t damage the olive oil or the wine!”

The Vision of the Fourth Seal Opened

⁷ When the lamb^[bq] opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Go!” ⁸ I looked, and there was a pale green horse! Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades^[br] followed him. They were given authority over one-fourth of the earth to kill people using wars, famines, plagues, and the wild animals of the earth.

The Vision of the Fifth Seal Opened

⁹ When the lamb^[bs] opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the word of God and the testimony they had given. ¹⁰ They cried out in a loud voice,

¹¹ Each of them was given a white robe. They were told to rest a little longer until the number of^[bt] their fellow servants and their brothers was completed, who would be killed as they themselves had been.

The Vision of the Sixth Seal Opened

¹² Then I saw the lamb^[bu] open the sixth seal. There was a powerful earthquake. The sun turned as black as sackcloth made of hair, and the full moon turned as red as blood.^{[bv] 13} The stars in the sky fell to the earth like a fig tree drops its fruit when it is shaken by a strong wind. ¹⁴ The sky vanished like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place. ¹⁵ Then the kings of the earth, the important people, the generals, the rich, the powerful, and all the slaves and free people concealed themselves in caves and among the rocks in the mountains. ¹⁶ They told the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb. ¹⁷ For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to endure it?”

The Vision of the Sealing of 144,000 People

7 After this, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth. They were holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind could blow on the land, on the sea, or on any tree. ² I saw another angel coming from the east having the seal of the living God. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been permitted to harm the land and sea, ³ “Don’t harm the land, the sea, or the trees until we have marked the servants of our God with a seal on their foreheads.”

⁴ I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000. Those who were sealed were from every tribe of Israel: ⁵ 12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad, ⁶ 12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh, ⁷ 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar, ⁸ 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, and 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed.

The Vision of Tribulation Saints

⁹ After these things, I looked, and there was a crowd so large that no one was able to count it! They were from every nation, tribe, people, and language. They were standing in front of the throne and the lamb and were wearing white robes, with palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ They cried out in a loud voice,

¹¹ All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell on their faces in front of the throne and worshipped God, ¹² saying,

¹³ “Who are these people wearing white robes,” one of the elders asked me, “and where did they come from?”

¹⁴ I told him, “Sir, you know.”

Then he told me, “These are the people who are coming out of the terrible suffering.^[bw] They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb. ¹⁵ That is why:

The Vision of the Seventh Seal Opened

8 When the lamb^[bz] opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

The Vision of Seven Angels Given Seven Trumpets

² Then I saw the seven angels who stand in God’s presence, and seven trumpets were given to them. ³ Another angel came with a gold censer and stood at the altar. He was given a large quantity of incense to offer on the gold altar before the throne, along with the prayers of all the saints. ⁴ The smoke from the incense and the prayers of the saints went up from the angel’s hand to God. ⁵ The angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it on the earth. Then there were peals of thunder, noises, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. ⁶ The seven angels who had the seven trumpets got ready to blow them.

The Vision of the First Four Trumpets

⁷ When the first angel blew his trumpet, hail and fire were mixed with blood and thrown on the earth. One-third of the earth was burned up, one-third of the trees was burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

⁸ When the second angel blew his trumpet, something like a huge mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea. One-third of the sea turned into blood, ⁹ one-third of the creatures that were living in the sea died, and one-third of the ships was destroyed.

¹⁰ When the third angel blew his trumpet, a huge star blazing like a torch fell from heaven. It fell on one-third of the rivers and on the springs of water. ¹¹ The name of the star is Wormwood. One-third of the water turned into wormwood, and many people died from the water because it had turned bitter.

¹² When the fourth angel blew his trumpet, one-third of the sun, one-third of the moon, and one-third of the stars were struck so that one-third of them turned dark. One-third of the day was kept from having light, as was the night.

The Vision of the Eagle Flying

¹³ Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying overhead say in a loud voice,

The Vision of the Fifth Trumpet

9 When the fifth angel blew his trumpet, I saw a star that had fallen to earth^[ca] from the sky.^[cb] The star^[cc] was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit.^{[cd] 2} It opened the shaft of the bottomless pit,^[ce] and smoke came out of the shaft like the smoke from a large furnace. The sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. ³ Locusts came out of the smoke onto the earth, and they were given power like that of earthly scorpions. ⁴ They were told not to harm the grass on the earth, any green plant, or any tree. They could harm^[cf] only the people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. ⁵ They were not allowed to kill them, but were only allowed^[cg] to torture them for five months. Their torture was like the pain of a scorpion when it stings someone. ⁶ In those days people will seek death, but never find it. They will long to die, but death will escape them.

⁷ The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were victor’s crowns that looked like gold, and their faces were like human faces. ⁸ They had hair like women’s hair and teeth like lions’ teeth. ⁹ They had breastplates like iron, and the noise of their wings was like the roar of chariots with many horses rushing into battle. ¹⁰ They had tails and stingers like scorpions, and they had the power to hurt people with their tails for five months. ¹¹ They had the angel of the bottomless pit^[ch] ruling over them as king. In Hebrew he is called Abaddon,^[ci] and in Greek he is called Apollyon.^[cj]

¹² The first catastrophe is over. After these things, there are still two more catastrophes to come.

The Vision of the Sixth Trumpet

¹³ When the sixth angel blew his trumpet, I heard a voice from the four^[ck] horns of the gold altar in front of God. ¹⁴ It told the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are held at the great Euphrates River.” ¹⁵ So the four angels who were ready for that hour, day, month, and year were released to kill one-third of humanity. ¹⁶ The number of cavalry troops was 200,000,000. I heard how many there were.^[cl]

¹⁷ This was how I saw the horses in my vision: The riders wore breastplates that had the color of fire, sapphire, and sulfur. The heads of the horses were like lions’ heads, and fire, smoke, and sulfur came out of their mouths. ¹⁸ By these three plagues—the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur that came out of their mouths—one-third of humanity was killed. ¹⁹ For the power of these horses is in their mouths and their tails. Their tails have heads like snakes, which they use to inflict pain.

²⁰ The rest of the people who survived these plagues did not repent from their evil actions^[cm] or stop worshiping demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see, hear, or walk. ²¹ They did not repent from their murders, their witchcraft, their sexual immorality, or their thefts.

The Vision of the Powerful Angel

10 Then I saw another powerful angel come down from heaven. He was dressed in a cloud, and there was a rainbow over his head. His face was like the sun, and his legs were like columns of fire. ² He held a small, opened scroll in his hand. Setting his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, ³ he shouted in a loud voice as a lion roars. When he shouted, the seven thunders spoke with voices of their own. ⁴ When the seven thunders spoke, I was going to write, but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and don’t write it down.”

⁵ Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. ⁶ He swore an oath by the one who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and everything in it, the earth and everything in it, and the sea and everything in it: “There will be no more delay. ⁷ When the time approaches^[cn] for the seventh angel to blow his trumpet, God’s secret plan^[co] will be fulfilled, as he had announced to his servants, the prophets.”

⁸ Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go and take the opened scroll from the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”

⁹ So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the small scroll. “Take it and eat it,” he told me. “It will turn bitter in your stomach, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.”

¹⁰ So I took the small scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, it turned bitter in my stomach. ¹¹ Then the seven thunders^[cp] told me, “You must prophesy again about many people, nations, languages, and kings.”

The Vision of the Two Witnesses

11 Then I was given a stick like a measuring rod. I was told, “Stand up and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count^[cq] those who worship there. ² But don’t measure the courtyard outside the Temple. Leave that out, because it is given to the nations, and they will trample the Holy City^[cr] for 42 months. ³ I will give my two witnesses who wear sackcloth the authority to prophesy for 1,260 days.”

⁴ These witnesses^[cs] are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands standing in the presence of the Lord of the earth. ⁵ And if anyone should want to hurt them, fire comes out of their mouths and burns up their enemies. If anyone wants to hurt them, he must be killed in this manner. ⁶ These witnesses^[ct] have authority to close the heavens in order to keep rain from falling while they are^[cu] prophesying. They also have authority to turn bodies of water into blood and to strike the earth with any plague, as often as they desire.

⁷ When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the bottomless pit^[cv] will wage war against them, conquer them, and kill them. ⁸ Their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. ⁹ For three and a half days some members of the people, tribes, languages, and nations will look at their dead bodies and will not allow them to be placed in a tomb. ¹⁰ Those living on earth will gloat over them, celebrate, and send gifts to each other, because these two prophets had tormented those living on earth.

The Resurrection of the Witnesses

¹¹ But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet. Those who watched them were terrified. ¹² Then the witnesses^[cw] heard a loud voice from heaven calling to them, “Come up here!” So they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them. ¹³ At that moment a powerful earthquake struck. One-tenth of the city collapsed, 7,000 people were killed by the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

¹⁴ The second catastrophe is over. The third catastrophe is coming very soon.

The Vision of the Seventh Angel Blowing His Trumpet

¹⁵ When the seventh angel blew his trumpet, there were loud voices in heaven, saying,

¹⁶ Then the twenty-four elders who were sitting on their thrones in God’s presence fell on their faces and worshipped God. ¹⁷ They said,

¹⁹ Then the Temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen inside his Temple. There were flashes of lightning, noises, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.

The Vision of a Woman Dressed with the Sun

12 A spectacular sign appeared in the sky: a woman dressed with the sun, who had the moon under her feet and a victor’s crown of twelve stars on her head. ² She was pregnant and was crying out from her labor pains, the agony of giving birth.

The Vision of the Red Dragon

³ Then another sign appeared in the sky: a huge red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven royal crowns on its heads. ⁴ Its tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky and knocked them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth so that it could devour her child when it was born. ⁵ She gave birth to a son, a boy, who is to rule^[cz] all the nations with an iron scepter. But her child was snatched away and taken to God and to his throne. ⁶ Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where a place had been prepared for her by God so that she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.

The Vision of War in Heaven

⁷ Then a war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels fought back. ⁸ But it was not strong enough, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. ⁹ The huge dragon was hurled down. That ancient serpent, called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world, was hurled down to the earth, along with its angels.

The Vision of the Cry of Victory

¹⁰ Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say,

The Vision of Persecution of the Woman and Her Children

¹³ When the dragon saw that it had been thrown down to the earth, it pursued^[dc] the woman who had given birth to the boy. ¹⁴ However, the woman was given the two wings of a large eagle so that she could fly away from the serpent to her place in the wilderness, where she could be taken care of for a time, times, and half a time. ¹⁵ From its mouth the serpent spewed water like a river behind the woman in order to sweep her away with the flood. ¹⁶ But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed from its mouth. ¹⁷ The dragon became angry with the woman and went away to do battle against the rest of her children, the ones who keep God’s commandments and hold on to the testimony about Jesus. ¹⁸ Then the dragon^[dd] stood on the sand of the seashore.^[de]

The Vision of the Beast from the Sea

13 I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns, seven heads, and ten royal crowns on its horns. On its heads were blasphemous names. ² The beast that I saw was like a leopard. Its feet were like bear’s feet, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The dragon gave it his power, his throne, and complete authority.

³ One of the beast’s^[df] heads looked like it had sustained a mortal wound, but its fatal wound was healed. Rapt with amazement, the whole world followed the beast. ⁴ They worshipped the dragon because it had given authority to the beast. They also worshipped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight a war with it?” ⁵ The beast was allowed^[dg] to speak arrogant and blasphemous things, and it was given authority for 42 months. ⁶ It uttered^[dh] blasphemies against God, against his name, and against his residence,^[di] that is, against those who are living in heaven. ⁷ It was allowed to wage war against the saints and to conquer them.^[dj] It was also given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation. ⁸ All those who had become settled down and at home, living on the earth, will worship it, everyone whose name had not been written in the Book of Life belonging to the lamb that had been slaughtered since the foundation of the world.

The Vision of the Beast from the Earth

Here is a call for endurance and faith of the saints:

¹¹ I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it talked like a dragon. ¹² It uses all the authority of the first beast on its behalf,^[dl] and it makes the earth and those living on it worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. ¹³ It performs spectacular signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people. ¹⁴ It deceives those living on earth with the signs that it is allowed to do on behalf of^[dm] the first^[dn] beast, telling them to make an image for the beast who was wounded by a sword and yet lived. ¹⁵ The second beast^[do] was allowed to impart life to the image of the first^[dp] beast so that the image of the beast could talk and order the execution of those who would not worship the image of the beast. ¹⁶ The second beast^[dq] forces all people—important and unimportant, rich and poor, free and slaves—to be marked on their right hands or on their foreheads, ¹⁷ so that no one may buy or sell unless he has the mark, which is the beast’s name or the number of its name.

¹⁸ In this case wisdom is needed: Let the person who has understanding^[dr] calculate^[ds] the total^[dt] of the beast, since it is a human multitude,^[du] and the sum of the multitude^[dv] is 600, 60, and six.^[dw]

The Vision of the New Song on Mount Zion

14 Then I looked, and there was the lamb, standing on Mount Zion! With him were 144,000 people who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.

² Then I heard a sound from heaven like that of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The sound I heard was like harpists playing on their harps. ³ They were singing a new song in front of the throne, the four living creatures, and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. ⁴ They have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins, and they follow the lamb wherever he goes. They have been redeemed from among humanity as the first fruits for God and the lamb. ⁵ In their mouth no lie was found. They are blameless.

The Vision of Angels Sounding a Warning

⁶ Then I saw another angel flying overhead with the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live^[dx] on earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. ⁷ He said in a loud voice,

⁸ Then another angel, a second one, followed him, saying,

⁹ Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying in a loud voice, “Whoever worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or his hand ¹⁰ will drink the wine of God’s wrath, which has been poured undiluted into the cup of his anger. He will be tortured with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the lamb. ¹¹ The smoke from their torture goes up forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”

A Call for Endurance

¹² Here is a call for^[dy] the endurance of the saints, who keep the commandments of God and hold fast to their faithfulness in Jesus:

¹³ I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this:

The Vision of Earth Harvested

¹⁴ Then I looked, and there was a white cloud! On the cloud sat someone who was like the Son of Man, with a gold victor’s crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. ¹⁵ Another angel came out of the Temple, crying out in a loud voice to the one who sat on the cloud,

¹⁶ The one who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was harvested.

¹⁷ Then another angel came out of the Temple in heaven. He, too, had a sharp sickle. ¹⁸ From the altar came another angel who had authority over fire. He called out in a loud voice to the angel^[dz] who had the sharp sickle,

¹⁹ So the angel swung his sickle in the earth, gathered the grapes from the earth, and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. ²⁰ The wine press was trampled outside the city, and blood flowed from the wine press as high as a horse’s bridle for about 1,600 stadia.^[ea]

The Vision of Seven Angels with Seven Plagues

15 I saw another sign in heaven. It was both spectacular and amazing. There were seven angels with the seven last plagues, with which God’s wrath is completed.

The Vision of the Sea of Glass

² Then I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire. Those who had conquered the beast, its image, and the number of its name were standing on the sea of glass holding God’s harps in their hands. ³ They sang the song of God’s servant Moses and the song of the lamb:

The Vision of the Temple Opened

⁵ After these things, I looked, and the Temple, which is the Tent of Testimony in heaven, was open! ⁶ The seven angels with the seven plagues came out of the Temple wearing clean, shining linen with gold sashes around their chests.^{[ec] 7} One of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven gold bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. ⁸ The Temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and his power, and no one could enter the Temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels came to an end.

The Vision of the Seven Angels Pouring Out Their Bowls

16 Then I heard a loud voice from the Temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.” ² So the first angel went and poured his bowl on the earth. A horrible, painful sore appeared on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshipped the image.

³ The second angel poured his bowl into the sea. It became like the blood of a dead body, and every living thing in the sea died.

⁴ The third angel poured his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into blood. ⁵ Then I heard the angel in charge^[ed] of the water say,

⁷ Then I heard the altar reply,

⁸ The fourth angel poured his bowl on the sun, which then was allowed to burn people with fire, ⁹ and they were burned by the fierce heat. They cursed the name of God, who has the authority over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.

¹⁰ The fifth angel poured his bowl on the throne of the beast. Its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People^[ee] gnawed on their tongues in anguish ¹¹ and cursed the God of heaven because of their pain-filled sores. But they did not repent of their behavior.

¹² The sixth angel poured his bowl on the great Euphrates River. Its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the east. ¹³ Then I saw three disgusting spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. ¹⁴ They are demonic spirits that perform signs. They go to the kings of the whole earth and gather them for the war of the great Day of God Almighty.

¹⁶ The spirits^[ef] gathered the kings^[eg] to the place that is called Armageddon in Hebrew.

¹⁷ The seventh angel threw the contents of^[eh] his bowl across the sky. A loud voice came from the throne in the Temple and said, “It has happened!” ¹⁸ There were flashes of lightning, noises, peals of thunder, and a powerful earthquake. There has never been such a powerful earthquake since people have been on the earth. ¹⁹ The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. God remembered to give Babylon the Great the cup of wine filled with the fury of his wrath. ²⁰ Every island vanished,^[ei] and the mountains could no longer be found. ²¹ Huge hailstones, each weighing about a talent,^[ej] fell from the sky on people, who cursed God because the plague of hail was so terrible.

The Vision of Babylon the Great

17 Then one of the seven angels who held the seven bowls came and told me, “Come, I will show you how the notorious prostitute who sits on many waters will be judged. ² The kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and those living on earth became drunk with the wine of her immorality.”

³ Then the angel^[ek] carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was controlled by blasphemy.^[el] It had seven heads and ten horns. ⁴ The woman wore purple and scarlet clothes and was adorned with gold, gems, and pearls. In her hand she was holding a gold cup filled with detestable things and the impurities of her immorality. ⁵ On her forehead was written a secret name:

Babylon the Great,

the Mother of Prostitutes

and Detestable Things of the Earth

⁶ I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of the witnesses to Jesus. I was very surprised when I saw her.

⁷ “Why are you surprised?” The angel asked me. “I will tell you the secret of the woman and the beast with the seven heads and the ten horns that carries her. ⁸ The beast that you saw existed once, but is no longer, and is going to crawl out of the bottomless pit^[em] and then proceed to its destruction. Those living on earth, whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, will be surprised when they see the beast because it was, is no longer, and will come again. ⁹ This calls for a mind that has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is sitting. They are also seven kings. ¹⁰ Five of them have fallen, one is living, and the other has not yet come. When he comes, he must remain in power^[en] for a little while. ¹¹ The beast that was and is no longer is the eighth king,^[eo] but it belongs with the seven kings^[ep] and goes to its destruction. ¹² The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom. They will receive authority to rule^[eq] as kings with the beast for one hour. ¹³ They have one purpose: to give their power and authority to the beast. ¹⁴ They will wage war against the lamb, but the lamb will conquer them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. Those who are called, chosen, and faithful are with him.”

¹⁵ The angel^[er] also told me, “The bodies of water you saw, on which the prostitute is sitting, are people, multitudes, nations, and languages. ¹⁶ The ten horns and the beast you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her abandoned and naked. They will eat her flesh and burn her up with fire, ¹⁷ for God has placed within them a desire to carry out his purpose by uniting to give their kingdom to the beast until God’s words are fulfilled. ¹⁸ The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”