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Revelation 10-12
The Message
Revelation 10-12
The Message
10 1-4 I saw another powerful Angel coming down out of Heaven wrapped in a cloud. There was a rainbow over his head, his face was sun-radiant, his legs pillars of fire. He had a small book open in his hand. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left foot on land, then called out thunderously, a lion roar. When he called out, the Seven Thunders called back. When the Seven Thunders spoke, I started to write it all down, but a voice out of Heaven stopped me, saying, “Seal with silence the Seven Thunders; don’t write a word.”
5-7 Then the Angel I saw astride sea and land lifted his right hand to Heaven and swore by the One Living Forever and Ever, who created Heaven and everything in it, earth and everything in it, sea and everything in it, that time was up—that when the seventh Angel blew his trumpet, which he was about to do, the Mystery of God, all the plans he had revealed to his servants, the prophets, would be completed.
8-11 The voice out of Heaven spoke to me again: “Go, take the book held open in the hand of the Angel astride sea and earth.” I went up to the Angel and said, “Give me the little book.” He said, “Take it, then eat it. It will taste sweet like honey, but turn sour in your stomach.” I took the little book from the Angel’s hand and it was sweet honey in my mouth, but when I swallowed, my stomach curdled. Then I was told, “You must go back and prophesy again over many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”
The Two Witnesses
11 1-2 I was given a stick for a measuring rod and told, “Get up and measure God’s Temple and Altar and everyone worshiping in it. Exclude the outside court; don’t measure it. It’s been handed over to non-Jewish outsiders. They’ll desecrate the Holy City for forty-two months.
3-6 “Meanwhile, I’ll provide my two Witnesses. Dressed in sackcloth, they’ll prophesy for 1,260 days. These are the two Olive Trees, the two Lampstands, standing at attention before God on earth. If anyone tries to hurt them, a blast of fire from their mouths will incinerate them—burn them to a crisp just like that. They’ll have power to seal the sky so that it doesn’t rain for the time of their prophesying, power to turn rivers and springs to blood, power to hit earth with any and every disaster as often as they want.
7-10 “When they’ve completed their witness, the Beast from the Abyss will emerge and fight them, conquer and kill them, leaving their corpses exposed on the street of the Great City spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, the same City where their Master was crucified. For three and a half days they’ll be there—exposed, prevented from getting a decent burial, stared at by the curious from all over the world. Those people will cheer at the spectacle, shouting ‘Good riddance!’ and calling for a celebration, for these two prophets pricked the conscience of all the people on earth, made it impossible for them to enjoy their sins.
11 “Then, after three and a half days, the Living Spirit of God will enter them—they’re on their feet!—and all those gloating spectators will be scared to death.”
12-13 I heard a strong voice out of Heaven calling, “Come up here!” and up they went to Heaven, wrapped in a cloud, their enemies watching it all. At that moment there was a gigantic earthquake—a tenth of the city fell to ruin, seven thousand perished in the earthquake, the rest frightened to the core of their being, frightened into giving honor to the God-of-Heaven.
14 The second doom is past, the third doom coming right on its heels.
The Last Trumpet Sounds
15-18 The seventh Angel trumpeted. A crescendo of voices in Heaven sang out,
The kingdom of the world is now
the Kingdom of our God and his Messiah!
He will rule forever and ever!
The Twenty-four Elders seated before God on their thrones fell to their knees, worshiped, and sang,
We thank you, O God, Sovereign-Strong,
Who Is and Who Was.
You took your great power
and took over—reigned!
The angry nations now
get a taste of your anger.
The time has come to judge the dead,
to reward your servants, all prophets and saints,
Reward small and great who fear your Name,
and destroy the destroyers of earth.
19 The doors of God’s Temple in Heaven flew open, and the Ark of his Covenant was clearly seen surrounded by flashes of lightning, loud shouts, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a fierce hailstorm.
The Woman, Her Son, and the Dragon
12 1-2 A great Sign appeared in Heaven: a Woman dressed all in sunlight, standing on the moon, and crowned with Twelve Stars. She was giving birth to a Child and cried out in the pain of childbirth.
3-4 And then another Sign alongside the first: a huge and fiery Dragon! It had seven heads and ten horns, a crown on each of the seven heads. With one flick of its tail it knocked a third of the Stars from the sky and dumped them on earth. The Dragon crouched before the Woman in childbirth, poised to eat up the Child when it came.
5-6 The Woman gave birth to a Son who will shepherd all nations with an iron rod. Her Son was seized and placed safely before God on his Throne. The Woman herself escaped to the desert to a place of safety prepared by God, all comforts provided her for 1,260 days.
7-12 War broke out in Heaven. Michael and his Angels fought the Dragon. The Dragon and his Angels fought back, but were no match for Michael. They were cleared out of Heaven, not a sign of them left. The great Dragon—ancient Serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, the one who led the whole earth astray—thrown out, and all his Angels thrown out with him, thrown down to earth. Then I heard a strong voice out of Heaven saying,
Salvation and power are established!
Kingdom of our God, authority of his Messiah!
The Accuser of our brothers and sisters thrown out,
who accused them day and night before God.
They defeated him through the blood of the Lamb
and the bold word of their witness.
They weren’t in love with themselves;
they were willing to die for Christ.
So rejoice, O Heavens, and all who live there,
but doom to earth and sea,
For the Devil’s come down on you with both feet;
he’s had a great fall;
He’s wild and raging with anger;
he hasn’t much time and he knows it.
13-17 When the Dragon saw he’d been thrown to earth, he went after the Woman who had given birth to the Man-Child. The Woman was given wings of a great eagle to fly to a place in the desert to be kept in safety and comfort for a time and times and half a time, safe and sound from the Serpent. The Serpent vomited a river of water to swamp and drown her, but earth came to her help, swallowing the water the Dragon spewed from its mouth. Helpless with rage, the Dragon raged at the Woman, then went off to make war with the rest of her children, the children who keep God’s commands and hold firm to the witness of Jesus.
Revelation 10-12
New International Version
Revelation 10-12
New International Version
The Angel and the Little Scroll
10 Then I saw another mighty angel(A) coming down from heaven.(B) He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow(C) above his head; his face was like the sun,(D) and his legs were like fiery pillars.(E) 2 He was holding a little scroll,(F) which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,(G) 3 and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion.(H) When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders(I) spoke. 4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write;(J) but I heard a voice from heaven(K) say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”(L)
5 Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land(M) raised his right hand to heaven.(N) 6 And he swore(O) by him who lives for ever and ever,(P) who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it,(Q) and said, “There will be no more delay!(R) 7 But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet,(S) the mystery(T) of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”(U)
8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven(V) spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll(W) that lies open in 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 little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’[a]”(X) 10 I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth,(Y) but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. 11 Then I was told, “You must prophesy(Z) again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”(AA)
The Two Witnesses
11 I was given a reed like a measuring rod(AB) and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. 2 But exclude the outer court;(AC) do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles.(AD) They will trample on the holy city(AE) for 42 months.(AF) 3 And I will appoint my two witnesses,(AG) and they will prophesy for 1,260 days,(AH) clothed in sackcloth.”(AI) 4 They are “the two olive trees”(AJ) and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”[b](AK) 5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies.(AL) This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die.(AM) 6 They have power to shut up the heavens(AN) so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying;(AO) and they have power to turn the waters into blood(AP) and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast(AQ) that comes up from the Abyss(AR) will attack them,(AS) and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city(AT)—which is figuratively called Sodom(AU) and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified.(AV) 9 For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation(AW) will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial.(AX) 10 The inhabitants of the earth(AY) will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts,(AZ) because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.
11 But after the three and a half days(BA) the breath[c] of life from God entered them,(BB) and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.”(BC) And they went up to heaven in a cloud,(BD) while their enemies looked on.
13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake(BE) and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory(BF) to the God of heaven.(BG)
14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.(BH)
The Seventh Trumpet
15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet,(BI) and there were loud voices(BJ) in heaven, which said:
“The kingdom of the world has become
the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah,(BK)
and he will reign for ever and ever.”(BL)
16 And the twenty-four elders,(BM) who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces(BN) and worshiped God, 17 saying:
“We give thanks(BO) to you, Lord God Almighty,(BP)
the One who is and who was,(BQ)
because you have taken your great power
and have begun to reign.(BR)
18 The nations were angry,(BS)
and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead,(BT)
and for rewarding your servants the prophets(BU)
and your people who revere your name,
both great and small(BV)—
and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”
19 Then God’s temple(BW) in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant.(BX) And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder,(BY) an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.(BZ)
The Woman and the Dragon
12 A great sign(CA) appeared in heaven:(CB) a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars(CC) on her head. 2 She was pregnant and cried out in pain(CD) as she was about to give birth. 3 Then another sign appeared in heaven:(CE) an enormous red dragon(CF) with seven heads(CG) and ten horns(CH) and seven crowns(CI) on its heads. 4 Its tail swept a third(CJ) of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth.(CK) The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child(CL) the moment he was born. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.”[d](CM) And her child was snatched up(CN) to God and to his throne. 6 The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.(CO)
7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael(CP) and his angels fought against the dragon,(CQ) and the dragon and his angels(CR) fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent(CS) called the devil,(CT) or Satan,(CU) who leads the whole world astray.(CV) He was hurled to the earth,(CW) and his angels with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven(CX) say:
“Now have come the salvation(CY) and the power
and the kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,(CZ)
who accuses them before our God day and night,
has been hurled down.
11 They triumphed over(DA) him
by the blood of the Lamb(DB)
and by the word of their testimony;(DC)
they did not love their lives so much
as to shrink from death.(DD)
12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens(DE)
and you who dwell in them!
But woe(DF) to the earth and the sea,(DG)
because the devil has gone down to you!
He is filled with fury,
because he knows that his time is short.”
13 When the dragon(DH) saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.(DI) 14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle,(DJ) so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time,(DK) out of the serpent’s reach. 15 Then from his mouth the serpent(DL) spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war(DM) against the rest of her offspring(DN)—those who keep God’s commands(DO) and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.(DP)
Footnotes
- Revelation 10:9 Ezek. 3:3
- Revelation 11:4 See Zech. 4:3,11,14.
- Revelation 11:11 Or Spirit (see Ezek. 37:5,14)
- Revelation 12:5 Psalm 2:9
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
New International Version (NIV) 
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