in his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like 'the sun in the fulness of its power.'

And, when I saw him, I fell at his feet like one dead. He laid his hand on me and said-- 'Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last,

the mystic meaning of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lamps. The seven stars are the Angels of the seven Churches, and the seven lamps are the seven Churches.

To the Angel of the Church in Ephesus write:-- "These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, and walks among the seven golden lamps:--

Then I saw at the right hand of him who was 'seated on the throne a book, with writing inside and out, and sealed' with seven seals;

The Lamb came forward; and he has taken the book from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.

When the Lamb broke the third seal, I heard the third Creature crying--'Come.' And in my vision I saw 'a black horse.' Its rider held scales in his hand.

Next, another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer in his hand; and a great quantity of incense was given to him, to mingle with the prayers of all Christ's People upon the golden altar before the throne.

The smoke of the incense ascended, with the prayers of Christ's People, from the hand of the angel before God.

in his hand he held a little book open. He set his right foot on the sea, and his left on the land;

Then the angel, whom I had seen standing on the sea and on the land, 'raised his right hand to the heavens,

Then came the voice which I had heard from Heaven. It spoke to me again, and said--'Go and take the book that is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.'

I took the little book out of the angel's hand 'and ate it, and, while in my mouth, it was like the sweetest honey'; but, when I had eaten it, it was bitter to my stomach.

High and low, rich and poor, freemen and slaves--it causes a brand to be put on the right hand or on the forehead of every one of them,

Then a third angel followed them, crying in a loud voice-- 'Whoever worships the Beast and its image, and receives its brand on his forehead or on his hand,

Then, in my vision, I saw a white cloud, and on the cloud there was sitting one 'like a man.' On his head he had a crown of gold, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

('I am coming like a thief! Happy will he be who is on the watch, and keeps his clothing at hand, so that he will not have to walk about unclothed and let men see his nakedness.')

The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and glittering with gold ornaments, precious stones, and pearls. In her hand she held a gold cup, full of idolatrous abominations, and the unclean fruits of her licentiousness;

Then I saw an angel coming down from Heaven, with the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.