who then testified to everything that he saw concerning the word of God and the testimony about Jesus Christ.

I know your deeds: your love, faith, service, and steadfast endurance. In fact, your more recent deeds are greater than your earlier ones.

Furthermore, I will strike her followers with a deadly disease, and then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts. I will repay each one of you what your deeds deserve.

Wake up then, and strengthen what remains that was about to die, because I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.

Then I saw in the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne a scroll written on the front and back and sealed with seven seals.

Then one of the elders said to me, "Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered; thus he can open the scroll and its seven seals."

Then I saw standing in the middle of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders, a Lamb that appeared to have been killed. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

Then he came and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne,

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels in a circle around the throne, as well as the living creatures and the elders. Their number was ten thousand times ten thousand -- thousands times thousands --

Then I heard every creature -- in heaven, on earth, under the earth, in the sea, and all that is in them -- singing: "To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be praise, honor, glory, and ruling power forever and ever!"

Then when the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come!"

Then when the Lamb opened the third seal I heard the third living creature saying, "Come!" So I looked, and here came a black horse! The one who rode it had a balance scale in his hand.

Then I heard something like a voice from among the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat will cost a day's pay and three quarts of barley will cost a day's pay. But do not damage the olive oil and the wine!"

Then when the Lamb opened the fourth seal I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come!"

Then I looked when the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and a huge earthquake took place; the sun became as black as sackcloth made of hair, and the full moon became blood red;

Then the kings of the earth, the very important people, the generals, the rich, the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains.

Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, who had the seal of the living God. He shouted out with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given permission to damage the earth and the sea:

Then one of the elders asked me, "These dressed in long white robes -- who are they and where have they come from?"

So I said to him, "My lord, you know the answer." Then he said to me, "These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb!

Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it on the earth, and there were crashes of thunder, roaring, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.

Then the second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain of burning fire was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea became blood,

Then the third angel blew his trumpet, and a huge star burning like a torch fell from the sky; it landed on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water.

Then the fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. And there was no light for a third of the day and for a third of the night likewise.

Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying directly overhead, proclaiming with a loud voice, "Woe! Woe! Woe to those who live on the earth because of the remaining sounds of the trumpets of the three angels who are about to blow them!"

Then the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the abyss.

Then out of the smoke came locusts onto the earth, and they were given power like that of the scorpions of the earth.

Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a single voice coming from the horns on the golden altar that is before God,

Then the four angels who had been prepared for this hour, day, month, and year were set free to kill a third of humanity.

Then I saw another powerful angel descending from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun and his legs were like pillars of fire.

Then he shouted in a loud voice like a lion roaring, and when he shouted, the seven thunders sounded their voices.

When the seven thunders spoke, I was preparing to write, but just then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Seal up what the seven thunders spoke and do not write it down."

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

Then the voice I had heard from heaven began to speak to me again, "Go and take the open scroll in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land."

Then they told me: "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings."

Then a measuring rod like a staff was given to me, and I was told, "Get up and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and the ones who worship there.

Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them: "Come up here!" So the two prophets went up to heaven in a cloud while their enemies stared at them.

Just then a major earthquake took place and a tenth of the city collapsed; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, 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 for ever and ever."

Then the twenty-four elders who are seated on their thrones before God threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and worshiped God

Then the temple of God in heaven was opened and the ark of his covenant was visible within his temple. And there were flashes of lightning, roaring, crashes of thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.

Then a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and with the moon under her feet, and on her head was a crown of twelve stars.

Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon that had seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadem crowns.

Now the dragon's tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child as soon as it was born.

Then war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, "The salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the ruling authority of his Christ, have now come, because the accuser of our brothers and sisters, the one who accuses them day and night before our God, has been thrown down.

Then the serpent spouted water like a river out of his mouth after the woman in an attempt to sweep her away by a flood,

Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns were ten diadem crowns, and on its heads a blasphemous name.

If anyone is meant for captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed by the sword, then by the sword he must be killed. This requires steadfast endurance and faith from the saints.

Then I saw another beast coming up from the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but was speaking like a dragon.

Then I looked, and here was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him were one hundred and forty-four thousand, who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads.

Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, and he had an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth -- to every nation, tribe, language, and people.

Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write this: 'Blessed are the dead, those who die in the Lord from this moment on!'" "Yes," says the Spirit, "so they can rest from their hard work, because their deeds will follow them."

Then I looked, and a white cloud appeared, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man! He had a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.

Then another angel came out of the temple, shouting in a loud voice to the one seated on the cloud, "Use your sickle and start to reap, because the time to reap has come, since the earth's harvest is ripe!"

Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle.

Then the winepress was stomped outside the city, and blood poured out of the winepress up to the height of horses' bridles for a distance of almost two hundred miles.

Then I saw another great and astounding sign in heaven: seven angels who have seven final plagues (they are final because in them God's anger is completed).

Then I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had conquered the beast and his image and the number of his name. They were standing by the sea of glass, holding harps given to them by God.

Then one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God who lives forever and ever,

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple declaring to the seven angels: "Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls containing God's wrath."

So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth. Then ugly and painful sores appeared on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.

Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into blood.

Then I heard the altar reply, "Yes, Lord God, the All-Powerful, your judgments are true and just!"

Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was permitted to scorch people with fire.

Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast so that darkness covered his kingdom, and people began to bite their tongues because of their pain.

Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and dried up its water to prepare the way for the kings from the east.

Then I saw three unclean spirits that looked like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

Then there were flashes of lightning, roaring, and crashes of thunder, and there was a tremendous earthquake -- an earthquake unequaled since humanity has been on the earth, so tremendous was that earthquake.

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke to me. "Come," he said, "I will show you the condemnation and punishment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters,

The beast you saw was, and is not, but is about to come up from the abyss and then go to destruction. The inhabitants of the earth -- all those whose names have not been written in the book of life since the foundation of the world -- will be astounded when they see that the beast was, and is not, but is to come.

Then the angel said to me, "The waters you saw (where the prostitute is seated) are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.

Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, so you will not take part in her sins and so you will not receive her plagues,

Then the kings of the earth who committed immoral acts with her and lived in sensual luxury with her will weep and wail for her when they see the smoke from the fire that burns her up.

Then the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn for her because no one buys their cargo any longer --

Then one powerful angel picked up a stone like a huge millstone, threw it into the sea, and said, "With this kind of sudden violent force Babylon the great city will be thrown down and it will never be found again!

Then a second time the crowd shouted, "Hallelujah!" The smoke rises from her forever and ever.

Then a voice came from the throne, saying: "Praise our God all you his servants, and all you who fear Him, both the small and the great!"

Then I heard what sounded like the voice of a vast throng, like the roar of many waters and like loud crashes of thunder. They were shouting: "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the All-Powerful, reigns!

Then the angel said to me, "Write the following: Blessed are those who are invited to the banquet at the wedding celebration of the Lamb!" He also said to me, "These are the true words of God."

Then I saw heaven opened and here came a white horse! The one riding it was called "Faithful" and "True," and with justice he judges and goes to war.

Then I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he shouted in a loud voice to all the birds flying high in the sky: "Come, gather around for the great banquet of God,

Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to do battle with the one who rode the horse and with his army.

Then I saw an angel descending from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain.

The angel then threw him into the abyss and locked and sealed it so that he could not deceive the nations until the one thousand years were finished. (After these things he must be released for a brief period of time.)

Then I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. These had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Then I saw a large white throne and the one who was seated on it; the earth and the heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them.

And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. Then books were opened, and another book was opened -- the book of life. So the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds.

Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death -- the lake of fire.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had ceased to exist, and the sea existed no more.

And the one seated on the throne said: "Look! I am making all things new!" Then he said to me, "Write it down, because these words are reliable and true."

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues came and spoke to me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb!"

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life -- water as clear as crystal -- pouring out from the throne of God and of the Lamb,

Then the angel said to me, "These words are reliable and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must happen soon."

Then he said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy contained in this book, because the time is near.