Revelation 4-11
New King James Version
The Throne Room of Heaven(A)
4 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing (B)open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a (C)trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”
2 Immediately (D)I was in the Spirit; and behold, (E)a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3 [a]And He who sat there was (F)like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; (G)and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald. 4 (H)Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, (I)clothed in white [b]robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 And from the throne proceeded (J)lightnings, [c]thunderings, and voices. (K)Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are (L)the[d] seven Spirits of God.
6 Before the throne there [e]was (M)a sea of glass, like crystal. (N)And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. 7 (O)The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. 8 The four living creatures, each having (P)six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, (T)who lives forever and ever, 10 (U)the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
11 “You(V) are worthy, [g]O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
(W)For You created all things,
And by (X)Your will they [h]exist and were created.”
The Lamb Takes the Scroll
5 And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne (Y)a scroll written inside and on the back, (Z)sealed with seven seals. 2 Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, (AA)“Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.
4 So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open [i]and read the scroll, or to look at it. 5 But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, (AB)the Lion of the tribe of (AC)Judah, (AD)the Root of David, has (AE)prevailed to open the scroll (AF)and [j]to loose its seven seals.”
6 And I looked, [k]and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood (AG)a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and (AH)seven eyes, which are (AI)the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand (AJ)of Him who sat on the throne.
Worthy Is the Lamb
8 Now when He had taken the scroll, (AK)the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the (AL)prayers of the saints. 9 And (AM)they sang a new song, saying:
(AN)“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And (AO)have redeemed us to God (AP)by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
10 And have made [l]us (AQ)kings[m] and (AR)priests to our God;
And [n]we shall reign on the earth.”
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice:
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
13 And (AS)every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:
(AT)“Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him (AU)who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and [o]ever!”
14 Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the [p]twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped [q]Him who lives forever and ever.
First Seal: The Conqueror
6 Now (AV)I saw when the Lamb opened one of the [r]seals; and I heard (AW)one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” 2 And I looked, and behold, (AX)a white horse. (AY)He who sat on it had a bow; (AZ)and a crown was given to him, and he went out (BA)conquering and to conquer.
Second Seal: Conflict on Earth
3 When He opened the second seal, (BB)I heard the second living creature saying, “Come [s]and see.” 4 (BC)Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to (BD)take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.
Third Seal: Scarcity on Earth
5 When He opened the third seal, (BE)I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, (BF)a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of (BG)scales[t] in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A [u]quart of wheat for a [v]denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and (BH)do not harm the oil and the wine.”
Fourth Seal: Widespread Death on Earth
7 When He opened the fourth seal, (BI)I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” 8 (BJ)So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And [w]power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, (BK)to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, (BL)and by the beasts of the earth.
Fifth Seal: The Cry of the Martyrs
9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under (BM)the altar (BN)the souls of those who had been slain (BO)for the word of God and for (BP)the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, (BQ)“How long, O Lord, (BR)holy and true, (BS)until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then a (BT)white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them (BU)that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.
Sixth Seal: Cosmic Disturbances
12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, (BV)and [x]behold, there was a great earthquake; and (BW)the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the [y]moon became like blood. 13 (BX)And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 14 (BY)Then the sky [z]receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and (BZ)every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 15 And the (CA)kings of the earth, the great men, [aa]the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, (CB)hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 (CC)and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who (CD)sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, (CE)and who is able to stand?”
The Sealed of Israel
7 After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, (CF)holding the four winds of the earth, (CG)that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, (CH)“Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God (CI)on their foreheads.” 4 (CJ)And I heard the number of those who were sealed. (CK)One hundred and forty-four thousand (CL)of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed:
5 of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand were [ab]sealed;
of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand were sealed;
6 of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand were sealed;
7 of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand were sealed;
8 of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.
A Multitude from the Great Tribulation
9 After these things I looked, and behold, (CM)a great multitude which no one could number, (CN)of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, (CO)clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, (CP)“Salvation belongs to our God (CQ)who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 (CR)All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and (CS)worshiped God, 12 (CT)saying:
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever.
Amen.”
13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in (CU)white robes, and where did they come from?”
14 And I said to him, [ac]“Sir, you know.”
So he said to me, (CV)“These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and (CW)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 (CX)dwell among them. 16 (CY)They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; (CZ)the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne (DA)will shepherd them and lead them to [ad]living fountains of waters. (DB)And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Seventh Seal: Prelude to the Seven Trumpets
8 When(DC) He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 (DD)And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, (DE)and to them were given seven trumpets. 3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with (DF)the prayers of all the saints upon (DG)the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And (DH)the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And (DI)there were noises, thunderings, (DJ)lightnings, (DK)and an earthquake.
6 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
First Trumpet: Vegetation Struck
7 The first angel sounded: (DL)And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown (DM)to the [ae]earth. And a third (DN)of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
Second Trumpet: The Seas Struck
8 Then the second angel sounded: (DO)And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, (DP)and a third of the sea (DQ)became blood. 9 (DR)And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
Third Trumpet: The Waters Struck
10 Then the third angel sounded: (DS)And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, (DT)and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 (DU)The name of the star is Wormwood. (DV)A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.
Fourth Trumpet: The Heavens Struck
12 (DW)Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day [af]did not shine, and likewise the night.
13 And I looked, (DX)and I heard an [ag]angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, (DY)“Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”
Fifth Trumpet: The Locusts from the Bottomless Pit
9 Then the fifth angel sounded: (DZ)And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to (EA)the [ah]bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the (EB)sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, (EC)as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 They were commanded (ED)not to harm (EE)the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have (EF)the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And [ai]they were not given authority to kill them, (EG)but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. 6 In those days (EH)men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them.
7 (EI)The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. (EJ)On their heads were crowns of something like gold, (EK)and their faces were like the faces of men. 8 They had hair like women’s hair, and (EL)their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9 And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was (EM)like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. 10 They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months. 11 And they had as king over them (EN)the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is [aj]Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name [ak]Apollyon.
12 (EO)One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.
Sixth Trumpet: The Angels from the Euphrates
13 Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the (EP)golden altar which is before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound (EQ)at the great river Euphrates.” 15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a (ER)third of mankind. 16 Now (ES)the number of the army (ET)of the horsemen was two hundred million; (EU)I heard the number of them. 17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; (EV)and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. 18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. 19 For [al]their power is in their mouth and in their tails; (EW)for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm.
20 But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, (EX)did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship (EY)demons, (EZ)and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. 21 And they did not repent of their murders (FA)or their [am]sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.
The Mighty Angel with the Little Book
10 I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. (FB)And a rainbow was on (FC)his head, his face was like the sun, and (FD)his feet like pillars of fire. 2 He had a little book open in his hand. (FE)And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he cried out, (FF)seven thunders uttered their voices. 4 Now when the seven thunders [an]uttered their voices, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven saying [ao]to me, (FG)“Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them.”
5 The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land (FH)raised up his [ap]hand to heaven 6 and swore by Him who lives forever and ever, (FI)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, (FJ)that there should be delay no longer, 7 but (FK)in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.
John Eats the Little Book
8 Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, “Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth.”
9 So I went to the angel and said to him, “Give me the little book.”
And he said to me, (FL)“Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.”
10 Then I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, (FM)and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, (FN)my stomach became bitter. 11 And [aq]he said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.”
The Two Witnesses
11 Then I was given (FO)a reed like a measuring rod. [ar]And the angel stood, saying, (FP)“Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. 2 But leave out (FQ)the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, (FR)for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will (FS)tread the holy city underfoot for (FT)forty-two months. 3 And I will give power to my two (FU)witnesses, (FV)and they will prophesy (FW)one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4 These are the (FX)two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the [as]God of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, (FY)fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. (FZ)And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. 6 These (GA)have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
The Witnesses Killed
7 When they (GB)finish their testimony, (GC)the beast that ascends (GD)out of the bottomless pit (GE)will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of (GF)the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, (GG)where also [at]our Lord was crucified. 9 (GH)Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations [au]will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, (GI)and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. 10 (GJ)And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, (GK)and send gifts to one another, (GL)because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
The Witnesses Resurrected
11 (GM)Now after the three-and-a-half days (GN)the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 And [av]they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” (GO)And they ascended to heaven (GP)in a cloud, (GQ)and their enemies saw them. 13 In the same hour (GR)there was a great earthquake, (GS)and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid (GT)and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14 (GU)The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
Seventh Trumpet: The Kingdom Proclaimed
15 Then (GV)the seventh angel sounded: (GW)And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, (GX)“The [aw]kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, (GY)and He shall reign forever and ever!” 16 And (GZ)the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and (HA)worshiped God, 17 saying:
“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
The One (HB)who is and who was [ax]and who is to come,
Because You have taken Your great power (HC)and reigned.
18 The nations were (HD)angry, and Your [ay]wrath has come,
And the time of the (HE)dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”
19 Then (HF)the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of [az]His covenant was seen in His temple. And (HG)there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, (HH)and great hail.
Footnotes
- Revelation 4:3 M omits And He who sat there was, making the following a description of the throne.
- Revelation 4:4 NU, M robes, with crowns
- Revelation 4:5 NU, M voices, and thunderings.
- Revelation 4:5 M omits the
- Revelation 4:6 NU, M add something like
- Revelation 4:8 M has holy nine times.
- Revelation 4:11 NU, M our Lord and God
- Revelation 4:11 NU, M existed
- Revelation 5:4 NU, M omit and read
- Revelation 5:5 NU, M omit to loose
- Revelation 5:6 NU, M I saw in the midst . . . a Lamb standing
- Revelation 5:10 NU, M them
- Revelation 5:10 NU a kingdom
- Revelation 5:10 NU, M they
- Revelation 5:13 M adds Amen
- Revelation 5:14 NU, M omit twenty-four
- Revelation 5:14 NU, M omit Him who lives forever and ever
- Revelation 6:1 NU, M seven seals
- Revelation 6:3 NU, M omit and see
- Revelation 6:5 balances
- Revelation 6:6 Gr. choinix, about 1 quart
- Revelation 6:6 About 1 day’s wage for a worker
- Revelation 6:8 authority
- Revelation 6:12 NU, M omit behold
- Revelation 6:12 NU, M whole moon
- Revelation 6:14 Or split apart
- Revelation 6:15 NU, M the commanders, the rich men,
- Revelation 7:5 NU, M omit sealed in vv. 5b–8b.
- Revelation 7:14 NU, M My lord
- Revelation 7:17 NU, M fountains of the waters of life
- Revelation 8:7 NU, M add and a third of the earth was burned up
- Revelation 8:12 had no light
- Revelation 8:13 NU, M eagle
- Revelation 9:1 Lit. shaft of the abyss
- Revelation 9:5 The locusts
- Revelation 9:11 Lit. Destruction
- Revelation 9:11 Lit. Destroyer
- Revelation 9:19 NU, M the power of the horses
- Revelation 9:21 NU, M drugs
- Revelation 10:4 NU, M sounded,
- Revelation 10:4 NU, M omit to me
- Revelation 10:5 NU, M right hand
- Revelation 10:11 NU, M they
- Revelation 11:1 NU, M omit And the angel stood
- Revelation 11:4 NU, M Lord
- Revelation 11:8 NU, M their
- Revelation 11:9 NU, M see . . . and will not allow
- Revelation 11:12 M I
- Revelation 11:15 NU, M kingdom . . . has become the kingdom
- Revelation 11:17 NU, M omit and who is to come
- Revelation 11:18 anger
- Revelation 11:19 M the covenant of the Lord
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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