14
The Song of the 144,000
1 Then I looked, and behold,
*the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with him
†was a multitude numbering one hundred forty-four thousand, who had
‡his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads.
2 And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of great thunder.
§The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing their harps.
3 They were
*singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the one hundred forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth.
4 These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been redeemed
†by Jesus from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.
5 No
‡lie was found in their
§mouths, for they are
*blameless.
The Messages of the Three Angels
6 Then I saw
†an angel flying directly
‡overhead, with an eternal gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth, to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people.
7 He said with a loud voice, “Fear
§the Lord and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
8 *A second angel followed, saying, “
†Fallen is Babylon the
‡great!
§She has made all the nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”
9 A third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives
*a mark on his forehead or his hand,
10 he too will drink of the wine of the wrath of God that has been mixed undiluted in the cup of his anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of
†the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.”
12 This calls for the endurance of the
‡saints, those who keep the commandments of God and hold fast to their faith in Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven
§saying, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors,
*and their works will follow them.”
The Harvest of the Earth
14 Then I looked, and behold, there was a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.
15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take yoʋr sickle and reap, because
†the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.”
16 So he who was sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.
17 Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven; he too had a sharp sickle.
18 And another angel, who had authority over the fire, came out from the altar and called out with a loud
‡cry to the angel who had the sharp sickle, “Take yoʋr sharp sickle and gather the clusters
§from the vintage of the earth, for
*the grapes of the earth are ripe.”
19 So the angel swung his sickle across the earth, gathered the vintage of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
20 Then the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, as high as a horse's bridle, for one thousand six hundred stadia.