The Revelation of John

• Who Wrote: the Apostle John
• Where Written: Patmos
• When Written: c. 96 C.E.

CHAPTER 1

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to show his slaves the things that must shortly take place; and he sent his angel and presented it in signs through him to his slave John, ² who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. ³ Blessed is the one who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.

Message to the Seven Churches

⁴ John to the seven congregations that are in Asia:[1] Grace to you and peace from the One who is and who was and who is coming, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has set us free from our sins by his blood, ⁶ and he made us to be a kingdom, to be priests to his God and Father, to him be the glory and the dominion for the ages.[2] Amen. ⁷ Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over him. Even so, Amen.

⁸ “I am the Alpha and the Omega,”[3] says the Lord God, “the One who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty.”

The Patmos Vision

⁹ I John, your brother, and a sharer with you in the tribulation and kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony about Jesus. ¹⁰ I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, ¹¹ saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

¹² Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands; ¹³ and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across his chest with a golden sash. ¹⁴ his head and his hair were white like white wool, like snow; and his eyes were like a flame of fire. ¹⁵ his feet were like burnished copper, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters. ¹⁶ In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and his face was like the sun shining in its strength.

¹⁷ When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. And he placed his right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, ¹⁸ and the living one, and I became dead, but look! I am living forever and ever, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.[4] ¹⁹ Therefore write down the things you saw, and the things that are, and the things that will take place after these. ²⁰ As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven congregations, and the seven lampstands are the seven congregations.

CHAPTER 2

Message to Ephesus

2 “To the angel of the congregation in Ephesus write:

These are the things that he says who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands

² ‘I know your works, and your labor and patient endurance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles and are not, and you found them to be false. ³ And you have patient endurance, and have endured many things because of my name, and you have not grown weary. ⁴ But I have this against you: that you have left your first love. ⁵ “‘Therefore remember from where you have fallen and repent and do the deeds you did at first. If you do not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. ⁶ Yet you do have this: that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. ⁷ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’

Message to Smyrna

⁸ “And to the angel of the congregation in Smyrna write:

These are the things the first and the last says, who was dead and came to life:

⁹ “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the blasphemy[5] of those who say that they are Jews and are not but are a synagogue of Satan. ¹⁰ Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. ¹¹ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the congregations. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’

Message to Pergamum

¹² “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write:

‘These are the things that he says who has the sharp two-edged sword:

¹³ ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan is dwelling. ¹⁴ But I have a few things against you: that you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality. ¹⁵ In the same way, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. ¹⁶ Therefore repent. If you do not, I am coming to you quickly, and I will war against them with the sword of my mouth. ¹⁷ Let the one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the congregations: To the one who conquers I will give to him some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and written on the stone is a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it.’

Message to Thyatira

¹⁸ “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write:

‘These are the things that the Son of God says, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished copper.

¹⁹ ‘I know your works, and your love, and faith, and service, and steadfast endurance, and your last works are greater than the first. ²⁰ But I have against you that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, the one who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and deceives my slaves to commit sexual immorality and to eat things sacrificed to idols. ²¹ And I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to repent of her sexual immorality. ²² Look, I will throw her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds, ²³ And I will kill her children with deadly disease, so that all the congregations will know that I am the one who searches the kidneys[6] and hearts, and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. ²⁴ But I say to you, to the rest who are in Thyatira, all those who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they say, I am not putting on you any other burden. ²⁵ Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. ²⁶ And to the one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, I will give him authority over the nations, ²⁷ and he will shepherd them with an iron rod, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces,[7] just as I have received from my Father. ²⁸ and I will give him the morning star. ²⁹ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the congregations.’

CHAPTER 3

Message to Sardis

3 “To the angel of the congregation in Sardis write:

‘These are the things that he says who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your works, that you have the name that you are alive, but you are dead. ² Become watchful and strengthen the things remaining that were ready to die, for I have not found your works complete ³ Therefore, remember how you have received and heard, and observe it, and repent. Therefore, if you do not wake up, I will come as a thief, and you will not know at all at what hour I will come upon you. ⁴ Nevertheless, you do have a few names[8] in Sardis who did not defile their garments, and they will walk with me in white ones, because they are worthy. ⁵ The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life.[9] I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. ⁶ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the congregations.’

Message to Philadelphia

⁷ “And to the angel of the congregation in Philadelphia write:

‘He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens.

⁸ “‘I know your deeds. Look, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. ⁹ Look, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—look, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will know that I have loved you. ¹⁰ Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of testing that is coming on the whole inhabited earth, to put to the test those dwelling on the earth. ¹¹ I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. ¹² The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will never go out from it again, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. ¹³ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the congregations.’

Message to Laodicea

¹⁴ “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the things that the Amen says, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation by God:

¹⁵ “‘I know your deeds: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ Because you say, “I am rich and have become wealthy and do not need anything at all,” but you do not know that you are wretched and pitiful and poor and blind and naked, ¹⁸ I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed, and eye salve to rub in your eyes so that you may see. ¹⁹ Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. ²⁰ Look, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me. ²¹ The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, just as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. ²² He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the congregations.’

CHAPTER 4

The Heavenly Worship

4 After this I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice, which I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you the things that must take place.” ² Immediately I was in the Spirit, and look, a throne was set in heaven, and one was seated on the throne. ³ And the One seated had the appearance of a jasper stone and a sardius, and around the throne was a rainbow like an emerald in appearance. ⁴ Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, and on their heads were gold crowns.

⁵ Out of the throne came flashes of lightning, and sounds and thunders, and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God, ⁶ and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal , and in the midst of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in behind. ⁷ The first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature with the face of a man, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle. ⁸ And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,
    who was and is and is to come!”

⁹ And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, ¹⁰ the twenty-four elders fall down before the one who is seated on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever, and put down their crowns before the throne, saying,

¹¹ “Worthy are you, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for you created all things, and because of your will they existed, and were created.”

CHAPTER 5

The Scroll and the Lamb

5 And I saw in the right hand of the one who is seated on the throne a scroll, written inside and on the back,[10] sealed up with seven seals. ² And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” ³ And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. ⁴ And I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. ⁵ And one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping. Look! The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

⁶ And 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 slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent into all the earth. ⁷ And he came and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne. ⁸ And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones. ⁹ And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are you to take the scroll
    and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and purchased for God with your blood men
    from every tribe and language and people and nation,
¹⁰ and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
    and they shall reign over the earth.”

¹¹ Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and 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 slaughtered,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”

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

“To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might for the ages of the ages!”[11]

¹⁴ And the four living creatures were saying, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

CHAPTER 6

The Seals

6 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” ² And I saw, and look! a white horse, and the one seated on it had a bow; and a crown was given him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

³ When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come!” ⁴ Another came out, a fiery red horse, and it was granted to the one seated on it to take peace away from the earth so that they should slaughter one another, and there was given to him a great sword.

⁵ And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come!” And I saw, and look, a black horse, and the one seated on it had a pair of scales in his hand. ⁶ And I heard what sounded like a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart[12] of wheat for a denarius[13] and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the olive oil and the wine.”

⁷ When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come!” ⁸ And I saw, and look, a pale horse, and the one seated on it had the name Death, and Hades followed after him. And authority was given to them over one fourth of the earth, to kill with a long sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.

⁹ When he 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 with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” ¹¹ And there was given to each of them a white robe, and they were told to rest a little while longer, until their fellow slaves and their brothers, who were to be killed even as they were, would be completed also.

¹² And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the entire moon became as blood, ¹³ and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its unripe figs when shaken by a high wind. ¹⁴ And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved from their place. ¹⁵ Then the kings of the earth, the great men, the chiliarch,[14] the rich, the strong, every slave, and every freeman hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. ¹⁶ And they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, ¹⁷ because the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

CHAPTER 7

The 144,000 of Israel Sealed

7 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind could blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. ² And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having a seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, ³ saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the slaves of our God on their foreheads.”

⁴ And I heard the number of the ones who were sealed, one hundred forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:

⁵ Out of the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand sealed, out of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, ⁶ out of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand, ⁷ out of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand, ⁸ out of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.

The Multitude from Every Nation

⁹ After this I saw, and look! a great multitude, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes and with palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ and they cry with a great voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” ¹¹ All the angels were standing around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell facedown before the throne and worshiped God, ¹² saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God for the ages of the ages![15] Amen.”

¹³ And one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from? ¹⁴ And I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

 ¹⁵ Therefore they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple: and the one seated on the throne will spread his tent over them. ¹⁶ They will hunger no more nor thirst anymore, neither will the sun beat down on them nor any scorching heat, ¹⁷ for the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will shepherd them and will guide them to springs of the water of life. And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes.”

CHAPTER 8

The Seventh Seal and the Golden Censer

8 And when he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. ² And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

³ And another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer, and there was given to him much incense, so that he could offer it to the prayers of all the holy ones on the golden altar that was before the throne. ⁴ And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the holy ones, went up before God out of the hand of the angel. ⁵ Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it to the earth, and there were thunders and sounds and lightnings and an earthquake.

The Seven Trumpets

⁶ And the seven angels with the seven trumpets prepared to blow them.

⁷ The first one blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth, and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

⁸ The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood, ⁹ and a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

¹⁰ The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a lamp, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. ¹¹ And the name of the star was called Wormwood,[16] and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters because they were made bitter.

¹² And the fourth angel blew the trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, in order that a third of them might be darkened, and the day might not have light for a third of it, and the night likewise.

¹³ And I saw, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven say with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth because of the remaining of the trumpet blasts of the three angels who are about to blow their trumpets!”

CHAPTER 9

The Fifth Trumpet

9 And the fifth angel blew the trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to the earth, and the key to the shaft of the abyss was given to him. ² And he opened the shaft of the abyss, and smoke went up out of the shaft like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the shaft. ³ And out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. ⁴ And it was said to them that they should not harm the grass of the earth, or any green plant, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. ⁵ And it was granted to them that they should not kill them, but to torment them five months, and their torment was like torment by a scorpion when it strikes a man. ⁶ In those days people will seek death but will by no means find it, and they will long to die, but death will flee from them.

⁷ And in appearance the locusts resembled horses prepared for battle; on their heads were what seemed to be crowns of gold, and their faces were like the faces of men, ⁸ but they had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions, ⁹ and they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of horse-drawn chariots rushing into battle. ¹⁰ And they have tails similar in appearance to scorpions, and stings, and their power to treat unrighteously[17] the men for five months. ¹¹ They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss;[18] his name in Hebrew is Abaddon,[19] and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon.[20]

¹² The one woe is past. Look! Two more woes are coming after these things.

The Sixth Trumpet

¹³ And the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard one voice from the horns of the golden altar that is before God, ¹⁴ saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” ¹⁵ And the four angels who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year were released, in order that they should kill a third of mankind. ¹⁶ The number of the armies of the horsemen was two myriads of myriads;[21] I heard the number of them. ¹⁷ And this is how I saw the horses in the vision and those seated on them: They had fire-red and hyacinth-blue and sulfur-yellow breastplates, and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. ¹⁸ A third of mankind were killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the sulfur that came out of their mouths. ¹⁹ For the authority of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with these they cause harm.

²⁰ And the rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues did not repent of the works of their hands, in order not to worship the demons and the idols of gold and silver and copper and stone and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk, ²¹ and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their sexual immorality nor of their thefts.

CHAPTER 10

The Angel and the Little Scroll

10 And I saw another strong angel descending from heaven, arrayed with a cloud, and a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet were like pillars of fire, ² and holding in his hand a little scroll that was unrolled. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, ³ and he cried with a loud voice, as a lion roars, and when he cried, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. ⁴ And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write, and I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up the things the seven thunders spoke, and do not write them.” ⁵ And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven ⁶ and swore by the one who lives to the ages of the ages,[22] who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, “There will be no more delay, ⁷ but that in the days when the seventh angel is about to blow his trumpet, the mystery of God would be finished, just as he declared good news to his own slaves the prophets.”

⁸ Then the voice that I had heard from heaven was again speaking with me and saying, “Go, take the opened scroll in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” ⁹ So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll, and he said to me, “Take and eat it up, and it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” ¹⁰ And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it up, and it was sweet as honey in my mouth, and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. ¹¹ And they said to me, “You must prophesy again about peoples and nations and tongues[23] and many kings.”

CHAPTER 11

The Two Witnesses

11 Then there was given me a measuring rod like a reed, saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there. ² But the courtyard that is outside the temple, leave it out and do not measure it, because it has been given to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. ³ And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for one thousand two hundred sixty days, dressed in sackcloth.” ⁴ These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. ⁵ And if anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouth and consumes their enemies; and if anyone wants to harm them, this is how he must be killed. ⁶ These have the authority to shut the sky, so that it does not rain during the days of their prophesying, and they have authority over the waters, to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with every plague as often as they wish.

⁷ When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss[24] will make war with them and overcome them and kill them. ⁸ And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is called symbolically Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. ⁹ And those from peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will see their dead bodies three and a half days, and they will not allow their dead bodies to be placed in a tomb. ¹⁰ And the ones dwelling on the earth will rejoice over them, and will celebrate and will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented the ones dwelling on the earth.

¹¹ And after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered into them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. ¹² And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up into heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them. ¹³ And at that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell, and seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

¹⁴ The second woe has passed; look, the third woe is coming quickly.

The Seventh Trumpet

¹⁵ Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ; and he will reign forever and ever.”

 ¹⁶ And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, ¹⁷ saying,

“We give thanks to you, Lord God, the Almighty,
    who is and who was,
for you have taken your great power
    and begun to reign.
¹⁸ And the nations were enraged,
    and your wrath came,
    and the time for the dead to be judged,
and to give their reward to your slaves, the prophets and to the holy ones,
    and the ones who fear your name,
    the small and great,
and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”

¹⁹ And the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant appeared in his temple, and there were lightnings and sounds and thunders and an earthquake and great hail.

CHAPTER 12

The Woman and the Dragon

12 And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. ² and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth.

³ And another sign appeared in heaven, and look, a great fiery red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems.[25] ⁴ And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth, it might devour her child. ⁵ And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, and her child was caught up to God and to his throne. ⁶ And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared there by God, so that they would feed her there for one thousand two hundred sixty days.

Michael the Archangel

⁷ And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels made war with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels waged war, ⁸ but they were not strong enough, nor was a place found for them any longer in heaven. ⁹ And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole inhabited earth; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. ¹⁰ Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, the one who accuses them before our God day and night. ¹¹ And they conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their witnessing, and they did not love their souls even in death. ¹² Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! Woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows he has a short time.”

¹³ And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. ¹⁴ And the two wings of a great eagle were given to the woman, in order that she could fly into the wilderness, to her place where she is fed there for a time, and times, and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. ¹⁵ And the serpent spewed out water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to cause her to be swept away by a river. ¹⁶ But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river that the dragon had poured out from his mouth. ¹⁷ And the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her seed,[26] those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

CHAPTER 13

The Beast from the Sea

13 And the dragon stood on the sand of the sea. Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names. ² And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority. ³ I saw that one of its heads seemed to have been fatally wounded, but its mortal wound was healed. And the whole earth was astonished and followed after the beast. ⁴ And they worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?”

⁵ And a mouth was given to him speaking great things and blasphemies, and authority to act was given to it for forty-two months. ⁶ And it opened its mouth for blasphemies toward God, to blaspheme his name and his dwelling, those who dwell in heaven. ⁷ And it was given to him to make war with the holy ones and to conquer them. And authority was given to him over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. ⁸ And all those who dwell on the earth will worship it, everyone whose name is not written from the foundation of the world in the scroll of life of the Lamb who was slaughtered. ⁹ If anyone has an ear, let him hear:

¹⁰ If anyone is to be taken captive,
    to captivity he goes;
if anyone is to be killed by the sword,
    by the sword must he be killed.

Here is the patient endurance and the faith of the holy ones.

The Second Beast from the Earth

¹¹ Then I saw another beast coming up from the earth, and it had two horns like a lamb, and it was speaking like a dragon. ¹² It exercises all the authority of the first wild beast in its sight, and it makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first wild beast, whose mortal wound was healed. ¹³ And it performs great signs, even making fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the sight of men. ¹⁴ And it deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs that it has been granted to him to perform in the sight of the wild beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who has the wound of the sword and yet lived. ¹⁵ And it was permitted to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast should both speak and cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. ¹⁶ Also It causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, the free and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, ¹⁷ so that nobody can buy or sell except a person having the mark, the name of the beast or the number of its name.

 ¹⁸ Here is wisdom. Let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.[27]

CHAPTER 14

The Song of the 144,000

14 Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. ² And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. ³ And they sang a new song[28] before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth. ⁴ These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. ⁵ And in their mouth no lie was found; they are blameless.

The Messages of the Three Angels

⁶ And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, and he had everlasting good news to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth, to every nation and tribe and tongue and people. ⁷ And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

⁸ And another, a second angel, followed, saying, “It has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen. She made all the nations drink the wine of the passion[29] of her sexual immorality.”

Doom for Worshipers of the Beast

⁹ And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, ¹⁰ he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of his anger; and he will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. ¹¹ And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” ¹² Here is the patient endurance of the holy ones, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith in Jesus.

¹³ And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “in order that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow after them.”

The Harvest of the Earth

¹⁴ Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a son of man, having a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. ¹⁵ And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe.” ¹⁶ And the one seated on the cloud thrust his sickle into the earth, and the earth was reaped.

¹⁷ And still another angel emerged from the temple that is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. ¹⁸ And still another angel came out from the altar, and he had authority over the fire, and he called out with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Put your sharp sickle in and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for its grapes have become ripe.” ¹⁹ The angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and he hurled it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. ²⁰ And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the winepress up to the bridles of the horses, about one thousand six hundred stadia.[30]

CHAPTER 15

A Scene of Heaven

15 And I saw in heaven another sign, great and wonderful, seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last ones, for by means of them the anger of God is finished.

² And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and its image, and the number of its name were standing by the sea of glass, holding harps of God. ³ And they sing the song of Moses, the slave of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,

“Great and marvelous are your deeds,
    O Lord God, the Almighty!
righteous and true are your ways,
    O king of the ages![31]
⁴ Who will not fear, O Lord,
    and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
    All nations will come
    and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

⁵ And after these things I saw, and the temple of the tent of the witness was opened in heaven, ⁶ and the seven angels with the seven plagues emerged from the temple, clothed with clean, bright linen and with golden sashes wrapped around their chests. ⁷ And one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls that were full of the wrath of God, who lives for the ages of the ages.[32] ⁸ And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power; and no one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.

CHAPTER 16

Six Bowls of Wrath

16 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”

² The first one went off and poured out his bowl on the earth, and a painful and malignant sore afflicted the people who had the mark of the beast and who were worshipping its image.

³ The second one poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man, and every living soul died that was in the sea.

⁴ And the third poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. ⁵ And I heard the angel of the waters saying,

“Righteous are you, O Holy One, who is and who was,
    for you brought these judgments.
⁶ because they poured out the blood of holy ones and of prophets,
    and you have given them blood to drink;
they deserve it!”

⁷ And I heard the altar saying,

“Yes, Lord God the Almighty,
    true and righteous are your judgments!”

⁸ The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire. ⁹ Men were scorched with great heat, but they blasphemed the name of God who has the authority over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give him glory.

¹⁰ Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain, ¹¹ but they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and they did not repent of their deeds.

¹² And the sixth poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, in order that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east. ¹³ And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; ¹⁴ for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole inhabited earth, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. ¹⁵ (“Look, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his garments, so that he will not walk about naked, and men will not see his shame.”) ¹⁶ And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon.[33]

Seventh Bowl of Wrath

¹⁷ The seventh one poured out his bowl on the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “It is done!” ¹⁸ And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and thunders, and there was a great earthquake unlike any that had occurred since men came to be on the earth, so mighty and so great was the earthquake. ¹⁹ The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And Babylon the Great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath. ²⁰ And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. ²¹ Then great hailstones, each about the weight of a talent,[34] came down from heaven upon men, and men blasphemed God because of the plague of hail, because the plague was extremely severe.

CHAPTER 17

Judgment on Babylon the Great

17 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who is seated on many waters, ² with whom the kings of the earth committed acts of immorality, and those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality.”

The Great Prostitute Sits on a Scarlet-Colored Beast

³ And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. ⁴ The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and she was adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, and she had in her hand a golden cup that was full of detestable things and the unclean things of her sexual immorality.[35] ⁵ And on her forehead a name was written, a mystery: “Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and of the detestable things of the earth.” ⁶ And I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the holy ones and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. Well, on seeing her I was greatly amazed. ⁷ And the angel said to me: “Why is it that you were amazed? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the wild beast that is carrying her and that has the seven heads and the ten horns.

⁸ “The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose names have not been written in the scroll of life from the founding of the world, will be amazed when they see how the wild beast that was, and is not, and is to come. ⁹ Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits, ¹⁰ and they are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while. ¹¹ And the beast that was, and is not, is also himself an eighth, and is of the seven, and he is going to destruction. ¹² The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. ¹³ These are of one mind,[36] and they hand over their power and authority to the beast.

Victory for the Lamb

¹⁴ They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”

¹⁵ And he said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the harlot is seated, are peoples and crowds and nations and tongues.[37] ¹⁶ And the ten horns that you saw and the beast, these will hate the prostitute and will make her desolate and naked, and they will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire. ¹⁷ For God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. ¹⁸ And the woman whom you saw means the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.”

CHAPTER 18

Babylon Is Fallen

18 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory. ² And he cried out with a powerful voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and it has become a dwelling place of demons and a haunt of every unclean spirit and a haunt of every unclean bird and a haunt of every unclean and detestable beast. ³ For because of the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, all the nations have fallen, and the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich from the power of her luxury.”

⁴ I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and receive of her plagues; ⁵ for her sins are piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. ⁶ Pay her back the way she herself has paid others and pay her back double for her deeds; in the cup that she has mixed, mix a double portion for her. ⁷ To the degree that she glorified herself and lived in shameless luxury, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and I am not a widow, and I will never see mourning.’ ⁸ For this reason in one day her plagues will come, death and mourning and famine, and she will be utterly burned with fire, because the Lord God, who judged her, is strong.

Lament for Babylon

⁹ And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality with her and lived with her in shameless luxury, will mourn and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning. ¹⁰ standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’

¹¹ “And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes anymore, ¹² cargoes of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and all kinds of scented wood and all kinds of ivory goods and all kinds of goods of precious wood and copper and iron and marble, ¹³ and cinnamon and amomum and incense and perfumed oil and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine wheat flour and wheat and cattle and sheep and horses and carriages and slaves and human souls. ¹⁴ “And the fruit your soul desires has departed from you, and all the luxury and the splendor has perished from you, and they will never find them again.” ¹⁵ The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand far off in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, 

¹⁶ Saying,

”Woe, woe, the great city,
    dressed in fine linen,
        and purple and scarlet,
    adorned with gold,
        and precious stones, and with pearls; 

¹⁷ For in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste.”

And every shipmaster and all seafaring men, sailors and all who make a living by the sea, stood far off ¹⁸ and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning,

“What city was like the great city?”

¹⁹ And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping, and mourning, saying,

“Woe, woe, for the great city
    in which all those who had ships at sea
    became rich from her wealth,
for in one hour she has been devastated.
²⁰ Rejoice over her, O heaven,
    and you holy ones and apostles and prophets,
because God has pronounced judgment for you against her!”

²¹ Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying,

“So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence,
    and will be found no more.
²² And the sound of harpists and musicians, and flute players and trumpeters,
    will never be heard in you again,
and a craftsman of any craft
    will never be found in you again,
and the sound of the mill
    will never be heard in you again,
²³ and the light of a lamp
    will shine in you no more,
and the voice of bridegroom and bride
    will be heard in you no more,
for your merchants were the great ones of the earth,
    and all nations were deceived by your sorcery.
²⁴ And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints,
    and of all who have been slain on the earth.”

CHAPTER 19

Rejoicing in Heaven

19 After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,

“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
² for his judgments are true and righteous;
for he has judged the great prostitute
    who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality,
and he has avenged the blood of his slaves that is on her hands.”[38]

³ And a second time they said,

“Hallelujah!
The smoke from her goes up into the ages of the ages.”[39]

⁴ And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” ⁵ And a voice came out from the throne, saying,

“Praise our God,
    all you his slaves,
and the ones fearing him,
    the small ones and the great.”

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb

⁶ Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude, and like the roar of many waters and something like the sound of powerful thunder, saying,

“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God,
    the Almighty reigns.
⁷ Let us rejoice and be glad
    and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
    and his wife^[40] has made herself ready;
⁸ And it has been granted to her to be clothed
    with bright, clean, fine linen

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the holy ones.

⁹ And he said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” ¹⁰ And I fell down before his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow slave of you and of your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

The Rider on a White Horse

¹¹ And I saw heaven opened, and look, a white horse, and the one seated on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and wages war. ¹² And his eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but he himself. ¹³ And he is clothed in an outer garment sprinkled with blood, and his name is called The Word of God. ¹⁴ And the armies which are in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and pure. ¹⁵ And out of his mouth came a sharp sword, so that with it he should smite the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron, and he treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God, the Almighty. ¹⁶ And he has on his outer garment and on his thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

¹⁷ And I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid heaven, “Come and be gathered together to the great supper of God, ¹⁸ that you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of military commanders, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of those seated on them, and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great.” ¹⁹ And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him who sat on the horse, and against his army. ²⁰ And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that performed the signs in his sight, by which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were cast alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. ²¹ And the rest were killed with the sword of him who sat on the horse, even the sword which came forth out of his mouth, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.

CHAPTER 20

Satan Bound for a Thousand Years

20 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. ² And he seized the dragon, the original serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; ³ and threw him into the abyss,[41] and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended; after these things he must be released for a short time.

Millennial Rulers with Christ

⁴ Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded[42] because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. ⁵ (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed.) This is the first resurrection.[43] ⁶ Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

Satan Released, Then Destroyed

⁷ When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, ⁸ and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the sea. ⁹ And they went up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the fortified camp of the holy ones and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. ¹⁰ And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

The Dead Judged before the White Throne

¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne and him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened; and another scroll was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the scrolls, according to their deeds. ¹³ And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades[44] gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. ¹⁴ Then death and Hades[45] were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. ¹⁵ And if anyone was not found written in the book of life,[46] he was thrown into the lake of fire.

CHAPTER 21

The New Heaven and Earth

21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. ² And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride[47] adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne,[48] saying, “Look, the tabernacle of God is among men, and he will dwell[49] among them, and they shall be his people,[50] and God himself will be among them,[51] ⁴ and he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

⁵ And the One seated on the throne said, “Look! I am making all things new.” And he said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” ⁶ And he said to me, “They have come to pass! I am the Alpha and the Omega,[52] the beginning and the end. To the one thirsting I will give from the spring of the water of life without cost. ⁷ The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son. ⁸ But as for the cowards and unbelievers, and the detestable, as for murderers, and the sexually immoral[53] persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

⁹ Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”

The New Jerusalem

¹⁰ And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, ¹¹ having the glory of God, her radiance was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. ¹² It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names were inscribed on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. ¹³ on the east, three gates, and on the north, three gates, and on the south, three gates, and on the west, three gates. ¹⁴ And the wall of the city has twelve foundation stones, and on them are twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

¹⁵ And the one who was speaking with me was holding a golden reed as a measure in order to measure the city and its gates and its wall. ¹⁶ And the city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as its width. And he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand stadia;[54] its length and width and height are equal. ¹⁷ And he also measured its wall, a hundred and forty and four cubits,[55] according to the measure of man, that is, of an angel. ¹⁸ And the wall was made of jasper, and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. ¹⁹ The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was jasper, the second, sapphire, the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald, ²⁰ the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. ²¹ And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

²² I saw no temple in it, because the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. ²³ And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb. ²⁴ And the nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. ²⁵ And its gates will never be closed by day, for there will be no night there. ²⁶ And they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. ²⁷ But anything unclean and anyone who does what is detestable or false will never enter into it; only those written in the book of life of the Lamb.

CHAPTER 22

The River and the Tree of Life

22 Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming out from the throne of God and of the Lamb, ² in the middle of its street, and on both sides of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. ³ and there will no longer be any curse, and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his slaves will serve him. ⁴ and they will see his face; and his name will be on their foreheads. ⁵ And there will be no more night, and they will need no light of a lamp, nor light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light, and they shall reign into the ages of the ages.[56]

⁶ And he said to me, “These words are faithful and true”; and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his angel to show to his slaves the things that must shortly take place.”

⁷ “And look, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this scroll.”

⁸ I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel[57] who showed me these things. ⁹ And he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow slave with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God.”

The Final Message

¹⁰ And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. ¹¹ Let the one who is unrighteous continue in unrighteousness and let the filthy one still be filthy; but let the righteous one go on in righteousness, and let the holy one still be holy.

¹² “Look, I am coming quickly, and my reward is with me, to render to every man according to his work. ¹³ I am the Alpha and the Omega,[58] the first and the last, the beginning and the end. ¹⁴ Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter into the city through its gates. ¹⁵ Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the sexually immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.”

¹⁶ “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

¹⁷ The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes, take the water of life freely.

¹⁸ I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; ¹⁹ and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and out of the holy city, which are written in this book.

²⁰ The one who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

²¹ The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

[1] Asia: (Ἀσία Asia) In the Greek New Testament, this is the Roman province of Asia that primarily includes the western part of present-day Turkey and some coastal islands, such as Samos and Patmos. Ephesus was the capital. – Ac 2:9; 6:9; 16:6; 20:16; 21:27; 24:19; Rom. 16:5; 1 Cor. 16:19; 2 Cor. 1:8; 2 Tim. 1;15; 1 Pet. 1:1; Rev. 1:4.

[2] For the ages = “forever.” The original word was τους αιωνας “for the ages” supported by (P¹⁸ A P (2344) cop^bo 30 minuscules) WH. A variant reading is τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων “the ages of the ages” supported by (א C Maj 046 1 1006 1611 1854 2053 it^gig,h,ar vg syr^ph,  arm eth) TR NU. The documentary evidence is almost evenly split, but the shorter variant reading narrowly defeats the longer reading accepted by all translations and NU because of the earliest still existing manuscript P¹⁸, and the combined witness of A and 2344. The internal evidence points toward the shorter reading being original as well because this is the only case of the shorter form of forever in the book of Revelation. The longer form occurs twelve other times in Revelation (1:18; 4:9, 10; 5:13; 7:12; 10:6; 11:15; 14:11; 15:7; 19:3; 20:10; 22:5). There is no good argument as to why the scribes of P¹⁸ A P 2344 would deviate from the normal way of expressing forever (τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων). Therefore, the shorter reading is likely the original, which later scribes expanded this formula of praise. When we consider that Revelation 1:8 and 1:11 were expanded to conform with later words in Revelation, this seems reasonable.

[3] Alpha and Omega: (Ἄλφα καὶ τὸ Ὦ Alpha kai Omega) These are the names of the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. The phrase is used three times in the book of Revelation. It is explained as “the beginning and the end” (21:6) and “first and the last.” (22:13) It is a title for the Father, which is used to emphasize his sovereignty, power, and supremacy. – Rev. 1:8; 21:6; 22:13.

[4] Hades (ᾅδης hadēs) is the standard transliteration of the Greek into English, which occurs ten times in the UASV. (Matt. 11:23; 16:18; Lu 10:15; 16:23; Ac 2:27, 31; Rev. 1:18; 6:8; 20:13, 14.) It has the underlying meaning of ‘a place of the dead, where they are conscious of nothing, awaiting a resurrection, for both the righteous and the unrighteous.’ (John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15) It corresponds to “Sheol” in the OT. It does not involve torment and punishment. Adam was told, “in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die.” (Gen. 2:17) The Bible says, “the soul that sins will die.” (Eze 18:4, 20) The apostle Paul says, “the wages of sin is death.” (Rom. 6:23) Paul also said, “those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These ones will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, from before the Lord.” – 2 Thessalonian 1:8-9.

[5] That is, slander

[6] That is, inner most thoughts

[7] A quotation from Ps 2:9

[8] That is, you do have a few people

[9] Book of Life: (βίβλου τῆς ζωῆς biblos tēs zōēs) In biblical times, cities had registered names for the citizens living there. (See Ps. 69:28; Isa. 4:3) God, figuratively speaking, has been writing names in the “book of life” “from the foundation of the world.” (Rev. 17:8) Jesus Christ talked about Abel as living “from the foundation of the world,” this would suggest that we are talking about the world of ransomable humankind after the fall. (Lu 11:48-51) Clearly, Abel was the first person to have his name written in the “book of life.” The individuals whose names are written in the “book of Life” do not mean they are predestined to eternal life. This is evident from the fact that they can be ‘blotted out’ of the “book of life.” (Ex 32:32-33; Rev. 3:5) Jesus’ ransom sacrifice alone gets one written in the “book of life” if they accept the Son of God. However, it is remaining faithful to God that keeps them from being ‘blotted’ out of the “book of life.” (Phil. 2:12; Heb. 10:26-27; Jam. 2:14-26) Only by remaining faithful until the end can one be retained permanently in the “book of life.” – Matt. 214:13; Phil. 4:3; Rev. 20:15.

[10] That is, a scroll written on both sides

[11] An idiom that means forever and ever

[12] Greek χοῖνιξ choinix,  which was a dry measure of approximately one quart or one liter.

[13] Denarius: (δηνάριον dēnarion; Roman, silver) The denarius was equivalent to a day’s wages for a common laborer (12 hours). It was sixty-four quadrantes. It had an image of Caesar on one side. It was the “head tax” coin demanded by the Roman government from their subjects. – Matt. 20:2, 9; Mark 14:5; Lu 10:35; 20:24; John 6:7; Rev. 6:6.

[14] Chiliarch: The chiliarch (χιλίαρχος chiliarchos); commander of a thousand soldiers.

[15] That is, to our God forever and ever

[16] Wormwood (לַעֲנָה laanah; ἄψινθος apsinthos) indicates several, often slightly woody, plants that have a very bitter taste and a powerful aromatic odor that can be dangerous to consume, as it can make you sick. Palestine has numerous kinds of wormwood, especially in desert areas. The most common is the absinthe Artemisia absinthium, a small shrub growing 16 inches (40 cm) tall. In Scripture, among other things, wormwood is compared to the effect that follows after immorality. (Pr 5:4) Wormwood was also compared to the bitter event that came upon Judah and Jerusalem from the Babylonians. (Jer. 9:15; 23:15; Lam. 3:15, 19) It also depicts the suffering as the result of injustice and unrighteousness (Am 5:7; 6:12) and is used concerning apostates. (Deut. 29:18) At Revelation 8:11, wormwood (ἄψινθος apsinthos) indicates a bitter and poisonous substance.

[17] Or to hurt the men

[18] Abyss: (ἄβυσσος abussos) It is a very deep place, which is rendered “the bottomless pit” in some versions (KJV). This is found in the NT and refers to a place or condition, where Satan and his demons will be confined for a thousand years. (Rev. 20:1-3) Abaddon rules over the abyss (Rev. 9:11) The beast is of Satan’s design and will rise from the abyss in the last days. (Rev. 11:7) The beast will go off into destruction. (Rev 17:8) It is used at times to refer to the grave as well. – Lu 8:31; Rom. 10:7; Rev. 20:3.

[19] That is, destruction

[20] That is, destroyer

[21] Or twenty thousand times ten thousand, that is, two hundred million

[22] That is, lives forever and ever

[23] That is, languages

[24] Abyss: (ἄβυσσος abussos) It is a very deep place, which is rendered “the bottomless pit” in some versions (KJV). This is found in the NT and refers to a place or condition, where Satan and his demons will be confined for a thousand years. (Rev. 20:1-3) Abaddon rules over the abyss (Rev. 9:11) The beast is of Satan’s design and will rise from the abyss in the last days. (Rev. 11:7) The beast will go off into destruction. (Rev 17:8) It is used at times to refer to the grave as well. – Lu 8:31; Rom. 10:7; Rev. 20:3.

[25] Or royal headbands

[26] That is, offspring

[27] Several witnesses (P⁴⁷ (א) A P 046 051 all extant minuscules it^gig vg syr^ph,  cop^sa,  arm al) have the reading ἑξακόσιοι ἑξήκοντα ἕξ (six hundred and sixty-six), but witnesses (two minuscule MSS that are no longer extant), as well as one early weighty manuscript (P¹¹⁵), record the number as εξακοσιοι δεκα εξ (six hundred and sixteen).

[28] TR WH NU have ᾄδουσιν [ὡς] ᾠδὴν καινήν

(“they sing, as it were, a new song”), which is supported by A C 051 Maj^a. However, all modern-day English versions have the variant reading αδουσιν ωδην καινην (“they sing a new song”), which is supported by P⁴⁷ P^115vid א P 046 2053 2344.

[29] Or wrath

[30] About 296 km (184 mi). A stadium equaled 185 m (606.95 ft).

[31] This is the most likely original reading with the weightier manuscript support א¹ A 051 Maj syr^hmg cop^bo. We have a variant reading “the king of the ages” that is supported by P⁴⁷ א*^, C vg syr^p,h cop^sa. What we likely have is a scribal assimilation based on the next verse, which speaks of all the “nations” fearing

[32] That is, forever and ever

[33] The original wording is “Har-Magedon” (or, “Armageddon”), which is supported by א A C (TR WH NU). There is the variant reading “Mageddon” (“Megiddo”), which is supported by 1611 2053 Maj syr^h, cop^mss. Armageddon: (Ἁρμαγεδών Harmagedōn) It is from the Hebrew Har-Magedon, which means “Mountain of Megiddo.” The Greek term is used in the reference “to the kings of the whole inhabited earth, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty,” gathering them “together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon.” – Rev. 16:14, 16; 19:11-21.

[34] That is, about one hundred pounds each

[35] Sexual Immorality: (זָנָה zanah; πορνεία porneia) A general term for immoral sexual acts of any kind: such as adultery, prostitution, sexual relations between people not married to each other, homosexuality, and bestiality. – Num. 25:1; Deut. 22:21; Matt. 5:32; 1 Cor. 5:1.

[36] Or purpose

[37] Or languages

[38] Lit from her hand

[39] That is, forever and ever

[40] The Greek (γυνή gunē) literally means “woman” or “wife,” but is rendered “bride” by almost all other translations. The wife here is the Christian congregation. What is meant is how it might be worded today, “his [Jesus’] wife” to be, as the marriage is just now arriving. Bride (Bride of Christ): (νύμφη numphē) Jesus Christ is presented as the bridegroom for the bride, namely, the Christian congregation, which is his body. – 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22-23; Rev. 19:7; 21:2, 9.

[41] Abyss: (ἄβυσσος abussos) It is a very deep place, which is rendered “the bottomless pit” in some versions (KJV). This is found in the NT and refers to a place or condition, where Satan and his demons will be confined for a thousand years. (Rev. 20:1-3) Abaddon rules over the abyss (Rev. 9:11) The beast is of Satan’s design and will rise from the abyss in the last days. (Rev. 11:7) The beast will go off into destruction. (Rev 17:8) It is used at times to refer to the grave as well. – Lu 8:31; Rom. 10:7; Rev. 20:3.

[42] Lit executed with the ax

[43] Resurrection: A rising up from death. The Greek (ἀνάστασις anastasis) means “a standing up, i.e., a resurrection, a raising up, rising.” The event at Jesus’ second coming when some of humanity will be restored to life in a body. Usually, the future rising of all believers from the dead; sometimes, unbelievers are also in view. Acts 24:15 speaks of “a hope in God, which hope these men await, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.”

[44] Hades (ᾅδης hadēs) is the standard transliteration of the Greek into English, which occurs ten times in the UASV. (Matt. 11:23; 16:18; Lu 10:15; 16:23; Ac 2:27, 31; Rev. 1:18; 6:8; 20:13, 14.) It has the underlying meaning of ‘a place of the dead, where they are conscious of nothing, awaiting a resurrection, for both the righteous and the unrighteous.’ (John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15) It corresponds to “Sheol” in the OT. It does not involve torment and punishment. Adam was told, “in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die.” (Gen. 2:17) The Bible says, “the soul that sins will die.” (Eze 18:4, 20) The apostle Paul says, “the wages of sin is death.” (Rom. 6:23) Paul also said, “those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These ones will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, from before the Lord.” – 2 Thessalonian 1:8-9.

[45] Hades (ᾅδης hadēs) is the standard transliteration of the Greek into English, which occurs ten times in the UASV. (Matt. 11:23; 16:18; Lu 10:15; 16:23; Ac 2:27, 31; Rev. 1:18; 6:8; 20:13, 14.) It has the underlying meaning of ‘a place of the dead, where they are conscious of nothing, awaiting a resurrection, for both the righteous and the unrighteous.’ (John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15) It corresponds to “Sheol” in the OT. It does not involve torment and punishment. Adam was told, “in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die.” (Gen. 2:17) The Bible says, “the soul that sins will die.” (Eze 18:4, 20) The apostle Paul says, “the wages of sin is death.” (Rom. 6:23) Paul also said, “those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These ones will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, from before the Lord.” – 2 Thessalonian 1:8-9.

[46] Book of Life: (βίβλου τῆς ζωῆς biblos tēs zōēs) In biblical times, cities had registered names for the citizens living there. (See Ps. 69:28; Isa. 4:3) God, figuratively speaking, has been writing names in the “book of life” “from the foundation of the world.” (Rev. 17:8) Jesus Christ talked about Abel as living “from the foundation of the world,” this would suggest that we are talking about the world of ransomable humankind after the fall. (Lu 11:48-51) Clearly, Abel was the first person to have his name written in the “book of life.” The individuals whose names are written in the “book of Life” do not mean they are predestined to eternal life. This is evident from the fact that they can be ‘blotted out’ of the “book of life.” (Ex 32:32-33; Rev. 3:5) Jesus’ ransom sacrifice alone gets one written in the “book of life” if they accept the Son of God. However, it is remaining faithful to God that keeps them from being ‘blotted’ out of the “book of life.” (Phil. 2:12; Heb. 10:26-27; Jam. 2:14-26) Only by remaining faithful until the end can one be retained permanently in the “book of life.” – Matt. 214:13; Phil. 4:3; Rev. 20:15.

[47] Bride (Bride of Christ): (νύμφη numphē) Jesus Christ is presented as the bridegroom for the bride, namely, the Christian congregation, which is his body. – 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22-23; Rev. 19:7; 21:2, 9.

[48] The original wording is “loud voice from the throne” (φωνῆς μεγάλης ἐκ τοῦ θρόνου), which is supported by א A it (WH NU). There is the variant reading “loud voice from heaven” (φωνης μεγαλης εκ του ουρανου), which is supported by 051^s Maj syr cop.

[49] Lit he will tabernacle

[50] Some MSS peoples

[51] One early MS and be their God

[52] Alpha and Omega: (Ἄλφα καὶ τὸ Ὦ Alpha kai Omega) These are the names of the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. The phrase is used three times in the book of Revelation. It is explained as “the beginning and the end” (21:6) and “first and the last.” (22:13) It is a title for the Father, which is used to emphasize his sovereignty, power, and supremacy. – Rev. 1:8; 21:6; 22:13.

[53] Sexual Immorality: (זָנָה zanah; πορνεία porneia) A general term for immoral sexual acts of any kind: such as adultery, prostitution, sexual relations between people not married to each other, homosexuality, and bestiality. – Num. 25:1; Deut. 22:21; Matt. 5:32; 1 Cor. 5:1.

[54] About 2,220 km; 1,380 miles; a stadium was about 607 feet or 185 meters

[55] About 64 meters or 210 feet

[56] That is, forever and ever

[57] Angel: (מַלְאָךְ malak; Gr. ἄγγελος aggelos) A supernatural spirit person who attends upon or serves as a messenger or worker for the Father and the Son. These spirit persons are far wiser and more powerful than humans, but their power and knowledge are absolutely nothing compared to their Creator. (Ps. 103:20; Matt. 24:36; 1 Pet. 1:1-12) Angels have the power to be able to materialize in human form. (Gen. 18:1-2, 8, 20-22; 19:1-11; Josh. 5:13-15) Some of these angels became rebels, as they rejected the sovereignty, power, and supremacy of their Creator. Jude tells us “the angels who did not keep to their own domain but deserted their proper dwelling place [heaven]” (1:6), to take on human form, and have relations that were contrary to nature with the “the daughters of man.” (Gen 6:1-4; Dan. 7:9-10) The Bible intimates that these rebel angels were stripped of their power to take on human form, as you never hear of it taking place again after the Flood, only spirit possession after that. These disobedient angels are now “spirits in prison,” who have been thrown into “eternal chains under gloomy darkness [Tartarus],” which is more of a condition of limited powers (1 Pet. 3:19; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6), not so much a place, like a maximum-security prison. – Matt. 28:2; Rev. 22:8.

[58] Alpha and Omega: (Ἄλφα καὶ τὸ Ὦ Alpha kai Omega) These are the names of the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. The phrase is used three times in the book of Revelation. It is explained as “the beginning and the end” (21:6) and “first and the last.” (22:13) It is a title for God the Father, which is used to emphasize his sovereignty, power, and supremacy. (Rev. 1:8; 21:6; 22:13) Isaiah 41:4 says, “Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, Jehovah, the first, and with the last; I am he.” Isaiah 44:6 says, “Thus says Jehovah, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, Jehovah of armies: ‘I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.” In Revelation 1:8, the Alpha and Omega are referred to as “the Lord God” and “the Almighty,” which is only ever said of the Father. In Revelation 21:6, the Alpha and Omega can be identified by verse 7, “The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” Jesus refers to himself as a “brother” of these conquerors, so once again, the Father refers to himself as “the Alpha and the Omega.” In Revelation 22:13, the Alpha and Omega should be consistent with the rest of Scripture, including Revelation, so “the Alpha and the Omega” refers to the Almighty God. Paul tells us, “On the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 2:16) The words of Revelation 22:12, “Look, I am coming quickly,” do apply to Jesus elsewhere, but God also speaks of himself as “coming” to judge. (Isa 26:21.) Malachi 3:1-6 tells us of a joint coming for judgment on the part of God the Father and his “messenger of the covenant.” The context does not demand our attributing the words of Revelation 22:12-13 to God the Father, as they could very well apply to Jesus, so there is no need to be dogmatic.