Then when the Lamb broke open the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

And they were told not to harm the grass on earth, or any greenery, or any tree, but only those people who did not have God's seal on their foreheads.

And when the seven thunders spoke [words], I started to write down [what the voices said], but I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up what the seven thunders have [just] said, and do not write them down."

so that no one would be able to buy or sell things without having the mark, either the name of the [first] beast or the number of his name.

Then the angel said to me, "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near [i.e., for the events of its prophecies to begin to happen].