The World English Bible (WEB) Part 141

2:9 "I know your works, oppression, and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 2:10 Don't be afraid of the things which you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested; and you will have oppression for ten days. Be faithful to death, and I will give you the crown of life.

2:11 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the a.s.semblies. He who overcomes won't be harmed by the second death.

2:12 "To the angel of the a.s.sembly in Pergamum write:

"He who has the sharp two-edged sword says these things:

2:13 "I know your works and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is.

You hold firmly to my name, and didn't deny my faith in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 2:14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to throw a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit s.e.xual immorality. 2:15 So you also have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans likewise*. 2:16 Repent therefore, or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of my mouth. 2:17 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the a.s.semblies. To him who overcomes, to him I will give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which no one knows but he who receives it.

2:18 "To the angel of the a.s.sembly in Thyatira write:

"The Son of G.o.d, who has his eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like burnished bra.s.s, says these things:

2:19 "I know your works, your love, faith, service, patient endurance, and that your last works are more than the first. 2:20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate your woman, Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. She teaches and seduces my servants to commit s.e.xual immorality, and to eat things sacrificed to idols. 2:21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her s.e.xual immorality. 2:22 Behold, I will throw her into a bed, and those who commit adultery with her into great oppression, unless they repent of her works. 2:23 I will kill her children with Death, and all the a.s.semblies will know that I am he who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. 2:24 But to you I say, to the rest who are in Thyatira, as many as don't have this teaching, who don't know what some call 'the deep things of Satan,' to you I say, I am not putting any other burden on you. 2:25 Nevertheless, hold firmly that which you have, until I come. 2:26 He who overcomes, and he who keeps my works to the end, to him I will give authority over the nations. 2:27 He will rule them with a rod of iron, shattering them like clay pots;* as I also have received of my Father: 2:28 and I will give him the morning star. 2:29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the a.s.semblies.

3:1 "And to the angel of the a.s.sembly in Sardis write:

"He who has the seven Spirits of G.o.d, and the seven stars says these things:

"I know your works, that you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 3:2 Wake up, and keep the things that remain, which you were about to throw away, for I have found no works of yours perfected before my G.o.d. 3:3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If therefore you won't watch, I will come as a thief, and you won't know what hour I will come upon you. 3:4 Nevertheless you have a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. 3:5 He who overcomes will be arrayed in white garments, and I will in no way blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 3:6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the a.s.semblies.

3:7 "To the angel of the a.s.sembly in Philadelphia write:

"He who is holy, he who is true, he who has the key of David, he who opens and no one can shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says these things:

3:8 "I know your works (behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one can shut), that you have a little power, and kept my word, and didn't deny my name. 3:9 Behold, I give of the synagogue of Satan, of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but lie. Behold, I will make them to come and wors.h.i.+p before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 3:10 Because you kept my command to endure, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, which is to come on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 3:11 I am coming quickly! Hold firmly that which you have, so that no one takes your crown. 3:12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my G.o.d, and he will go out from there no more. I will write on him the name of my G.o.d, and the name of the city of my G.o.d, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my G.o.d, and my own new name. 3:13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the a.s.semblies.

3:14 "To the angel of the a.s.sembly in Laodicea write:

"The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Head of G.o.d's creation, says these things:

3:15 "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. 3:16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth. 3:17 Because you say, 'I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;' and don't know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; 3:18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. 3:19 As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent. 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me. 3:21 He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father on his throne. 3:22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the a.s.semblies."

4:1 After these things I looked and saw a door opened in heaven, and the first voice that I heard, like a trumpet speaking with me, was one saying, "Come up here, and I will show you the things which must happen after this."

4:2 Immediately I was in the Spirit. Behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting on the throne 4:3 that looked like a jasper stone and a sardius. There was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald to look at. 4:4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones. On the thrones were twenty-four elders sitting, dressed in white garments, with crowns of gold on their heads. 4:5 Out of the throne proceed lightnings, sounds, and thunders. There were seven lamps of fire burning before his throne, which are the seven Spirits of G.o.d. 4:6 Before the throne was something like a sea of gla.s.s, similar to crystal. In the midst of the throne, and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind. 4:7 The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like a man, and the fourth was like a flying eagle. 4:8 The four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within. They have no rest day and night, saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord G.o.d, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come!"

4:9 When the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to him who sits on the throne, to him who lives forever and ever, 4:10 the twenty- four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and wors.h.i.+p him who lives forever and ever, and throw their crowns before the throne, saying, 4:11 "Worthy are you, our Lord and G.o.d, the Holy One, to receive the glory, the honor, and the power, for you created all things, and because of your desire they existed, and were created!"

5:1 I saw, in the right hand of him who sat on the throne, a book written inside and outside, sealed shut with seven seals. 5:2 I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book, and to break its seals?" 5:3 No one in heaven above, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book, or to look in it.

5:4 And I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look in it. 5:5 One of the elders said to me, "Don't weep. Behold, the Lion who is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome; he who opens the book and its seven seals." 5:6 I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of G.o.d, sent out into all the earth. 5:7 Then he came, and he took it out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 5:8 Now when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 5:9 They sang a new song, saying,

"You are worthy to take the book, and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for G.o.d with your blood, out of every tribe, language, people, and nation, 5:10 and made us kings and priests to our G.o.d, and we will reign on earth." 5:11 I saw, and I heard something like a voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousands of ten thousands, and thousands of thousands; 5:12 saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing!"

5:13 I heard every created thing which is in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever! Amen!"

5:14 The four living creatures said, "Amen!" The *elders fell down and wors.h.i.+ped.*

6:1 I saw that the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying, as with a voice of thunder, "Come and see!" 6:2 And behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow.

A crown was given to him, and he came forth conquering, and to conquer.

6:3 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come!" 6:4 Another came forth, a red horse. To him who sat on it was given power to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another. There was given to him a great sword.

6:5 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, "Come and see!" And behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a balance in his hand. 6:6 I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A choenix of wheat for a denarius, and three choenix of barley for a denarius! Don't damage the oil and the wine!"

6:7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the fourth living creature saying, "Come and see!" 6:8 And behold, a pale horse, and he who sat on it, his name was Death. Hades followed with him. Authority over one fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword, with famine, with death, and by the wild animals of the earth was given to him.

6:9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been killed for the Word of G.o.d, and for the testimony of the Lamb which they had. 6:10 They cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, Master, the holy and true, until you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" 6:11 A long white robe was given to each of them. They were told that they should rest yet for a while, until their fellow servants and their brothers, who would also be killed even as they were, should complete their course.

6:12 I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became as blood. 6:13 The stars of the sky fell to the earth, like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when it is shaken by a great wind. 6:14 The sky was removed like a scroll when it is rolled up. Every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 6:15 The kings of the earth, the princes, the commanding officers, the rich, the strong, and every slave and free person, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains. 6:16 They told the mountains and 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, 6:17 for the great day of his wrath has come; and who is able to stand?"

7:1 After this, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth, or on the sea, or on any tree. 7:2 I saw another angel ascend from the sunrise, having the seal of the living G.o.d. He cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was given to harm the earth and the sea, 7:3 saying, "Don't harm the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, until we have sealed the bondservants of our G.o.d on their foreheads!" 7:4 I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the children of Israel:

7:5 of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand, of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, 7:6 of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, of the tribe of Mana.s.seh twelve thousand, 7:7 of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand, 7:8 of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. 7:9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great mult.i.tude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. 7:10 They cried with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation be to our G.o.d, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"

7:11 All the angels were standing around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before his throne, and wors.h.i.+ped G.o.d, 7:12 saying, "Amen! Blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might, be to our G.o.d forever and ever!

Amen."

7:13 One of the elders answered, saying to me, "These who are arrayed in white robes, who are they, and from where did they come?"

7:14 I told him, "My lord, you know."

He said to me, "These are those who came out of the great tribulation.

They washed their robes, and made them white in the Lamb's blood. 7:15 Therefore they are before the throne of G.o.d, they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. 7:16 They will never be hungry, neither thirsty any more; neither will the sun beat on them, nor any heat; 7:17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shepherds them, and leads them to springs of waters of life. And G.o.d will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

8:1 When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 8:2 I saw the seven angels who stand before G.o.d, and seven trumpets were given to them. 8:3 Another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer. Much incense was given to him, that he should add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. 8:4 The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before G.o.d out of the angel's hand. 8:5 The angel took the censer, and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it on the earth. There followed thunders, sounds, lightnings, and an earthquake.

8:6 The seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. 8:7 The first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. One third of the earth was burnt up, and one third of the trees were burnt up, and all green gra.s.s was burnt up.

8:8 The second angel sounded, and something like a great burning mountain was thrown into the sea. One third of the sea became blood, 8:9 and one third of the living creatures which were in the sea died. One third of the s.h.i.+ps were destroyed.

8:10 The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from the sky, burning like a torch, and it fell on one third of the rivers, and on the springs of the waters. 8:11 The name of the star is called "Wormwood."

One third of the waters became wormwood. Many people died from the waters, because they were made bitter.

8:12 The fourth angel sounded, and one third of the sun was struck, and one third of the moon, and one third of the stars; so that one third of them would be darkened, and the day wouldn't s.h.i.+ne for one third of it, and the night in the same way. 8:13 I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a loud voice, "Woe! Woe! Woe for those who dwell on the earth, because of the other voices of the trumpets of the three angels, who are yet to sound!"

9:1 The fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from the sky which had fallen to the earth. The key to the pit of the abyss was given to him.

9:2 He opened the pit of the abyss, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke from a* burning furnace. The sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke from the pit. 9:3 Then out of the smoke came forth locusts on the earth, and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 9:4 They were told that they should not hurt the gra.s.s of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those people who don't have G.o.d's seal on their foreheads. 9:5 They were given power not to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion, when it strikes a person. 9:6 In those days people will seek death, and will in no way find it. They will desire to die, and death will flee from them. 9:7 The shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for war. On their heads were something like golden crowns, and their faces were like people's faces. 9:8 They had hair like women's hair, and their teeth were like those of lions. 9:9 They had breastplates, like breastplates of iron. The sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, or of many horses rus.h.i.+ng to war. 9:10 They have tails like those of scorpions, and stings. In their tails they have power to harm men for five months. 9:11 They have over them as king the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is "Abaddon," but in Greek, he has the name "Apollyon." 9:12 The first woe is past. Behold, there are still two woes coming after this.

9:13 The sixth angel sounded. I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before G.o.d, 9:14 saying to the sixth angel who had one trumpet, "Free the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates!"

9:15 The four angels were freed who had been prepared for that hour and day and month and year, so that they might kill one third of mankind.

9:16 The number of the armies of the hors.e.m.e.n was two hundred million. I heard the number of them. 9:17 Thus I saw the horses in the vision, and those who sat on them, having breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of lions. Out of their mouths proceed fire, smoke, and sulfur. 9:18 By these three plagues were one third of mankind killed: by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur, which proceeded out of their mouths. 9:19 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 harm. 9:20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, didn't repent of the works of their hands, that they wouldn't wors.h.i.+p demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of bra.s.s, and of stone, and of wood; which can neither see, nor hear, nor walk. 9:21 They didn't repent of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their s.e.xual immorality, nor of their thefts.

10:1 I saw a mighty angel coming down out of the sky, clothed with a cloud. A rainbow was on his head. His face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. 10:2 He had in his hand a little open book.

He set his right foot on the sea, and his left on the land. 10:3 He cried with a loud voice, as a lion roars. When he cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices. 10:4 When the seven thunders sounded, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from the sky saying, "Seal up the things which the seven thunders said, and don't write them."

10:5 The angel who I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to the sky, 10:6 and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there will no longer be delay, 10:7 but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of G.o.d is finished, as he declared to his servants, the prophets. 10:8 The voice which I heard from heaven, again speaking with me, said, "Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land."