1 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 should blow on the earth, the sea, or any tree.
2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east with the seal of the living God, and he cried out to the four angels who had the power to injure the earth and the sea:
3 "Do not injure the earth, the sea, or the trees, until we mark the slaves of our God with His seal on their foreheads."
4 And I heard the number of those who were marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand. Those that were marked with the seal were from every tribe of the children of Israel:
5 twelve thousand from the tribe of Judah; twelve thousand from the tribe of Reuben; twelve thousand from the tribe of Gad;
6 twelve thousand from the tribe of Asher; twelve thousand from the tribe of Naphtali; twelve thousand from the tribe of Manasseh;
7 twelve thousand from the tribe of Simeon; twelve thousand from the tribe of Levi; twelve thousand from the tribe of Issachar;
8 twelve thousand from the tribe of Zebulon; twelve thousand from the tribe of Joseph; twelve thousand from the tribe of Benjamin.
9 After this I looked, and there was a vast throng that no one could count from every nation, tribe, people, and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
10 and they cried in a loud voice: "Our salvation is due to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb."
11 Then all the angels stood around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
12 saying: "Amen! Blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen!"
13 Then one of the elders addressed me and said, "Who are these people clothed in white robes, and where did they come from?"
14 I answered him, "You know, my lord." He said to me: "These are the people who are coming through the great persecution, who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 This is why they are before the throne of God, and day and night serve Him in His temple, and He who is seated on His throne will shelter them in His tent.
16 They will never again be hungry or thirsty, and never again will the sun strike them, or any scorching heat,
17 because the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will be their Shepherd, and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."