Book of Revelation

2022/11/24 0

Revelation

t f B! P L

Aid to Revelation Understanding

Two major elements of Satan's world that deny God

  1. Wild Beast (State power)
  2. Babylon the Great (Religious Power)
Both have bloodguilt.

Religious powers, in particular, will be avenged for the blood of God's servants.
Re 6:10, 8:3-6, 16:6-7, 18:20, 24

State power empowered by Satan will fight against the returning Christ and be destroyed.
Re 13:2, 16:14, 19:11-21

World wars, food shortages, and epidemics are fabricated by nations and religions, resulting in Woes that kill a quarter of mankind.
Re 6:1-4

State powers fight and kill the sons of the kingdom. The sons of the kingdom, like Jesus, will become conquerors by their sinless death, will be resurrected to heaven, and will join Christ's heavenly armies in destroying Satan's world.
Re 2:10, 26-27, 11:7, 11-12, 13:7, 10, 14:12-13

The bright future of mankind as described in Revelation was made possible by Jesus Christ's conquest of Satan through his sinless death in the first century AD.
Re 5:5, 21:1-4

The sons of the kingdom will take part in Christ in the work of judging mankind (Adam's offsprings) as kingdoms and priests.
Re 1:6, 5:10, 20:4-6


to the 7 congregations of the sons of the kingdom

Chap 1
1 A revelation by Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to show his slaves the things that must shortly take place. And he sent forth his angel and presented [it] in signs through him to his slave John, 2 who bore witness to the word God gave and to the witness Jesus Christ gave, even to all the things he saw. 3 Happy is he who reads aloud and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and who observe the things written in it; for the appointed time is near.

4 John to the seven congregations that are in the [district of] Asia: May YOU have undeserved kindness and peace from "The One who is and who was and who is coming," and from the seven spirits that are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, "the Faithful Witness," "The firstborn from the dead," and "The Ruler of the kings of the earth." To him that loves us and that loosed us from our sins by means of his own blood- 6 and he made us to be a kingdom, priests to his God and Father-yes, to him be the glory and the might forever. Amen. 7 Look! He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, and those who pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief because of him. Yes, Amen.

8 "I am the Al'pha and the Ome'ga," says YHWH God, "the One who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty."

9 I John, YOUR brother and a sharer with YOU in the tribulation and kingdom and endurance in company with Jesus, came to be in the isle that is called Pat'mos for speaking about God and bearing witness to Jesus. 10 By inspiration I came to be in the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a strong voice like that of a trumpet, 11 saying: "What you see write in a scroll and send it to the seven congregations, in Eph'esus and in Smyr'na and in Per'gamum and in Thyati'ra and in Sar'dis and in Philadelphia and in Laodice'a."

12 And I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me, and, having turned, I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands someone like a son of man, clothed with a garment that reached down to the feet, and girded at the breasts with a golden girdle. 14 Moreover, his head and his hair were white as white wool, as snow, and his eyes as a fiery flame; 15 and his feet were like fine copper when glowing in a furnace; and his voice was as the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars, and out of his mouth a sharp, long two-edged sword was protruding, and his countenance was as the sun when it shines in its power.

17 And when I saw him, I fell as dead at his feet. And he laid his right hand upon me and said: "Do not be fearful. 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 Ha'des. 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 sacred secret of the seven stars that you saw upon my right hand, and [of] the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars mean [the] angels of the seven congregations, and the seven lampstands mean seven congregations.

Ephesus

Chap 2
1 "To the angel of the congregation in Eph'esus write: These are the things that he says who holds the seven stars in his right hand, he who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands, 2 'I know your deeds, and your labor and endurance, and that you cannot bear bad men, and that you put to the test those who say they are apostles, but they are not, and you found them liars. 3 You are also showing endurance, and you have borne up for my name's sake and have not grown weary. 4 Nevertheless, I hold [this] against you, that you have left the love you had at first. 5 "'Therefore remember from what you have fallen, and repent and do the former deeds. If you do not, I am coming to you, and I will remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Still, you do have this, that you hate the deeds of the sect of Nicola'us, which I also hate. 7 Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: To him that conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.'

Smyrna

8 "And to the angel of the congregation in Smyr'na write: These are the things that he says, 'the First and the Last,' who became dead and came to life [again], 9 'I know your tribulation and poverty-but you are rich-and the blasphemy by those who say they themselves are Jews, and yet they are not but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. Look! The Devil will keep on throwing some of YOU into prison that YOU may be fully put to the test, and that YOU may have tribulation ten days. Prove yourself faithful even to death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: He that conquers will by no means be harmed by the second death.'

Pergamum

12 "And to the angel of the congregation in Per'gamum write: These are the things that he says who has the sharp, long two-edged sword, 13 'I know where you are dwelling, that is, where the throne of Satan is; and yet you keep on holding fast my name, and you did not deny your faith in me even in the days of An'tipas, my witness, the faithful one, who was killed by YOUR side, where Satan is dwelling. 14 "'Nevertheless, I have a few things against you, that you have there those holding fast the teaching of Ba'laam, who went teaching Ba'lak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication. 15 So you, also, have those holding fast the teaching of the sect of Nicola'us likewise. 16 Therefore repent. If you do not, I am coming to you quickly, and I will war with them with the long sword of my mouth. 17 "'Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: To him that conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white pebble, and upon the pebble a new name written which no one knows except the one receiving it.'

Thyatira

18 "And to the angel of the congregation in Thyati'ra write: These are the things that the Son of God says, he who has his eyes like a fiery flame, and his feet are like fine copper, 19 'I know your deeds, and your love and faith and ministry and endurance, and that your deeds of late are more than those formerly. 20 "'Nevertheless, I do hold [this] against you, that you tolerate that woman Jez'ebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and misleads my slaves to commit fornication and to eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time to repent, but she is not willing to repent of her fornication. 22 Look! I am about to throw her into a sickbed, and those committing adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. 23 And her children I will kill with deadly plague, so that all the congregations will know that I am he who searches the kidneys and hearts, and I will give to YOU individually according to YOUR deeds. 24 "'However, I say to the rest of YOU who are in Thyati'ra, all those who do not have this teaching, the very ones who did not get to know the "deep things of Satan," as they say: I am not putting upon YOU any other burden. 25 Just the same, hold fast what YOU have until I come. 26 And to him that conquers and observes my deeds down to the end I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he shall shepherd the people with an iron rod so that they will be broken to pieces like clay vessels, the same as I have received from my Father, 28 and I will give him the morning star. 29 Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations.'

Sardis

Chap 3
1 "And to the angel of the congregation in Sar'dis write: These are the things that he says who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars, 'I know your deeds, and although you have the reputation of being alive, you're really dead. 2 Become watchful, and strengthen the things remaining that were ready to die, for I have not found your deeds fully performed before my God. 3 Therefore, continue mindful of how you have received and how you heard, and go on keeping [it], and repent. Certainly unless you wake up, I shall come as a thief, and you will not know at all at what hour I shall come upon you.
4 "'Nevertheless, you do have a few names in Sar'dis that did not defile their outer garments, and they shall walk with me in white ones, because they are worthy. 5 He that conquers will thus be arrayed in white outer garments; and I will by no means blot out his name from the book of life, but I will make acknowledgment of his name before my Father and before his angels. 6 Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations.'

Philadelphia

7 "And to the angel of the congregation in Philadelphia write: These are the things he says who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens so that no one will shut, and shuts so that no one opens, 8 'I know your deeds-look! I have set before you an opened door, which no one can shut-that you have a little power, and you kept my word and did not prove false to my name. 9 Look! I will give those from the synagogue of Satan who say they are Jews, and yet they are not but are lying-look! I will make them come and do obeisance before your feet and make them know I have loved you. 10 Because you kept the word about my endurance, I will also keep you from the hour of test, which is to come upon the whole inhabited earth, to put a test upon those dwelling on the earth. 11 I am coming quickly. Keep on holding fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 "'The one that conquers-I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will by no means go out [from it] anymore, and I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem which descends out of heaven from my God, and that new name of mine. 13 Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations.'

Laodicea

14 "And to the angel of the congregation in Laodice'a 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, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or else hot. 16 So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth. 17 Because you say: "I am rich and have acquired riches and do not need anything at all," but you do not know you are miserable and pitiable and poor and blind and naked, 18 I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire that you may become rich, and white outer garments that you may become dressed and that the shame of your nakedness may not become manifested, and eyesalve to rub in your eyes that you may see. 19 "'All those for whom I have affection I reprove and discipline. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Look! I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into his [house] and take the evening meal with him and he with me. 21 To the one that conquers I will grant to sit down with me on my throne, even as I conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations.'"

a scroll sealed with 7 seals

Chap 4
After these things I saw, and, look! an opened door in heaven, and the first voice that I heard was as of a trumpet, speaking with me, saying: “Come on up here, and I shall show you the things that must take place.” 2 After these things I immediately came to be in [the power of the] spirit: and, look! a throne was in its position in heaven, and there is one seated upon the throne. 3 And the one seated is, in appearance, like a jasper stone and a precious red-colored stone, and round about the throne [there is] a rainbow like an emerald in appearance.

4 And round about the throne [there are] twenty-four thrones, and upon these thrones [I saw] seated 24 elders dressed in white outer garments, and upon their heads golden crowns. 5 And out of the throne there are proceeding lightnings and voices and thunders; and [there are] seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, and these mean the seven spirits of God. 6 And before the throne there is, as it were, a glassy sea like crystal.

And in the midst of the throne and around the throne [there are] four living creatures that are full of eyes in front and behind. 7 And the first living creature is like a lion, and the second living creature is like a young bull, and the third living creature has a face like a man’s, and the fourth living creature is like a flying eagle. 8 And as for the four living creatures, each one of them respectively has six wings; round about and underneath they are full of eyes. And they have no rest day and night as they say: “Holy, holy, holy is YHWH God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is coming.”

9 And whenever the living creatures offer glory and honor and thanksgiving to the one seated upon the throne, the one that lives forever and ever, 10 the 24 elders fall down before the One seated upon the throne and worship the One that lives forever and ever, and they cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 11 “You are worthy, YHWH, even our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created.”

Chap 5
1 And I saw in the right hand of the One seated upon the throne a scroll written within and on the reverse side, sealed tight with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice: "Who is worthy to open the scroll and loose its seals?" 3 But neither in heaven nor upon earth nor underneath the earth was there a single one able to open the scroll or to look into it. 4 And I gave way to a great deal of weeping because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 But one of the elders says to me: "Stop weeping. Look! The Lion that is of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered so as to open the scroll and its seven seals." 6 And I saw standing in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders a lamb as though it had been slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which [eyes] mean the seven spirits of God that have been sent forth into the whole earth.

7 And he went and at once took [it] out of the right hand of the One seated on the throne. 8 And when he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp and golden bowls that were full of incense, and the [incense] means the prayers of the holy ones.

9 And they sing a new song, saying:
"You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because you were slaughtered and with your blood you bought persons for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth."

11 And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders, and the number of them was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice: "The Lamb that was slaughtered is worthy to receive the power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing." 13 And every creature that is in heaven and on earth and underneath the earth and on the sea, and all the things in them, I heard saying: "To the One sitting on the throne and to the Lamb be the blessing and the honor and the glory and the might forever and ever." 14 And the four living creatures went saying: "Amen!" and the elders fell down and worshiped.

1st seal - 6th seal

Chap 6
1 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 as of thunder: "Come!" 2 And I saw, and, look! a white horse; and the one seated upon it had a bow; and a crown was given him, and he went forth conquering and to complete his conquest.

3 And when he opened the 2nd seal, I heard the second living creature say: "Come!" 4 And another came forth, a fiery-colored horse; and to the one seated upon it there was granted to take peace away from the earth so that they should slaughter one another; and a great sword was given him.

5 And when he opened the 3rd seal, I heard the third living creature say: "Come!" And I saw, and, look! a black horse; and the one seated upon it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice as if in the midst of the four living creatures say: "A quart of wheat for a denar'ius, and three quarts of barley for a denar'ius; and do not harm the olive oil and the wine."

7 And when he opened the 4th seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say: "Come!" 8 And I saw, and, look! a pale horse; and the one seated upon it had the name Death. And Ha'des was closely following him. And authority was given them (four horsemen) over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with a long sword and with food shortage and with deadly plague and by the wild beasts of the earth.

9 And when he opened the 5th seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those slaughtered because of the word of God and because of the witness work that they used to have. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying: "Until when, Sovereign Lord holy and true, are you refraining from judging and avenging our blood upon those who dwell on the earth?" 11 And a white robe was given to each of them; and they were told to rest a little while longer, until the number was filled also of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were about to be killed as they also had been.

12 And I saw when he opened the 6th seal, and a great earthquake occurred; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the entire moon became as blood, 13 and the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as when a fig tree shaken by a high wind casts its unripe figs. 14 And the heaven departed as a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and [every] island were removed from their places. 15 And the kings of the earth and the top-ranking ones and the military commanders and the rich and the strong ones and every slave and [every] free person hid themselves in the caves and in the rock-masses of the mountains. 16 And they keep saying to the mountains and to the rock-masses: "Fall over us and hide us from the face of the One 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?"

Chap 7
1 After this I saw four angels standing upon the four corners of the earth, holding tight the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow upon the earth or upon the sea or upon any tree. 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the sunrising, having a 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: "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until after we have sealed the slaves of our God in their foreheads." 4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed, a 144,000, sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel:
5 Out of the tribe of Judah 12,000;
out of the tribe of Reu'ben 12,000;
out of the tribe of Gad 12,000;
6 out of the tribe of Ash'er 12,000;
out of the tribe of Naph'tali 12,000;
out of the tribe of Manas'seh 12,000;
7 out of the tribe of Sim'eon 12,000;
out of the tribe of Le'vi 12,000;
out of the tribe of Is'sachar 12,000;
8 out of the tribe of Zeb'ulun 12,000;
out of the tribe of Joseph 12,000;
out of the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.

9 After these things I saw, and, look! a great crowd, 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 there were palm branches in their hands. 10 And they keep on crying with a loud voice, saying: "Salvation [we owe] to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb."
11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell upon their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: "Amen! The blessing and the glory and the wisdom and the thanksgiving and the honor and the power and the strength [be] to our God forever and ever. Amen."
13 And in response one of the elders said to me: "These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from?" 14 So right away I said to him: "My lord, you are the one that knows." And he said to me: "These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 That is why they are before the throne of God; and they are rendering him sacred service 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 upon them nor any scorching heat, 17 because the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will shepherd them, and will guide them to fountains of waters of life. And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes."

7th seal

Chap 8
1 And when he opened the 7th seal, a silence occurred in heaven for about a half hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels that stand before God, and seven trumpets were given them. 3 And another angel arrived and stood at the altar, having a golden incense vessel; and a large quantity of incense was given him to offer it with the prayers of all the holy ones upon the golden altar that was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense ascended from the hand of the angel with the prayers of the holy ones before God. 5 But right away the angel took the incense vessel, and he filled it with some of the fire of the altar and hurled it to the earth. And thunders occurred and voices and lightnings and an earthquake. 6 And the seven angels with the seven trumpets prepared to blow them.

1st - 4th trumpet

7 And the first one blew his trumpet. And there occurred a hail and fire mingled with blood, and it was hurled to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees was burned up, and all the green vegetation was burned up.

8 And the 2nd angel blew his trumpet. And something like a great mountain burning with fire was hurled into the sea. And a third of the sea became blood; 9 and a third of the creatures that are in the sea which have souls died, and a third of the boats were wrecked.

10 And the 3rd angel blew his trumpet. And a great star burning as a lamp fell from heaven, and it fell upon a third of the rivers and upon the fountains of waters. 11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood. And a third of the waters turned into wormwood, and many of the men died from the waters, because these had been made bitter.

12 And the 4th angel blew his trumpet. And a third of the sun was smitten 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 illumination 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 dwelling on the earth because of the rest of the trumpet blasts of the three angels who are about to blow their trumpets!"

5th - 7th trumpet

The 1st Woe
Chap 9
1 And the 5th angel blew his trumpet. And I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to the earth, and the key of the pit of the abyss was given him. 2 And he opened the pit of the abyss, and smoke ascended out of the pit as the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun was darkened, also the air, by the smoke of the pit. 3 And out of the smoke locusts came forth upon the earth; and authority was given them, the same authority as the scorpions of the earth have. 4 And they were told to harm no vegetation of the earth nor any green thing nor any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And it was granted the [locusts], not to kill them, but that these should be tormented five months, and the torment upon them was as torment by a scorpion when it strikes a man. 6 And in those days the men will seek death but will by no means find it, and they will desire to die but death keeps fleeing from them. 7 And the likenesses of the locusts resembled horses prepared for battle; and upon their heads [were] what seemed to be crowns like gold, and their faces [were] as men's faces, 8 but they had hair as women's hair. And their teeth were as those of lions; 9 and they had breastplates like iron breastplates. And the sound of their wings [was] as the sound of chariots of many horses running into battle. 10 Also, they have tails and stings like scorpions; and in their tails is their authority to hurt the men five months. 11 They have over them a king, the angel of the abyss. In Hebrew his name is Abad'don, but in Greek he has the name Apol'lyon (Destroyer). 12 The one woe is past. Look! Two more woes are coming after these things.

The 2nd Woe
13 And the 6th angel blew his trumpet. And I heard one voice out of the horns of the golden altar that is before God 14 say to the sixth angel, who had the trumpet: "Untie the four angels that are bound at the great river Euphra'tes." 15 And the four angels were untied, who have been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, to kill a third of the men. 16 And the number of the armies of cavalry was 200 million: 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 sulphur-yellow breastplates; and the heads of the horses were as heads of lions, and out of their mouths fire and smoke and sulphur issued forth. 18 By these three plagues a third of the men were killed, from the fire and the smoke and the sulphur which issued forth from 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 do harm. 20 But the rest of the men who were not killed by these plagues did not repent of the works of their hands, so that they should not 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 spiritistic practices nor of their fornication nor of their thefts.

Chap 10
1 And I saw another strong angel descending from heaven, arrayed with a cloud, and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as the sun, and his feet were as fiery pillars, 2 and he had in his hand a little scroll opened. And he set his right foot upon the sea, but his left one upon the earth, 3 and he cried out with a loud voice just as when a lion roars. And when he cried out, the seven thunders uttered their own voices. 4 Now when the seven thunders spoke, I was at the point of writing; but I heard a voice out of heaven say: "Seal up the things the seven thunders spoke, and do not write them down." 5 And the angel that I saw standing on the sea and on the earth raised his right hand to heaven, 6 and by the One who lives forever and ever, who created the heaven and the things in it and the earth and the things in it and the sea and the things in it (spurious words), he swore: "There will be no delay any longer; 7 but in the days of the sounding of the 7th angel, when he is about to blow his trumpet, the sacred secret of God according to the good news which he declared to his own slaves the prophets is indeed brought to a finish." 8 And the voice that I heard out of heaven is speaking again with me and saying: "Go, take the opened scroll that is in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the earth." 9 And I went away to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me: "Take it and eat it up, and it will make your belly bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey." 10 And I took the little scroll out of the hand of the angel and ate it up, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; but when I had eaten it up, my belly was made bitter. 11 And they say to me: "You must prophesy again with regard to peoples and nations and tongues and many kings."

Chap 11
1 And a reed like a rod was given me as he said: "Get up and measure the temple [sanctuary] of God and the altar and those worshiping in it. 2 But as for the courtyard that is outside the temple [sanctuary], cast it clear out and do not measure it, because it has been given to the nations, and they will trample the holy city underfoot for 42 months. 3 And I will cause my two witnesses to prophesy for 1,260 days dressed in sackcloth." 4 These are [symbolized by] the two olive trees and the two lampstands and are standing before the Lord of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire issues forth from their mouths and devours their enemies; and if anyone should want to harm them, in this manner he must be killed. 6 These have the authority to shut up heaven that no rain should fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have authority over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every sort of plague as often as they wish. 7 And when they have finished their witnessing, the wild beast that ascends out of the abyss will make war with them and conquer them and kill them. 8 And their corpses will be on the broad way of the great city which is in a spiritual sense called Sod'om and Egypt, where their Lord was also impaled. 9 And those of the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their corpses for 3-1/2 days, and they do not let their corpses be laid in a tomb. 10 And those dwelling on the earth rejoice over them and enjoy themselves, and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those dwelling on the earth. 11 And after the 3-1/2 days spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet, and great fear fell upon those beholding them. 12 And they heard a loud voice out of heaven say to them: "Come on up here." And they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies beheld them. 13 And in that hour a great earthquake occurred, and a tenth of the city fell; and 7,000 persons were killed by the earthquake, and the rest became frightened and gave glory to the God of heaven. 14 The 2nd woe is past. Look! The 3rd woe is coming quickly.

3rd Woe
15 And the 7th angel blew his trumpet. And loud voices occurred in heaven, saying: "The kingdom of the world did become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will rule as king forever and ever." 16 And the 24 elders who were seated before God upon their thrones fell upon their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying: "We thank you, YHWH God, the Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and begun ruling as king. 18 But the nations became wrathful, and your own wrath came, and the appointed time for the dead to be judged, and to give [their] reward to your slaves the prophets and to the holy ones and to those fearing your name, the small and the great, and to bring to ruin those ruining the earth." 19 And the temple [sanctuary] of God that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen in his temple [sanctuary]. And there occurred lightnings and voices and thunders and an earthquake and a great hail.

Chap 12
1 And a great sign was seen in heaven, a woman arrayed with the sun, and the moon was beneath her feet, and on her head was a crown of twelve stars, 2 and she was pregnant. And she cries out in her pains and in her agony to give birth. 3 And another sign was seen in heaven, and, look! a great fiery-colored dragon, with seven heads and ten horns and upon its heads seven diadems; 4 and its tail drags a 3rd of the stars of heaven, and it hurled them down to the earth. And the dragon kept standing before the woman who was about to give birth, that, when she did give birth, it might devour her child. 5 And she gave birth to a son, a male, who is to shepherd all the nations with an iron rod. And her child was caught away to God and to his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there a 1,260 days. 7 And war broke out in heaven: Mi'chael and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled 8 but it did not prevail, neither was a place found for them any longer in heaven. 9 So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ, because the accuser of our brothers has been hurled down, who accuses them day and night before our God! 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 the face of death. 12 On this account be glad, YOU heavens and YOU who reside in them! Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to YOU, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time." 13 Now when the dragon saw that it was hurled down to the earth, it persecuted the woman that gave birth to the male child. 14 But the two wings of the great eagle were given the woman, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place; there is where she is fed for 3-1/2 times away from the face of the serpent. 15 And the serpent disgorged water like a river from its mouth after the woman, to cause her to be drowned by the river. 16 But the earth came to the woman's help, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river that the dragon disgorged from its mouth. 17 And the dragon grew wrathful at the woman, and went off to wage war with the remaining ones of her seed, who observe the commandments of God and have the work of bearing witness to Jesus.

Chap 13
1 And it stood still upon the sand of the sea. And I saw a wild beast ascending out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, and upon its horns ten diadems, but upon its heads blasphemous names. 2 Now the wild beast that I saw was like a leopard, but its feet were as those of a bear, and its mouth was as a lion's mouth. And the dragon gave to [the beast] its power and its throne and great authority. 3 And I saw one of its heads as though slaughtered to death, but its death-stroke got healed, and all the earth followed the wild beast with admiration. 4 And they worshiped the dragon because it gave the authority to the wild beast, and they worshiped the wild beast with the words: "Who is like the wild beast, and who can do battle with it?" 5 And a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies was given it, and authority to act 42 months was given it. 6 And it opened its mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name and his residence, even those residing in heaven. 7 And there was granted it to wage war with the holy ones and conquer them, and authority was given it over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. 8 And all those who dwell on the earth will worship it; the name of not one of them stands written in the scroll of life of the Lamb who was slaughtered, from the founding of the world. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 If anyone [is meant] for captivity, he goes away into captivity. If anyone will kill with the sword, he must be killed with the sword. Here is where it means the endurance and faith of the holy ones. 11 And I saw another wild beast ascending out of the earth, and it had two horns like a lamb, but it began speaking as a dragon. 12 And it exercises all the authority of the first wild beast in its sight. And it makes the earth and those who dwell in it worship the first wild beast, whose death-stroke got healed. 13 And it performs great signs, so that it should even make fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the sight of mankind. 14 And it misleads those who dwell on the earth, because of the signs that were granted it to perform in the sight of the wild beast, while it tells those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the wild beast that had the sword-stroke and yet revived. 15 And there was granted it to give breath to the image of the wild beast, so that the image of the wild beast should both speak and cause to be killed all those who would not in any way worship the image of the wild beast. 16 And it puts under compulsion all persons, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves, that they should give these a mark in their right hand or upon their forehead, 17 and that nobody might be able to buy or sell except a person having the mark, the name of the wild beast or the number of its name. 18 Here is where wisdom comes in: Let the one that has intelligence calculate the number of the wild beast, for it is a man's number; and its number is 666.

Chap 14
1 And I saw, and, look! the Lamb standing upon the Mount Zion, and with him a 144,000 having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound out of heaven as the sound of many waters and as the sound of loud thunder; and the sound that I heard was as of singers who accompany themselves on the harp playing on their harps. 3 And they are singing as if a new song before the throne and before the 4 living creatures and the elders; and no one was able to master that song but the 144,000, who have been bought from the earth. 4 These are the ones that did not defile themselves with women; in fact, they are virgins. These are the ones that keep following the Lamb no matter where he goes. These were bought from among mankind as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb, 5 and no falsehood was found in their mouths; they are without blemish. 6 And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, and he had everlasting good news to declare as glad tidings to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people, 7 saying in a loud voice: "FEAR God and give him glory, because the hour of the judgment by him has arrived, and so worship the One who made the heaven and the earth and sea and fountains of waters." 8 And another, a second angel, followed, saying: "She has fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen, she who made all the nations drink of the wine of the anger of her fornication!" 9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the wild beast and its image, and receives a mark on his forehead or upon his hand, 10 he will also drink of the wine of the anger of God that is poured out undiluted into the cup of his wrath, and he shall be tormented with fire and sulphur in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever, and day and night they have no rest, those who worship the wild beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name. 12 Here is where it means endurance for the holy ones, those who observe the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." 13 And I heard a voice out of heaven say: "Write: Happy are the dead who die in union with [the] Lord from this time onward. Yes, says the spirit, let them rest from their labors, for the things they did go right with them." 14 And I saw, and, look! a white cloud, and upon the cloud someone seated like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 And another angel emerged from the temple [sanctuary], crying with a loud voice to the one seated on the cloud: "Put your sickle in and reap, because the hour has come to reap, for the harvest of the earth is thoroughly ripe." 16 And the one seated on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped. 17 And still another angel emerged from the temple [sanctuary] that is in heaven, he, too, having a sharp sickle. 18 And still another angel emerged from the altar and he had authority over the fire. And he called out with a loud voice to the one that had the sharp sickle, saying: "Put your sharp sickle in and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, because its grapes have become ripe." 19 And 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 anger of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress as high up as the bridles of the horses, for a distance of a 1,600 furlongs (200 miles, 320 km).

7 golden bowls

Chap 15
1 And I saw in heaven another sign, great and wonderful, seven angels with seven plagues. These are the last ones, because by means of them the anger of God is brought to a finish. 2 And I saw what seemed to be a glassy sea mingled with fire, and those who come off victorious from the wild beast and from its image and from the number of its name standing by the glassy sea, having harps of God. 3 And they are singing the song of Moses the slave of God and the song of the Lamb, saying: "Great and wonderful are your works, YHWH God, the Almighty. Righteous and true are your ways, King of eternity. 4 Who will not really fear you, YHWH, and glorify your name, because you alone are loyal? For all the nations will come and worship before you, because your righteous decrees have been made manifest." 5 And after these things I saw, and the sanctuary of the tent of the witness was opened in heaven, 6 and the seven angels with the seven plagues emerged from the sanctuary, clothed with clean, bright linen and girded about their breasts with golden girdles. 7 And one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels 7 golden bowls that were full of the anger of God, who lives forever and ever. 8 And the sanctuary became filled with smoke because of the glory of God and because of his power, and no one was able to enter into the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.

Chap 16
1 And I heard a loud voice out of the sanctuary say to the seven angels: "Go and pour out the seven bowls of the anger of God into the earth."
2 And the 1st one went off and poured out his bowl into the earth. And a hurtful and malignant ulcer came to be upon the men that had the mark of the wild beast and that were worshiping its image.
3 And the 2nd one poured out his bowl into the sea. And it became blood as of a dead man, and every living soul died, [yes,] the things in the sea.
4 And the 3rd one poured out his bowl into the rivers and the fountains of the waters. And they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel over the waters say: "You, the One who is and who was, the loyal One, are righteous, because you have rendered these decisions, 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 say: "Yes, YHWH God, the Almighty, true and righteous are your judicial decisions."
8 And the 4th one poured out his bowl upon the sun; and to [the sun] it was granted to scorch the men with fire. 9 And the 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 glory to him.
10 And the 5th one poured out his bowl upon the throne of the wild beast. And its kingdom became darkened, and they began to gnaw their tongues for [their] pain, 11 but they blasphemed the God of heaven for their pains and for their ulcers, and they did not repent of their works.
12 And the 6th one poured out his bowl upon the great river Euphra'tes, and its water was dried up, that the way might be prepared for the kings from the rising of the sun. 13 And I saw 3 unclean inspired expressions [that looked] like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the wild beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are, in fact, expressions inspired by demons and perform signs, and they go forth to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty. 15 "Look! I am coming as a thief. Happy is the one that stays awake and keeps his outer garments, that he may not walk naked and people look upon his shamefulness." 16 And they gathered them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Har-Maged'on.
17 And the 7th one poured out his bowl upon the air. At this a loud voice issued out of the sanctuary from the throne, saying: "It has come to pass!" 18 And lightnings and voices and thunders occurred, and a great earthquake occurred such as had not occurred since men came to be on the earth, so extensive an earthquake, so great. 19 And the great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell; and Babylon the Great was remembered in the sight of God, to give her the cup of the wine of the anger of his wrath. 20 Also, every island fled, and mountains were not found. 21 And a great hail with every stone about the weight of a talent (45 kg) descended out of heaven upon the men, and the men blasphemed God due to the plague of hail, because the plague of it was unusually great.

Chap 17
1 And one of the seven angels that had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying: "Come, I will show you the judgment upon the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, whereas those who inhabit the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication." 3 And he carried me away in [the power of the] spirit into a wilderness. And I caught sight of a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored wild beast that was full of blasphemous names and that had seven heads and ten horns. 4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and was adorned with gold and precious stone and pearls and had in her hand a golden cup that was full of disgusting things and the unclean things of her fornication. 5 And upon her forehead was written a name, a mystery: "Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots and of the disgusting 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 catching sight of her I wondered with great wonderment. 7 And so the angel said to me: "Why is it you wondered? 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 wild beast that you saw was, but is not, and yet is about to ascend out of the abyss, and it is to go off into destruction. And when they see how the wild beast was, but is not, and yet will be present, those who dwell on the earth will wonder admiringly, but their names have not been written upon the scroll of life from the founding of the world. 9 "Here is where the intelligence that has wisdom comes in: The seven heads mean seven mountains, where the woman sits on top. 10 And there are seven kings: five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet arrived, but when he does arrive he must remain a short while. 11 And the wild beast that was but is not, it is also itself an eighth [king], but springs from the seven, and it goes off into destruction. 12 "And the ten horns that you saw mean ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom, but they do receive authority as kings one hour with the wild beast. 13 These have one thought, and so they give their power and authority to the wild beast. 14 These will battle with the Lamb, but, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, the Lamb will conquer them. Also, those called and chosen and faithful with him [will do so]."

15 And he says to me: "The waters that you saw, where the harlot is sitting, mean peoples and crowds and nations and tongues. 16 And the ten horns that you saw, and the wild beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire. 17 For God put [it] into their hearts to carry out his thought, even to carry out [their] one thought by giving their kingdom to the wild beast, until the words of God will have been accomplished. 18 And the woman whom you saw means the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth."

Chap 18
1 After these things I saw another angel descending from heaven, with great authority; and the earth was lighted up from his glory. 2 And he cried out with a strong voice, saying: "She has fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen, and she has become a dwelling place of demons and a lurking place of every unclean exhalation and a lurking place of every unclean and hated bird! 3 For because of the wine of the anger of her fornication all the nations have fallen [victim], and the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, and the traveling merchants of the earth became rich due to the power of her shameless luxury." 4 And I heard another voice out of heaven say: "Get out of her, my people, if YOU do not want to share with her in her sins, and if YOU do not want to receive part of her plagues. 5 For her sins have massed together clear up to heaven, and God has called her acts of injustice to mind. 6 Render to her even as she herself rendered, and do to her twice as much, yes, twice the number of the things she did; in the cup in which she put a mixture put twice as much of the mixture for her. 7 To the extent that she glorified herself and lived in shameless luxury, to that extent give her torment and mourning. For in her heart she keeps saying, 'I sit a queen, and I am no widow, and I shall never see mourning.' 8 That is why in one day her plagues will come, death and mourning and famine, and she will be completely burned with fire, because YHWH God, who judged her, is strong. 9 "And the kings of the earth who committed fornication with her and lived in shameless luxury will weep and beat themselves in grief over her, when they look at the smoke from the burning of her, 10 while they stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and say, 'Too bad, too bad, you great city, Babylon you strong city, because in one hour your judgment has arrived!' 11 "Also, the traveling merchants of the earth are weeping and mourning over her, because there is no one to buy their full stock anymore, 12 a full stock of gold and silver and precious stone and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet; and everything in scented wood and every sort of ivory object and every sort of object out of most precious wood and of copper and of iron and of marble; 13 also cinnamon and Indian spice and incense and perfumed oil and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and horses and coaches and slaves and human souls. 14 Yes, the fine fruit that your soul desired has departed from you, and all the dainty things and the gorgeous things have perished from you, and never again will people find them. 15 "The traveling merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of [their] fear of her torment and will weep and mourn, 16 saying, 'Too bad, too bad-the great city, clothed with fine linen and purple and scarlet, and richly adorned with gold ornament and precious stone and pearl, 17 because in one hour such great riches have been devastated!' "And every ship captain and every man that voyages anywhere, and sailors and all those who make a living by the sea, stood at a distance 18 and cried out as they looked at the smoke from the burning of her and said, 'What city is like the great city?' 19 And they threw dust upon their heads and cried out, weeping and mourning, and said, 'Too bad, too bad-the great city, in which all those having boats at sea became rich by reason of her costliness, because in one hour she has been devastated!' 20 "Be glad over her, O heaven, also YOU holy ones and YOU apostles and YOU prophets, because God has judicially exacted punishment for YOU from her!" 21 And a strong angel lifted up a stone like a great millstone and hurled it into the sea, saying: "Thus with a swift pitch will Babylon the great city be hurled down, and she will never be found again. 22 And the sound of singers who accompany themselves on the harp and of musicians and of flutists and of trumpeters will never be heard in you again, and no craftsman of any trade will ever be found in you again, and no sound of a millstone will ever be heard in you again, 23 and no light of a lamp will ever shine in you again, and no voice of a bridegroom and of a bride will ever be heard in you again; because your traveling merchants were the top-ranking men of the earth, for by your spiritistic practice all the nations were misled. 24 Yes, in her was found the blood of prophets and of holy ones and of all those who have been slaughtered on the earth."

Chap 19
1 After these things I heard what was as a loud voice of a great crowd in heaven. They said: "Praise Jah, YOU people! The salvation and the glory and the power belong to our God, 2 because his judgments are true and righteous. For he has executed judgment upon the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he has avenged the blood of his slaves at her hand." 3 And right away for the second time they said: "Praise Jah, YOU people! And the smoke from her goes on ascending forever and ever." 4 And the 24 elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God seated upon the throne, and said: "Amen! Praise Jah, YOU people!" 5 Also, a voice issued forth from the throne and said: "Be praising our God, all YOU his slaves, who fear him, the small ones and the great." 6 And I heard what was as a voice of a great crowd and as a sound of many waters and as a sound of heavy thunders. They said: "Praise Jah, YOU people, because YHWH our God, the Almighty, has begun to rule as king. 7 Let us rejoice and be overjoyed, and let us give him the glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has arrived and his wife has prepared herself. 8 Yes, it has been granted to her to be arrayed in bright, clean, fine linen, for the fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the holy ones."

9 And he tells me: "Write: Happy are those invited to the evening meal of the Lamb's marriage." Also, he tells me: "These are the true sayings of God." 10 At that I fell down before his feet to worship him. But he tells me: "Be careful! Do not do that! All I am is a fellow slave of you and of your brothers who have the work of witnessing to Jesus. Worship God; for the bearing witness to Jesus is what inspires prophesying."

11 And I saw the heaven opened, and, look! a white horse. And the one seated upon it is called Faithful and True, and he judges and carries on war in righteousness. 12 His eyes are a fiery flame, and upon his head are many diadems. He has a name written that no one knows but he himself, 13 and he is arrayed with an outer garment sprinkled with blood, and the name he is called is The Word of God. 14 Also, the armies that were in heaven were following him on white horses, and they were clothed in white, clean, fine linen. 15 And out of his mouth there protrudes a sharp long sword, that he may strike the nations with it, and he will shepherd them with a rod of iron. He treads too the winepress of the anger of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 And upon his outer garment, even upon his thigh, he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

17 I saw also an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice and said to all the birds that fly in midheaven: "Come here, be gathered together to the great evening meal of God, 18 that YOU may eat the fleshy parts of kings and the fleshy parts of military commanders and the fleshy parts of strong men and the fleshy parts of horses and of those seated upon them, and the fleshy parts of all, of freemen as well as of slaves and of small ones and great." 19 And I saw the wild beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage the war with the one seated on the horse and with his army. 20 And the wild beast was caught, and along with it the false prophet that performed in front of it the signs with which he misled those who received the mark of the wild beast and those who render worship to its image. While still alive, they both were hurled into the fiery lake that burns with sulphur. 21 But the rest were killed off with the long sword of the one seated on the horse, which [sword] proceeded out of his mouth. And all the birds were filled from the fleshy parts of them.

Chap 20
1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven with 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 he hurled him into the abyss and shut [it] and sealed [it] over him, that he might not mislead the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After these things he must be let loose for a little while. 4 And I saw thrones, and there were those who sat down on them, and power of judging was given them. Yes, I saw the souls of those executed with the ax for the witness they bore to Jesus and for speaking about God, and those who had worshiped neither the wild beast nor its image and who had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand. And they came to life and ruled as kings with the Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. (spurious) This is the first resurrection. 6 Happy and holy is anyone having part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and will rule as kings with him for the thousand years. 7 Now as soon as the thousand years have been ended, Satan will be let loose out of his prison, 8 and he will go out to mislead those nations in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Ma'gog, to gather them together for the war. The number of these is as the sand of the sea. 9 And they advanced over the breadth of the earth and encircled the camp of the holy ones and the beloved city. But fire came down out of heaven and devoured them. 10 And the Devil who was misleading them was hurled into the lake of fire and sulphur, where both the wild beast and the false prophet [already were]; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

11 And I saw a great white throne and the one seated on it. From before him the earth and the 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. But another scroll was opened; it is the scroll of life. And the dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up those dead in it, and death and Ha'des gave up those dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds. 14 And death and Ha'des were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire. 15 Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire.

Chap 21
1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. 2 I saw also the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: "Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. 4 And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away."

5 And the One seated on the throne said: "Look! I am making all things new." Also, he says: "Write, because these words are faithful and true." 6 And he said to me: "They have come to pass! I am the Al'pha and the Ome'ga, the beginning and the end. To anyone thirsting I will give from the fountain of the water of life free. 7 Anyone conquering will inherit these things, and I shall be his God and he will be my son.

8 But as for the cowards and those without faith and those who are disgusting in their filth and murderers and fornicators and those practicing spiritism and idolaters and all the liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur. This means the second death."

9 And there came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls which were full of the seven last plagues, and he spoke with me and said: "Come here, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife." 10 So he carried me away in [the power of the] spirit to a great and lofty mountain, and he showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God 11 and having the glory of God. Its radiance was like a most precious stone, as a jasper stone shining crystal-clear. 12 It had a great and lofty wall and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names were inscribed which are those of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. 13 On the east were three gates, and on the north three gates, and on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14 The wall of the city also had twelve foundation stones, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 Now the one who was speaking with me was holding as a measure a golden reed, that he might measure the city and its gates and its wall. 16 And the city lies foursquare, and its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed, 12,000 furlongs (1,170 miles, 1,900 km); its length and breadth and height are equal. 17 Also, he measured its wall, 144 cubits (216 ft, 65.84 m), according to a man's measure, at the same time an angel's. [These were the length of a man’s forearm (which is about the same as for a messenger [of God]), times 144.]

18 Now the structure of its wall was jasper, and the city was pure gold like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the city's wall were adorned with every sort of precious stone: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalced'ony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sar'donyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrys'olite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrys'oprase, the eleventh hyacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21 Also, the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was made of one pearl. And the broad way of the city was pure gold, as transparent glass.

22 And I did not see a temple in it, for YHWH God the Almighty is its temple, also the Lamb [is]. 23 And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God lighted it up, and its lamp was the Lamb. 24 And the nations will walk by means of its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25 And its gates will not be closed at all by day, for night will not exist there. 26 And they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. 27 But anything not sacred and anyone that carries on a disgusting thing and a lie will in no way enter into it; only those written in the Lamb's scroll of life [will].

Chap 22
1 And he showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, flowing out from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of its broad way. And on this side of the river and on that side [there were] trees of life producing twelve crops of fruit, yielding their fruits each month. And the leaves of the trees [were] for the curing of the nations.

3 And no more will there be any curse. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in [the city], and his slaves will render him sacred service; 4 and they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 Also, night will be no more, and they have no need of lamplight nor [do they have] sunlight, because YHWH God will shed light upon them, and they will rule as kings forever and ever.

6 And he said to me: "These words are faithful and true; yes, YHWH the God of the inspired expressions of the prophets sent his angel forth to show his slaves the things that must shortly take place. 7 And, look! I am coming quickly. Happy is anyone observing the words of the prophecy of this scroll."

8 Well, I John was the one hearing and seeing these things. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel that had been showing me these things. 9 But he tells me: "Be careful! Do not do that! All I am is a fellow slave of you and of your brothers who are prophets and of those who are observing the words of this scroll. Worship God."

10 He also tells me: "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, for the appointed time is near. 11 He that is doing unrighteousness, let him do unrighteousness still; and let the filthy one be made filthy still; but let the righteous one do righteousness still, and let the holy one be made holy still.

12 "'Look! I am coming quickly, and the reward I give is with me, to render to each one as his work is. 13 I am the Al'pha and the Ome'ga, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.

14 Happy are those who wash their robes, that the authority [to go] to the trees of life may be theirs and that they may gain entrance into the city by its gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and those who practice spiritism and the fornicators and the murderers and the idolaters and everyone liking and carrying on a lie.'

16 "'I, Jesus, sent my angel to bear witness to YOU people of these things for the congregations. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright morning star.'"

17 And the spirit and the bride keep on saying: "Come!" And let anyone hearing say: "Come!" And let anyone thirsting come; let anyone that wishes take life's water free.

18 "I am bearing witness to everyone that hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone makes an addition to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this scroll; 19 and if anyone takes anything away from the words of the scroll of this prophecy, God will take his portion away from the trees of life and out of the holy city, things which are written about in this scroll.

20 "He that bears witness of these things says, 'Yes; I am coming quickly.'"
"Amen! Come, Lord Jesus." 21 [May] the undeserved kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ [be] with the holy ones.

summary

YHWH God and Jesus

YHWH GodThe One who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty, the Al'pha and the Ome'ga, Holy, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is coming, the Al'pha and the Ome'ga, the beginning and the end, look! I am coming quickly, Re 1:4, 8, 4:8, 21:6, 22:6-7
Jesus"the Faithful Witness," The firstborn from the dead, The Ruler of the kings of the earth, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, and those who pierced him, I am the First and the Last, 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 Ha'des, Look! I am coming quickly, and the reward I give is with me, to render to each one as his work is, the Al'pha and the Ome'ga, the first and the last, the beginning and the end, Re 1:4, 7, 17-18, 22:12-13


the 7 congregations of the sons of the kingdom

JesusI know your deeds, I am he who searches the kidneys and hearts, and I will give to YOU individually according to YOUR deeds, All those for whom I have affection I reprove and discipline, Re 2:1-3:22
Ephesusthose who say they are apostles, but they are not, those who have left the love they have at first, sect of Nicolaus, he that conquers, Re 2:1-7
Smyrnathose who say themselves are Jews, and yet they are not but are a synagogue of Satan, Devil will keep on throwing some of you into prison, prove yourself faithful even to death, he that conquers, Re 2:8-11
Pergamumwhere the throne of Satan is, the teaching of Balaam, the teaching of the sect of Nicolaus, he that conquers, Re 2:12-17
ThyatiraJezebel, he who searches the kidneys and hearts and he will give to you individually according to your deeds, deep things of Satan, to him conquers I will give authority over the nations, Re 2:18-29
Sardisalthough you have the reputation of being alive, you're really dead, I have not found your deeds fully performed before my God, he that conquers, Re 3:1-6
Philadelphiathe key of David, I have set before you an opened door, those from the synagogue of Satan who say they are Jews and yet they are not but are lying, those who kept the word about endurance, the hour of test, one that conquers, Re 3:7-13
Laodicealukewarm, you do not know you are miserable and pitiable and poor and blind and naked, all those for whom I have affection, I reprove and discipline, be zealous and repent, one that conquers, Re 3:14-22


24 elders, 144,000, great crowd, redeemed mankind

24 eldersdressed in white outer garments, and upon their heads golden crowns, having each one a harp and golden bowls that were full of incense, and the [incense] means the prayers of the holy ones, having a harps they sing a new song (the song of the Lamb), with your blood you bought persons for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth, Re 4:4, 5:7-10
144,000Christ made them to be a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, having Christ's name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads, singing as if a new song before the throne and before the 4 living creatures and the elders, no one was able to master that song but the 144,000, who have been bought from the earth, the ones that keep following the Lamb no matter where he goes, bought from among mankind as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb, having harps of God, singing the song of Moses the slave of God and the song of the Lamb, Re 1:6, 14:1-5, 15:2-4
great crowdthey keep on crying with a loud voice, saying: "Salvation [we owe] to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb, These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, God will spread his tent over them, the Lamb will shepherd them, and will guide them to fountains of waters of life, God will wipe out every tear from their eyes, Re 7:9, 13-17
redeemed mankindLook! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples, God will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore, To anyone thirsting I will give from the fountain of the water of life free, Re 21:1-7


7 seals, 7 trumpets, 7 golden bowls

1st sealwhite horse, the beginning of the conquest, Re 6:1-2
2nd sealfiery red horse, a great sword, Re 6:3-4
3rd sealblack horse, food shortage, Re 6:5-6
4th sealpale horse, authority over a quarter of the earth to kill with the sword, with famines, with plagues, Re 6:7-8
5th sealthe lives of those who had been slaughtered, calling for justice and vengeance, Re 6:9-11
6th sealgreat shaking, the sky being rolled up like a scroll, the Great Day of their (God and Christ) rage has arrived, who is able to stand, 144,000, great crowd, Re 6:12-7:17
7th seal7 trumpets blast, the prayers of all the holy ones, Re 8:1-6
1st trumpethail, fire, blood throw down to the eath Re 8:7
2nd trumpethuge burning mountain throw down to the sea Re 8:8-9
3rd trumpetburning star called wormwood fell out of the sky onto the rivers and the springs of water, Re 8:10-11
4th trumpet1/3 sun, 1/3 moon, 1/3 stars, darkness upon 1/3 of the earth, 3 woes are following due to the rest of the trumpet blasts, Re 8:12-13
5th trumpet1st woe, the key of the pit of the abyss, the angel of the abyss called Apol'lyon (Destroyer), locusts stinging people for 5 months, Re 9:1-12
6th trumpet2nd woe, 4 angels at Euphrates River, 200 million armies of cavalry killed 1/3 of mankind, a small opened scroll, prophesy again, measuring the temple, 2 witnesses prophesy for 1,260 days, the wild beast will kill them, after 3-1/2 days they revive, a tremendous shaking, Re 9:13-11:14
7th trumpet3rd woe, YHWH started ruling as King, a woman, huge fire-red Dragon, War in heaven, woe to the earth and sea, a wild beast out of the sea, another wild beast out of the ground, an image of the wild beast, a mark of the wild beast, Fear God and glorify Him, Babylon the Great has fallen, start harvesting, great winepress of God's rage, 7 bowls of plagues, Re 11:15-16:1
1st bowlpoured out on the ground, malignant sores, Re 16:2
2nd bowlpoured into the sea, every living creature died, Re 16:3
3rd bowlpoured into the rivers and springs, they turned into blood, vengeance for the blood of the holy ones, 16:4-7
4th bowlpoured out on the sun, scorch the men with fire, they blasphemed God who has the authority over these plagues, Re 16:8-9
5th bowlpoured out on the throne of the wild beast, they did not repent, Re 16:10-11
6th bowlpoured out into the Euphrates River, its water was dried up, 3 unclean spirits from Dragon, wild beast, and false prophet, the war of the great day of God the Almighty, Har-Mageddon, Re 16:12-16
7th bowlpoured out into the air, the great city is split into 3, all the cities of the nations fell into ruin, God's anger and rage against Babylon the great, great hailstorm, a woman, scarlet-colored wild beast, 8th king, fall of the Great Babylon, YHWH is passing judgment on her, YHWH has started ruling as King, Lamb's wedding, King of kings and all the armies of the heavens, God's great supper, Re 16:17-19:21

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I became a Christian being baptized in 1972. Since then, I was a Jehovah's Witnesses for about 40 years.

When I was an elder, I was removed from the eldership of the congregation because I took a position that differed from the policy of the Watchtower Society.

Many years of life as a Jehovah's Witnesses I have experienced a discord between the style of worship of the Watch Tower Society and the teachings of Christ. So, using the Internet I began investigating the Watchtower Society from its beginning.

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