REVELATION Rev 15:1) I saw another Sign in Heaven, huge and breathtaking: seven Angels with seven disasters. These are the final disasters, the wrap-up of God's wrath. (2) I saw something like a sea made of glass, the glass all shot through with fire. Carrying harps of God, triumphant over the Beast, its image, and the number of its name, the saved ones stood on the sea of glass. (3) They sang the Song of Moses, servant of God; they sang the Song of the Lamb: Mighty your acts and marvelous, O God, the Sovereign-Strong! Righteous your ways and true, King of the nations! (4) Who can fail to fear you, God, give glory to your Name? Because you and you only are holy, all nations will come and worship you, because they see your judgments are right. (5) Then I saw the doors of the Temple, the Tent of Witness in Heaven, open wide. (6) The Seven Angels carrying the seven disasters came out of the Temple. They were dressed in clean, bright linen and wore gold vests. (7) One of the Four Animals handed the Seven Angels seven gold bowls, brimming with the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. (8) Smoke from God's glory and power poured out of the Temple. No one was permitted to enter the Temple until the seven disasters of the Seven Angels were finished. Rev 16:1) I heard a shout of command from the Temple to the Seven Angels: "Begin! Pour out the seven bowls of God's wrath on earth!" (2) The first Angel stepped up and poured his bowl out on earth: Loathsome, stinking sores erupted on all who had taken the mark of the Beast and worshiped its image. (3) The second Angel poured his bowl on the sea: The sea coagulated into blood, and everything in it died. (4) The third Angel poured his bowl on rivers and springs: The waters turned to blood. (5) I heard the Angel of Waters say, Righteous you are, and your judgments are righteous, THE WAS, THE IS, THE HOLY. (6) They poured out the blood of saints and prophets so you've given them blood to drink-- they've gotten what they deserve! (7) Just then I heard the Altar chime in, Yes, O God, the Sovereign-Strong! Your judgments are true and just! (8) The fourth Angel poured his bowl on the sun: Fire blazed from the sun and scorched men and women. (9) Burned and blistered, they cursed God's Name, the God behind these disasters. They refused to repent, refused to honor God. (10) The fifth Angel poured his bowl on the throne of the Beast: Its kingdom fell into sudden eclipse. Mad with pain, men and women bit and chewed their tongues, (11) cursed the God of Heaven for their torment and sores, and refused to repent and change their ways. (12) The sixth Angel poured his bowl on the great Euphrates River: It dried up to nothing. The dry riverbed became a fine roadbed for the kings from the East. (13) From the mouths of the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet I saw three foul demons crawl out--they looked like frogs. (14) These are demon spirits performing signs. They're after the kings of the whole world to get them gathered for battle on the Great Day of God, the Sovereign-Strong. (15) "Keep watch! I come unannounced, like a thief. You're blessed if, awake and dressed, you're ready for me. Too bad if you're found running through the streets, naked and ashamed." (16) The frog-demons gathered the kings together at the place called in Hebrew Armageddon. (17) The seventh Angel poured his bowl into the air: From the Throne in the Temple came a shout, "Done!" (18) followed by lightning flashes and shouts, thunder crashes and a colossal earthquake--a huge and devastating earthquake, never an earthquake like it since time began. (19) The Great City split three ways, the cities of the nations toppled to ruin. Great Babylon had to drink the wine of God's raging anger--God remembered to give her the cup! (20) Every island fled and not a mountain was to be found. (21) Hailstones weighing a ton plummeted, crushing and smashing men and women as they cursed God for the hail, the epic disaster of hail. Rev 17:1) One of the Seven Angels who carried the seven bowls came and invited me, "Come, I'll show you the judgment of the great Whore who sits enthroned over many waters, (2) the Whore with whom the kings of the earth have gone whoring, show you the judgment on earth dwellers drunk on her whorish lust." (3) In the Spirit he carried me out in the desert. I saw a woman mounted on a Scarlet Beast. Stuffed with blasphemies, the Beast had seven heads and ten horns. (4) The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, festooned with gold and gems and pearls. She held a gold chalice in her hand, brimming with defiling obscenities, her foul fornications. (5) A riddle-name was branded on her forehead: GREAT BABYLON, MOTHER OF WHORES AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (6) I could see that the woman was drunk, drunk on the blood of God's holy people, drunk on the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. Astonished, I rubbed my eyes. I shook my head in wonder. (7) The Angel said, "Does this surprise you? Let me tell you the riddle of the woman and the Beast she rides, the Beast with seven heads and ten horns. (8) The Beast you saw once was, is no longer, and is about to ascend from the Abyss and head straight for Hell. Earth dwellers whose names weren't written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world will be dazzled when they see the Beast that once was, is no longer, and is to come. (9) "But don't drop your guard. Use your head. The seven heads are seven hills; they are where the woman sits. (10) They are also seven kings: five dead, one living, the other not yet here--and when he does come his time will be brief. (11) The Beast that once was and is no longer is both an eighth and one of the seven--and headed for Hell. (12) "The ten horns you saw are ten kings, but they're not yet in power. They will come to power with the Scarlet Beast, but won't last long--a very brief reign. (13) These kings will agree to turn over their power and authority to the Beast. (14) They will go to war against the Lamb but the Lamb will defeat them, proof that he is Lord over all lords, King over all kings, and those with him will be the called, chosen, and faithful." (15) The Angel continued, "The waters you saw on which the Whore was enthroned are peoples and crowds, nations and languages. (16) And the ten horns you saw, together with the Beast, will turn on the Whore--they'll hate her, violate her, strip her naked, rip her apart with their teeth, then set fire to her. (17) It was God who put the idea in their heads to turn over their rule to the Beast until the words of God are completed. (18) The woman you saw is the great city, tyrannizing the kings of the earth." Rev 18:1) Following this I saw another Angel descend from Heaven. His authority was immense, his glory flooded earth with brightness, (2) his voice thunderous: Ruined, ruined, Great Babylon, ruined! A ghost town for demons is all that's left! A garrison of carrion spirits, garrison of loathsome, carrion birds. (3) All nations drank the wild wine of her whoring; kings of the earth went whoring with her; entrepreneurs made millions exploiting her. (4) Just then I heard another shout out of Heaven: Get out, my people, as fast as you can, so you don't get mixed up in her sins, so you don't get caught in her doom. (5) Her sins stink to high Heaven; God has remembered every evil she's done. (6) Give her back what she's given, double what she's doubled in her works, double the recipe in the cup she mixed; (7) Bring her flaunting and wild ways to torment and tears. Because she gloated, "I'm queen over all, and no widow, never a tear on my face," (8) In one day, disasters will crush her-- death, heartbreak, and famine-- Then she'll be burned by fire, because God, the Strong God who judges her, has had enough. (9) "The kings of the earth will see the smoke of her burning, and they'll cry and carry on, the kings who went night after night to her brothel. (10) They'll keep their distance for fear they'll get burned, and they'll cry their lament: Doom, doom, the great city doomed! City of Babylon, strong city! In one hour it's over, your judgment come! (11) "The traders will cry and carry on because the bottom dropped out of business, no more market for their goods: (12) gold, silver, precious gems, pearls; fabrics of fine linen, purple, silk, scarlet; perfumed wood and vessels of ivory, precious woods, bronze, iron, and marble; (13) cinnamon and spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; wine and oil, flour and wheat; cattle, sheep, horses, and chariots. And slaves--their terrible traffic in human lives. (14) Everything you've lived for, gone! All delicate and delectable luxury, lost! Not a scrap, not a thread to be found! (15) "The traders who made millions off her kept their distance for fear of getting burned, and cried and carried on all the more: (16) Doom, doom, the great city doomed! Dressed in the latest fashions, adorned with the finest jewels, (17) in one hour such wealth wiped out! "All the ship captains and travelers by sea, sailors and toilers of the sea, stood off at a distance (18) and cried their lament when they saw the smoke from her burning: 'Oh, what a city! There was never a city like her!' (19) They threw dust on their heads and cried as if the world had come to an end: Doom, doom, the great city doomed! All who owned ships or did business by sea Got rich on her getting and spending. And now it's over--wiped out in one hour! (20) "O Heaven, celebrate! And join in, saints, apostles, and prophets! God has judged her; every wrong you suffered from her has been judged." (21) A strong Angel reached for a boulder--huge, like a millstone--and heaved it into the sea, saying, Heaved and sunk, the great city Babylon, sunk in the sea, not a sign of her ever again. (22) Silent the music of harpists and singers-- you'll never hear flutes and trumpets again. Artisans of every kind--gone; you'll never see their likes again. The voice of a millstone grinding falls dumb; you'll never hear that sound again. (23) The light from lamps, never again; never again laughter of bride and groom. Her traders robbed the whole earth blind, and by black-magic arts deceived the nations. (24) The only thing left of Babylon is blood-- the blood of saints and prophets, the murdered and the martyred. Rev 19:1) I heard a sound like massed choirs in Heaven singing, Hallelujah! The salvation and glory and power are God's-- (2) his judgments true, his judgments just. He judged the great Whore who corrupted the earth with her lust. He avenged on her the blood of his servants. (3) Then, more singing: Hallelujah! The smoke from her burning billows up to high Heaven forever and ever and ever. (4) The Twenty-four Elders and the Four Animals fell to their knees and worshiped God on his Throne, praising, Amen! Yes! Hallelujah! (5) From the Throne came a shout, a command: Praise our God, all you his servants, All you who fear him, small and great! (6) Then I heard the sound of massed choirs, the sound of a mighty cataract, the sound of strong thunder: Hallelujah! The Master reigns, our God, the Sovereign-Strong! (7) Let us celebrate, let us rejoice, let us give him the glory! The Marriage of the Lamb has come; his Wife has made herself ready. (8) She was given a bridal gown of bright and shining linen. The linen is the righteousness of the saints. (9) The Angel said to me, "Write this: 'Blessed are those invited to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb.'" He added, "These are the true words of God!" (10) I fell at his feet to worship him, but he wouldn't let me. "Don't do that," he said. "I'm a servant just like you, and like your brothers and sisters who hold to the witness of Jesus. The witness of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." (11) Then I saw Heaven open wide--and oh! a white horse and its Rider. The Rider, named Faithful and True, judges and makes war in pure righteousness. (12) His eyes are a blaze of fire, on his head many crowns. He has a Name inscribed that's known only to himself. (13) He is dressed in a robe soaked with blood, and he is addressed as "Word of God." (14) The armies of Heaven, mounted on white horses and dressed in dazzling white linen, follow him. (15) A sharp sword comes out of his mouth so he can subdue the nations, then rule them with a rod of iron. He treads the winepress of the raging wrath of God, the Sovereign-Strong. (16) On his robe and thigh is written, KING OF KINGS, LORD OF LORDS. (17) I saw an Angel standing in the sun, shouting to all flying birds in Middle-Heaven, "Come to the Great Supper of God! (18) Feast on the flesh of kings and captains and champions, horses and their riders. Eat your fill of them all--free and slave, small and great!" (19) I saw the Beast and, assembled with him, earth's kings and their armies, ready to make war against the One on the horse and his army. (20) The Beast was taken, and with him, his puppet, the False Prophet, who used signs to dazzle and deceive those who had taken the mark of the Beast and worshiped his image. They were thrown alive, those two, into Lake Fire and Brimstone. (21) The rest were killed by the sword of the One on the horse, the sword that comes from his mouth. All the birds held a feast on their flesh. Rev 20:1) I saw an Angel descending out of Heaven. He carried the key to the Abyss and a chain--a huge chain. (2) He grabbed the Dragon, that old Snake--the very Devil, Satan himself!--chained him up for a thousand years, (3) dumped him into the Abyss, slammed it shut and sealed it tight. No more trouble out of him, deceiving the nations--until the thousand years are up. After that he has to be let loose briefly. (4) I saw thrones. Those put in charge of judgment sat on the thrones. I also saw the souls of those beheaded because of their witness to Jesus and the Word of God, who refused to worship either the Beast or his image, refused to take his mark on forehead or hand--they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years! (5) The rest of the dead did not live until the thousand years were up. This is the first resurrection-- (6) and those involved most blessed, most holy. No second death for them! They're priests of God and Christ; they'll reign with him a thousand years. (7) When the thousand years are up, Satan will be let loose from his cell, (8) and will launch again his old work of deceiving the nations, searching out victims in every nook and cranny of earth, even Gog and Magog! He'll talk them into going to war and will gather a huge army, millions strong. (9) They'll stream across the earth, surround and lay siege to the camp of God's holy people, the Beloved City. They'll no sooner get there than fire will pour out of Heaven and burn them up. (10) The Devil who deceived them will be hurled into Lake Fire and Brimstone, joining the Beast and False Prophet, the three in torment around the clock for ages without end. (11) I saw a Great White Throne and the One Enthroned. Nothing could stand before or against the Presence, nothing in Heaven, nothing on earth. (12) And then I saw all the dead, great and small, standing there--before the Throne! And books were opened. Then another book was opened: the Book of Life. The dead were judged by what was written in the books, by the way they had lived. (13) Sea released its dead, Death and Hell turned in their dead. Each man and woman was judged by the way he or she had lived. (14) Then Death and Hell were hurled into Lake Fire. This is the second death--Lake Fire. (15) Anyone whose name was not found inscribed in the Book of Life was hurled into Lake Fire. Rev 21:1) I saw Heaven and earth new-created. Gone the first Heaven, gone the first earth, gone the sea. (2) I saw Holy Jerusalem, new-created, descending resplendent out of Heaven, as ready for God as a bride for her husband. (3) I heard a voice thunder from the Throne: "Look! Look! God has moved into the neighborhood, making his home with men and women! They're his people, he's their God. (4) He'll wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good--tears gone, crying gone, pain gone--all the first order of things gone." (5) The Enthroned continued, "Look! I'm making everything new. Write it all down--each word dependable and accurate." (6) Then he said, "It's happened. I'm A to Z. I'm the Beginning, I'm the Conclusion. From Water-of-Life Well I give freely to the thirsty. (7) Conquerors inherit all this. I'll be God to them, they'll be sons and daughters to me. (8) But for the rest--the feckless and faithless, degenerates and murderers, sex peddlers and sorcerers, idolaters and all liars--for them it's Lake Fire and Brimstone. Second death!" (9) One of the Seven Angels who had carried the bowls filled with the seven final disasters spoke to me: "Come here. I'll show you the Bride, the Wife of the Lamb." (10) He took me away in the Spirit to an enormous, high mountain and showed me Holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God, (11) resplendent in the bright glory of God. The City shimmered like a precious gem, light-filled, pulsing light. (12) She had a wall majestic and high with twelve gates. At each gate stood an Angel, and on the gates were inscribed the names of the Twelve Tribes of the sons of Israel: (13) three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, three gates on the west. (14) The wall was set on twelve foundations, the names of the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb inscribed on them. (15) The Angel speaking with me had a gold measuring stick to measure the City, its gates, and its wall. (16) The City was laid out in a perfect square. He measured the City with the measuring stick: twelve thousand stadia, its length, width, and height all equal. (17) Using the standard measure, the Angel measured the thickness of its wall: 144 cubits. (18) The wall was jasper, the color of Glory, and the City was pure gold, translucent as glass. (19) The foundations of the City walls were garnished with every precious gem imaginable: the first foundation jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, (20) the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. (21) The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate a single pearl. The main street of the City was pure gold, translucent as glass. (22) But there was no sign of a Temple, for the Lord God--the Sovereign-Strong--and the Lamb are the Temple. (23) The City doesn't need sun or moon for light. God's Glory is its light, the Lamb its lamp! (24) The nations will walk in its light and earth's kings bring in their splendor. (25) Its gates will never be shut by day, and there won't be any night. (26) They'll bring the glory and honor of the nations into the City. (27) Nothing dirty or defiled will get into the City, and no one who defiles or deceives. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life will get in. Rev 22:1) Then the Angel showed me Water-of-Life River, crystal bright. It flowed from the Throne of God and the Lamb, (2) right down the middle of the street. The Tree of Life was planted on each side of the River, producing twelve kinds of fruit, a ripe fruit each month. The leaves of the Tree are for healing the nations. (3) Never again will anything be cursed. The Throne of God and of the Lamb is at the center. His servants will offer God service--worshiping, (4) they'll look on his face, their foreheads mirroring God. (5) Never again will there be any night. No one will need lamplight or sunlight. The shining of God, the Master, is all the light anyone needs. And they will rule with him age after age after age. (6) The Angel said to me, "These are dependable and accurate words, every one. The God and Master of the spirits of the prophets sent his Angel to show his servants what must take place, and soon. (7) And tell them, 'Yes, I'm on my way!' Blessed be the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book." (8) I, John, saw all these things with my own eyes, heard them with my ears. Immediately when I heard and saw, I fell on my face to worship at the feet of the Angel who laid it all out before me. (9) He objected, "No you don't! I'm a servant just like you and your companions, the prophets, and all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!" (10) The Angel continued, "Don't seal the words of the prophecy of this book; don't put it away on the shelf. Time is just about up. (11) Let evildoers do their worst and the dirty-minded go all out in pollution, but let the righteous maintain a straight course and the holy continue on in holiness." (12) "Yes, I'm on my way! I'll be there soon! I'm bringing my payroll with me. I'll pay all people in full for their life's work. (13) I'm A to Z, the First and the Final, Beginning and Conclusion. (14) "How blessed are those who wash their robes! The Tree of Life is theirs for good, and they'll walk through the gates to the City. (15) But outside for good are the filthy curs: sorcerers, fornicators, murderers, idolaters--all who love and live lies. (16) "I, Jesus, sent my Angel to testify to these things for the churches. I'm the Root and Branch of David, the Bright Morning Star." (17) "Come!" say the Spirit and the Bride. Whoever hears, echo, "Come!" Is anyone thirsty? Come! All who will, come and drink, Drink freely of the Water of Life! (18) I give fair warning to all who hear the words of the prophecy of this book: If you add to the words of this prophecy, God will add to your life the disasters written in this book; (19) if you subtract from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will subtract your part from the Tree of Life and the Holy City that are written in this book. (20) He who testifies to all these things says it again: "I'm on my way! I'll be there soon!" Yes! Come, Master Jesus! (21) The grace of the Master Jesus be with all of you. Oh, Yes!