in his right hand he held seven stars, a sharp sword with a double edge issued from his mouth, and his face shone like the sun in full strength.

When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man; but he laid his hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I am the First and Last,

As for the secret symbol of the seven stars which you have seen in my right hand, and of the seven golden lamp stands ??the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

To the angel of the church at Ephesus write thus: ??These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who moves among the seven golden lampstands:

Then I saw lying on the right hand of him who was seated on the throne, a scroll with writing on the back, as well as inside, sealed with seven seals.

and it went and took the scroll out of the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.

And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living Creature calling, "Come." So I looked and there was a black horse; its rider held a pair of scales in his hand,

and the smoke of the incense with the prayers of all the saints rose up from the angel's hand before God.

and a small scroll open in his hand. He set his right foot on the sea, his left upon the earth,

Then the angel I saw standing on the sea and the earth raised his right hand to heaven

Then the voice I had heard from heaven again talked to me, saying, "Go and take the small scroll which lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and the earth."

Then I took the small scroll from the hand of the angel and swallowed it; it did taste sweet, like honey, but when I had eaten it, it was bitter to digest.

and he obliges all men, low and high, rich and poor, freemen and slaves alike, to have a mark put upon their right hand or their forehead,

They were followed by another, a third angel, crying aloud, "Whoever worships the Beast and his statue, and lets his forehead or hand be marked,

Then I looked, and there was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud One resembling a human being, a golden crown upon his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.

The woman was clad in purple and scarlet, her ornaments were of gold and precious stones and pearls, in her hand was a golden cup full of all abominations and the impurities of her vice,

and he shouted aloud with a strong voice, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, now she is a haunt of demons, the den of all foul spirits, a cage for every foul and loathsome bird:

Then I saw an angel descend from heaven with the key of the abyss and a huge chain in his hand;

And I saw thrones with people sitting on them, who were allowed to judge ??saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and God's word, those who would not worship the Beast or his statue, and who would not receive his mark on their forehead or hand; they came to life and reigned along with the Christ for a thousand years.