1 AND I saw in the right hand of him that "sitteth on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed "up* with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? 3 And no man "was able* in heaven" above*, nor in earth, neither under the earth, to open the book, neither to look thereon. 4 And I wept much, because no "one" was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. 5 And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and the seven seals thereof. 6 And I beheld in the midst of the throne and of the four" Living Creatures, and in the midst of the elders, "a Lamb standing* as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. 7 And he came and "received the book out of the right hand of him that "sitteth on the throne. 8 And when he "received the book, the four "Living Creatures * and "the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them "a harp*, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of "the saints; and they "sing a new song, saying, "Worthy art thou to receive the book, and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10 And hast made "them unto our God a kingdom and priests: and "they" reign on the earth. 11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the "Living Creatures and the elders: and the number of them was "myriads of myriads* and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive "the power, and "the* riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. 13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and * in the sea, and all "things that are in them, "and all men*, heard I saying, "Unto him that sitteth upon the throne be the blessing, and the honour, and the glory, and the power, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. "Amen.* 14 And the four "Living Creatures saying the* Amen, and the * elders, fell down and worshipped *. * § 14. Ch. VIII. The Angels standing with the Seven Trumpets. Prayers of the Saints, offered in heaven by Christ. 2 And I saw the seven angels which "stand before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should add it to the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar* before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand. 5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth, and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. 6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. + Head-line in the Authorized Version to Chap. VI. HARMONY $21. Ch. X. The small opened Book. The Angel's Voice. Voices of the Seven Thunders. The Reed. The Rod. The Two Witnesses. 1 AND I saw when the * up. 5 And when he * A measure of wheat for + See below, § 47 b, v. 11. 14. 78] " " " 1 AND I saw another mighty angel "coming * " " * * Ch. XI. 1 AND there was given me a reed like unto a rod; * saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 2 But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and "they shall tread the holy city forty and two months. 3 And I will "grant unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. * See above, § 12, v. 3. § 22. Ch. XII. The Woman clothed with the Sun, crowned with twelve Stars; persecuted by the Dragon and driven into the Wilderness. The Earth helpeth the Woman. 1 AND there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars, 2 "and being with child; and she crieth,* travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. 3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great "dragon, red*, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads; 4 and his tail "sweeps the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth; and the dragon "stands* before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 5 And she brought forth a man child, who "will * rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. 7 And there was war in heaven; Michael and his angels "go forth to fight with the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice" in heaven saying, Now is come "the salvation, and "the strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which "accuseth* them before our God day and night, 11 and they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to "the earth and the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. 13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. 14 And to the woman were given "the two wings of the great eagle, that she "may* fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a "river after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the "river.* 16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the "river which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went away to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and "hold fast the testimony of Jesus Christ. * " * § 22, b. Ch. XIII. Another persecution. The rise of the BEAST, to whom the Dragon gives his power. 1 AND "he stood upon the sand of the sea, and "I* saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads "names of blasphemy. 5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to act forty and two months. + See below, § 29, v. 10. " * This section is continued in § 27, b. § 23. Ch. VI. The Fourth Seal. The Rider on the pale Horse. The BEASTS mentioned. 7 And when he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth "Living Creature say, Come and see. * 8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and "by means of* the beasts of the earth. § 24. Ch. VI. The Fifth Seal. Vision of the souls of the Saints and Martyrs slain in the preceding persecutions; their Prayer; Promise to them. * 9 And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held "fast *. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, "the holy one* and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11 And "a white robe was given unto each of * them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that "are to be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. + See below, § 50, v. 4. "I saw the souls of them that had been beheaded." § 25. Ch. VIII. The Fourth Trumpet. Preannouncement of the THREE WOES. " 12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so that the third part of them should be darkened, and the day should not shine* for a third part of it, and the night likewise. 13 And I beheld, and heard an "Eagle flying "in mid-heaven, and * saying with a loud voice, WOE, WOE, WOE, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the "remaining* voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound! " * § 26. Ch. IX. The Fifth Trumpet, or First Woe. The Locusts. 1 AND the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fallen from heaven unto the earth and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. 2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. 3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only "the men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. 5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months and their torment was as the torment of a " scorpion, when "it* striketh a man. 6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. 7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns of* gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. 8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. 9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. 10 And they "have tails and stings like unto scorpions, and in their tails is their power to hurt men five months; 11* they "have a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue "he* hath his name Apollyon. 81] + This section is continued in § 27 b. $27 a. Ch. XIII. 1 AND "he* stood F |