and if he turned to ashes the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah when he condemned them to destruction, having appointed them to serve as an example to future generations of the ungodly,

suffering harm as the wages for their harmful ways. By considering it a pleasure to carouse in broad daylight, they are stains and blemishes, indulging in their deceitful pleasures when they feast together with you.

Through these things the world existing at that time was destroyed when it was deluged with water.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; when it comes, the heavens will disappear with a horrific noise, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze, and the earth and every deed done on it will be laid bare.

Therefore, dear friends, since you are waiting for these things, strive to be found at peace, without spot or blemish, when you come into his presence.

And now, little children, remain in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink away from him in shame when he comes back.

For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, just as you are living according to the truth.

But even when Michael the archangel was arguing with the devil and debating with him concerning Moses' body, he did not dare to bring a slanderous judgment, but said, "May the Lord rebuke you!"

I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day when I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,

I turned to see whose voice was speaking to me, and when I did so, I saw seven golden lampstands,

When I saw him I fell down at his feet as though I were dead, but he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid! I am the first and the last,

and when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders threw themselves to the ground before the Lamb. Each of them had a harp and golden bowls full of incense (which are the prayers of the saints).

I looked on when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a thunderous voice, "Come!"

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

Now when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been violently killed because of the word of God and because of the testimony they had given.

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;

and the stars in the sky fell to the earth like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when shaken by a fierce wind.

Now when the Lamb opened the seventh seal there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

The locusts were not given permission to kill them, but only to torture them for five months, and their torture was like that of a scorpion when it stings a person.

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."

But in the days when the seventh angel is about to blow his trumpet, the mystery of God is completed, just as he has proclaimed to his servants the prophets."

So I took the little scroll from the angel's hand and ate it, and it did taste as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.

When they have completed their testimony, the beast that comes up from the abyss will make war on them and conquer them and kill them.

Now when the dragon realized that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.

I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of those who testified to Jesus. I was greatly astounded when I saw her.

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 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.

and began to shout when they saw the smoke from the fire that burned her up, "Who is like the great city?"

Now when the thousand years are finished, Satan will be released from his prison

I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things, and when I heard and saw them, I threw myself down to worship at the feet of the angel who was showing them to me.