1 And after this I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind might not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 saying: Hurt not the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads. 4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed: a hundred and forty-four thousand were sealed out of all the tribes of the sons of Israel. 5 Of the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed: of the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand were sealed: of the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand were sealed: 6 of the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand were sealed: of the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand were sealed: of the tribe of Manasseh, twelve thousand were sealed: 7 of the tribe of Sim eon, twelve thousand were sealed: of the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand were sealed: of the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand were sealed: 8 of the tribe of Zabulon, twelve thousand were sealed: of the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand were sealed: of the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.
9 After this I saw, and behold, a great multitude, that no one could number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and there were palms in their hands; 10 and they cried with a loud voice, saying: Salvation to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.
11 And all the angels stood round about the throne and the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne, and worshiped God, 12 saying, Amen: blessing and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God from acre to acre. Amen.
13 And one of the elders answered, and said to me: "Who are these that are clothed in white robes, and whence came they?
14 And I said to him: Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me: These are they who have come out of great affliction, 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 serve him day and night in his temple; and he that sits on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, nor shall they thirst any more, nor shall the sun fall upon them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and will lead them to living fountains of water: and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.