Revelation 1:1-3

John urged people to read this book, listen carefully to it, and obey it.

1 This book tells the message that God revealed to Jesus Christ. God revealed it to him in order that he might reveal to his servants the things/events that must happen soon. Jesus communicated this message to me, his servant John, by sending his angel to me. 2 As I write it, I, John, am truthfully reporting everything that I saw and heard, the message from God that Jesus Christ truthfully reported to me. 3 God is pleased with those who read this book to the congregations, and he will be pleased with those who listen carefully to it and obey what he has commanded in this prophetic message that I am writing. So read this message to the congregations, listen carefully to it, and obey it, because these things that Jesus has revealed will happen soon.

John said that he was writing to believers in the seven congregations in Asia. He prayed that God would bless them. He said that Christ is coming to judge rebellious people and to start to rule as king.

Revelation 1:4-8

4 I, John, am writing this to you believers in the seven congregations that are located in Asia province. I pray that God the Father, God’s Spirit, and Jesus Christ be kind to (OR, bless) you and cause you to have inner peace. God the Father is the one who exists, who has always existed, and who will always exist. The Spirit of God, who is in front of God’s throne, has all kinds of power (OR, The Spirit of God is symbolized by seven spirits who are in front of God’s throne). 5 Jesus Christ is the one who has faithfully told people about God. He is the first one ◄whom God has raised from the dead/who became alive again after being dead►, in order to show that God will raise us who trust in Jesus. Jesus is the one who rules the kings of the earth. He is the one who loves us. He is the one who has erased the record our sins. He did that by shedding his blood when he died on the cross. 6 He is the one who has caused us to become people whose lives God rules, and he has made us to be priests who serve God his Father. As a result of this, we acknowledge that Jesus Christ is eternally divine and eternally powerful. ◄Amen!/That is true!►

7 Listen carefully! Christ will surely come in the midst of the clouds in order that he may judge the rebellious people of earth, and everyone [SYN] will see him come. Even those who are responsible for piercing and killing him [MTY] will see him come. People from all people-groups on earth will mourn because he will punish them. ◄Amen!/May it be so.► 8 The Lord God declares, “I am the one who created everything, and I am the one who will cause everything to end [MET].” He is the one who exists, who has always existed, and who will always exist. He is the Almighty One.

Christ appeared to John and commissioned him to write down the vision that he was about to give him and to send it to the seven congregations in Asia.

Revelation 1:9-20

9 I, John, your fellow believer, am suffering as you are because of our letting Jesus rule our lives. We are steadfastly enduring trials because of our relationship with him. I was punished by being sent/exiled to Patmos island because of my proclaiming God’s message and telling people about Jesus. 10 God’s Spirit took control of me on one of the days that we believers met to worship the Lord. 11 At that time, I heard behind me someone speaking to me as loudly and as clearly [SIM] as a trumpet. He was saying to me, “Write on a scroll what you see, and send it to seven congregations. Send it to the congregations in Ephesus city, in Smyrna city, in Pergamum city, in Thyatira city, in Sardis city, in Philadelphia city, and in Laodicea city.” 12 In this vision I turned in order that I might see who had spoken to me [SYN]. When I turned, 13 I saw seven golden lampstands. In the midst of the lampstands there was someone who looked like he came from heaven. He wore a robe that reached to his feet, and he wore a gold band around his chest. 14 The hair on his head was white like white wool or like snow. His eyes were shining brightly [SIM], like a flame of fire. 15 His feet looked like brass that glows as it is being purified {as people purify it} in a furnace. When he spoke, his voice sounded like the sound made by a huge waterfall (OR, a great/wide river of rushing water). 16 In his right hand he held seven stars. A sword that had two sharp edges extended from his mouth. His face shone as bright as the sun shines at midday [MTY]. 17 When I saw him, I fell down at his feet and was unable to move or speak [SIM], as though I were dead. But he put his right hand on me and said to me, “Don’t be afraid! I am the one who created all things and the one who will cause all things to end. 18 I am the living one. Although I died, I am alive again and will live forever! I have the power to cause people to die, and I have authority over the place where all the dead people are. 19 So write the vision that you are seeing. Write about the conditions that exist now, and the events that are about to happen next. 20 The meaning of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands that you saw is this: The seven stars in my hand represent the leaders, who are like angels, who watch over the seven congregations, and the seven lampstands represent the seven congregations.”

Christ exhorts the congregation at Ephesus to repent and to begin again to love him and each other.

Revelation 2:1-7

2 He also said to me, “Write this message to the leader [MET] of the congregation in Ephesus city: ‘I am saying these things to you: I am the one who firmly holds the seven stars in my right hand. I am the one who walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 I know what you do: You labor for me intensely, and you continue to serve me steadfastly. I know that you cannot tolerate people who teach what is evil [MTY], and that you investigated people who falsely claimed that they are apostles, and you found that they were lying. 3 I know also that you continue to serve me steadfastly. Even when people ◄caused you to suffer/persecuted you►, you continued to serve me because you believe in me, and you have not become too tired to keep on serving me. 4 Nevertheless, I have this complaint against you: You no longer love each other and me as you did when you first [MTY] trusted in me. 5 So, I tell you to remember how you used to love me and each other, and to realize that you no longer love as you did. I tell you to turn away from your sin of not loving me and each other, and start loving each other and me again as you did at first. If you do not turn away from your sinful behavior, I will come to judge you and cause your group to cease to be a Christian congregation [MET]. 6 But you have the following good quality: Those Nicolaitans teach you believers that you can worship idols and that you may act immorally. However, you hate such teaching, just like I also hate it. 7 Everyone who wants to understand my message [MTY] must listen carefully to the message that God’s Spirit speaks to the congregations. To everyone who overcomes Satan, I will give the right to eat fruit [MTY] from the tree that gives eternal life, the tree that is in God’s garden.’”

Christ exhorts the congregation at Smyrna not to fear what they will suffer, but to trust in him, even if they must die because they trust in him.

Revelation 2:8-11

8 “Write this message to the leader [MET] of the congregation in Smyrna city: ‘I am saying these things to you. I am the one who caused everything to have a beginning and who will cause all things to end. I am the one who died and became alive again. 9 I know that you suffer because of what unbelievers do to you, and that you lack material possessions. But I also know that you are spiritually [MET] rich. I know that people ◄slander/say evil things about► you. They say that they are Jews, but I do not consider that they are Jews. I consider that they belong to the group that Satan controls! 10 Do not be afraid of any of the things that you are about to suffer. The truth is that the devil is about to put some of you in prison, to tempt you to deny that you believe in me. For a short period of time you will suffer because of what people will do to you [MTY]. Continue to trust in me, even if they kill you because you trust in me. As a result, I will reward you with eternal life, just like [MET] people reward a victorious athlete by putting a wreath on his head. 11 Everyone who wants to understand [MTY] must listen carefully to the message that God’s Spirit speaks to the congregations. After those who conquer Satan die, they will live with God. They will never suffer again, even though many others will suffer as though they died a second time.’ ”

Christ exhorts the congregation at Pergamum to stop listening to what the Nicolaitans teach.

Revelation 2:12-17

12 “Write this message to the leader [MET] of the congregation in Pergamum city: ‘I am saying these things to you. I am the one who has the sharp two-edged sword. 13 I know where you live: It is where Satan controls [MTY] people. I know that you firmly believe in me [MTY]. You did not deny that you believe/trust in me, not even in the time when Antipas, ◄my faithful witness/who faithfully told people about me►, was alive. He was killed {People killed him} in your city, a city where people habitually obey Satan. 14 Nevertheless, I have this complaint against you: You permit some of your members to teach things like Balaam taught long ago. He taught Balak to persuade the Israeli people to sin. Specifically, he taught them to eat food that had been offered to idols, and to practice sexual immorality. 15 In that way, you are also permitting some of your members to practice what the Nicolaitans teach, which is like what Balaam taught. 16 So you must stop doing this. If you do not stop doing it, I will come to you suddenly. Using the words that I will say I will fight against those who believe this false teaching [MTY], and I will ◄condemn them/say that they must be punished►. 17 Everyone who wants to understand [MTY] must listen carefully to the message that God’s Spirit speaks to the congregations. To everyone who conquers Satan, I will give blessings that will be like the food called manna that is in a jar that is {that someone has} hidden. I will also give them a white stone on which I will engrave a new name, a name that no one but the ones who receive it will know.’”

Christ rebukes the congregation at Thyatira for tolerating a teacher who encourages sexual immorality and eating food offered to idols. He warns those who participate in these things that he will punish them unless they repent, and he exhorts the rest of the members to remain loyal to him.

Revelation 2:18-29

18 “Write this message to the leader [MET] of the congregation in Thyatira city: ‘I, ◄the Son of God/the one who is also God►, am saying these things to you: I am the one whose eyes shine [SIM] like a flame of fire, and whose feet shine [MET] like fine brass. 19 I know that you love me and each other, and that you trust in me. I know that you serve others and that you steadfastly endure a lot of difficulties/trials. I know that you are doing these things more now than you have done them in the past. 20 Nevertheless, I have this complaint about you: You tolerate that woman among your members who is like [MET] that wicked queen Jezebel who lived long ago. She says that she ◄is a prophetess/proclaims messages that come directly from God►, but through what she teaches she is deceiving my servants. She is urging them to commit sexual immorality and to eat food that they have offered to idols. 21 Although I gave her time to stop her sexual immorality and pagan practices, she did not want to stop doing them. 22 As a result, I will cause her to become very ill [MTY]. I will also cause those who act immorally as she does [MET] to suffer greatly, if they do not stop doing what she does. 23 Some have become like her children by doing what she teaches [MET]; I will certainly get rid of them. As a result, all the congregations will recognize that I am the one who finds out what everyone thinks and desires [MTY]. I will reward each of you according to what you have done. 24 But I have something good to say about the rest of you believers in Thyatira. It is good that you do not accept that false teaching. It is good that you reject what those teachers call their ‘secret practices’, practices that Satan inspired (OR, what those teachers facetiously call the secret, profound practices that Satan inspires). I will not burden you with any commands other than that which you already have been told. 25 Just keep believing firmly in me, and obey me until I return. 26 As for those who conquer Satan and who (OR, because they) keep on doing what I command until they die, I will give them authority, just like I myself received it from my Father. They will exercise that authority over the nations that rebel against God. 27 They will rule them severely as if they were striking them [HYP] with an iron rod. They will destroy those who do evil things just like people shatter clay pots [MET]. 28 I will also enable everyone who conquers Satan to shine gloriously like the morning star does [MTY, MET]. 29 Everyone who wants to understand [MTY] must listen carefully to the message that God’s Spirit speaks to the congregations.’ ”

Christ exhorts the congregation at Sardis to wake up and repent. But the members who are worthy will live with him.

Revelation 3:1-6

3 “Write this message to the leader [MET] of the congregation in Sardis city: ‘I am saying these things to you. I am the one who can give to people all the power of God’s Spirit (OR, in whom is the Spirit of God who has all kinds of power; OR, who has God’s Spirit, who is symbolized as seven spirits), and I am the one who has the seven stars. I know everything that you have done. You (pl) appear to be alive spiritually, but you are so weak spiritually it is as though you are dead [MET]. 2 Become aware of your spiritual need as though you were awaking from sleep [MET], and strengthen yourself spiritually, because you are so useless that you are like someone who is about to die [MET]. You must do this because I know that my God considers that nothing that you do is satisfactory. 3 So then, keep remembering God’s message, what you accepted when you heard it. Obey it continually, and turn away from your sinful behavior. If you do not become aware of your spiritual need and turn away from your [MET] sinful behavior, I will come to you when you are not expecting me, as a thief comes [SIM]. You will never know at what time I will come to judge you. 4 Nevertheless, there in Sardis you have a few members who have not been doing what is wrong. It is as though they have not soiled their garments [MET]. As a result, because they are worthy to live with me, they will live with me and will be pure in every way [MET], like people who are dressed in pure white clothing. 5 Everyone who conquers Satan I will dress in these same white garments [MET] (OR, will be pure in every way as though they are dressed in these white garments), and I will never erase their names from the book that contains the names of the people who have eternal life. Instead, as my Father and his angels are listening, I will acknowledge that they [MTY] belong to me. 6 Everyone who wants to understand [MTY] must listen carefully to the message that God’s Spirit speaks to the congregations.’”

Christ exhorts the congregation at Philadelphia to continue to obey his word and to be faithful; he promises that some Jews will acknowledge that he loves the congregation, and he also promises that he will keep the congregation from spiritual harm during the period of testing.

Revelation 3:7-13

7 “Write this message to the leader [MET] of the congregation in Philadelphia city: ‘I am saying these things to you. I am God’s Holy One, the True One. Just like King David had authority [MTY] to allow people to enter the ancient city of Jerusalem, so I have the authority to allow people to enter my kingdom. I am the one who opens doors so that no one can close them, and who closes doors so that no one can open them. 8 I know everything you have done. Be aware that I have opened a door before you, a door that no one can close. I know that although there are not many believers (OR, much spiritual strength) [MTY] in your congregation, you have obeyed what I say, and you have not denied that you believe in me [MTY]. 9 I am aware that some of your people meet together with those who follow/worship Satan. They claim to be Jews, but I know that they are not true Jews. They are lying. I will cause them to come to you and to bow down humbly at your feet and to acknowledge that I love you.

10 Because you have paid attention to the message to endure patiently when you suffered, I will keep you safe from those who will try to harm you spiritually during the period/time that is about to come. At that time God will cause rebellious people on the earth to suffer, in order that I can determine whether they will turn away from their sins or not. 11 I am coming soon. So continue believe firmly the message that you have received, in order that no one may cause you to lose the reward that God has reserved for you. 12 I will make everyone who conquers Satan secure. They will stand in the temple of my God, they will stand firm like [MET] pillars, and they will remain there forever. I will mark them with the name of my God, showing that they belong to him. I will also mark them with the name of the city of my God, showing that they will live there. That city is the New Jerusalem, the city that my God will cause to descend down from heaven. I will also mark them with my new name, showing that they belong to me. 13 Everyone who wants to understand [MTY] must listen carefully to the message that God’s Spirit speaks to the congregations.’”

Christ exhorts the congregation at Laodicea to repent of their neglect of fellowship with him and of their failure to accept his provision for their spiritual needs. He waits to restore fellowship with any member of the congregation who will respond to his call.

Revelation 3:14-22

14 “Write this message to the leader [MET] of the congregation in Laodicea city: ‘I am saying these things to you. I am the one who ◄guarantees everything that God’s promises/confirms that he will do all that he has promised► [MET]. I am the one who testifies about God reliably and accurately. I am the one who God used to create everything. 15 I know everything that you have done: You neither deny that you trust in me nor love/obey me zealously/wholeheartedly. You are like water that is neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot! 16 Because you are neither enthusiastic about me nor concerned about your lack of spiritual growth [MET], I am about to reject you [MET], as if I were spitting lukewarm water out of my mouth. 17 You are saying, “Because we have all that we need spiritually, we are like rich people who have acquired a lot of wealth. We lack nothing!” But you do not realize that you are lacking in so many ways spiritually that you are like [MET] people who are very wretched and pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I advise you to obtain from me all that you need spiritually, as though you were buying from me gold that has been refined by fire {that fire has refined}, in order that you may be truly rich [MET] spiritually. Let me make you righteous, as though you were [MET] buying from me white garments in order that you might wear clothes instead of being naked and ashamed. Let me help you to perceive spiritual things, as though [MET] you were buying from me eye salve to put in your eyes in order that you might see. 19 Since I rebuke and correct all those whom I affectionately love, earnestly stop your sinful behavior. 20 Be aware that I invite each one of you to respond to me as though [MET] I was standing waiting at your door and knocking. I will come to all those who hear my voice and respond to me, and I will fellowship with them as friends do when they eat together [MET]. 21 I will permit everyone who conquers Satan to sit and rule with me on my throne, just like I conquered Satan and now sit and rule beside my Father on his throne. 22 Everyone who wants to understand [MTY] must listen carefully to the message that God’s Spirit speaks to the congregations.’ ”

A throne was in heaven with someone sitting on it. He was in the midst of every creature and object in heaven. The elders and the living creatures worshipped him as God, the mighty Creator.

Revelation 4:1-11

4 After these things I, John, saw in the vision that there was a door open in heaven. The one whose voice was like [SIM] a loud trumpet, the one who had spoken to me previously, said to me, “Come up here! I will show you events that must happen later.” 2 Immediately I experienced that God’s Spirit was specially controlling me. There was a throne there in heaven, and on the throne someone was sitting and ruling. 3 He shone like [SIM] a brilliant crystalline jasper jewel and like a brilliant red carnelian jewel. Around the throne was a rainbow that shone like a brilliant green emerald jewel. 4 Around the throne there were 24 other thrones. On these thrones 24 elders were sitting. They were wearing pure white garments and had golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne there came lightning and rumblings and thundering. Seven torches of fire were burning in front of the throne. Those represent the Spirit of God, who has all kinds of power (OR, who is also symbolized as seven spirits). 6 In front of the throne there was what looked like an ocean made of glass. It was clear, like crystal. On each of the four sides of the throne there was a living creature. Each one was covered with eyes in front and behind. 7-8 7-8The first living creature was like a lion. The second living creature was like an ox. The third living creature had a face like a man’s face. The fourth living creature was like an eagle that was flying. Each of the four living creatures had six wings. They were covered with eyes, all around their bodies and under their wings. Day and night they continually [LIT] sing:

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty One.

He is the one who has always existed,

who exists now, and who will always exist.

9-10 9-10The living creatures praise, honor [DOU], and thank the one who sits on the throne, the one who lives forever. Whenever they do that, the 24 elders ◄prostrate themselves/kneel down► before the one who sits on the throne, and they worship him, the one who lives forever. They lay their crowns in front of the throne and sing:

11 Our(exc) Lord and God,

you are worthy that all beings praise you,

you are worthy that all beings honor you, and

you are worthy that all beings acknowledge

that you are the powerful one,

because you alone created all things.

Moreover, because you planned that they should exist,

you created them, and so they exist.

When the Lamb took the scroll from the one on the throne, the whole created universe worshipped him who is the worthy Redeemer. The 24 elders and the four living creatures acknowledged that he alone was worthy to open the seals on the scroll.

Revelation 5:1-14

5 I saw that there was a scroll in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne. The scroll was written on its outside as well as on its inside, and it was sealed {Someone had written on the outside as well as on the inside of the scroll and sealed it} with seven seals. 2 I saw a strong angel who was announcing in a loud voice, “◄The person who is worthy to break the seals of the scroll and then to open it should come to do it!/Who is worthy to break the seals of the scroll and then to open it?►” [RHQ] 3 But no created being in heaven nor any created being on the earth nor any created being under the earth was able to open the scroll and see what was written on it. 4 I cried loudly because there was no one worthy to do that. 5 But one of the elders said to me, “Do not cry any longer! Look, the one who is called the Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Messiah who is the descendant of King David, has overcome Satan! As a result, he is worthy to break the seven seals on the scroll and open it!” 6 Then I saw Jesus, the one who is like a [MET] sacrificial lamb, standing there. He stood near the throne, in the midst of the four living creatures and the elders. It appeared that he had been killed {that people had killed him}, but he was alive again. He had seven horns on his head, and he had seven eyes that symbolize the Spirit of God who has all kinds of power (OR, who is also symbolized as seven spirits). He sends God’s Spirit out into all the earth. 7 He came and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who sits on the throne. 8 When he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders ◄prostrated themselves/knelt down► before Jesus, the one who is like a lamb, to worship him. They each had a harp, and they had golden bowls full of incense that represents the prayers of God’s people. 9 The living creatures and the elders sang a new song. They sang:

You are worthy to receive the scroll and to open its seals,

because you were killed, and because you redeemed/bought people for God from every tribe, language [MTY], people-group, and nation with the blood that flowed from your body when you died.

10 You have caused them to become a people over whom our God rules,

and to become priests who serve him, and they will rule on [MTY] the earth.

11 As I continued to look, I heard the voices of many angels around the throne and around the living creatures and the elders. There were millions of them, a crowd so large that no one could count them. 12 They were singing in a loud voice:

“The one who is like a lamb was killed {whom his enemies killed}

but he became alive again.

He is worthy that all created beings acknowledge that he is infinitely powerful, infinitely rich, infinitely wise, and infinitely strong!

He is worthy of being honored and praised by all created beings!”

13 I also heard every creature that is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the ocean, every creature in all those places, saying (OR, singing):

“We must forever praise and honor the one who sits on the throne

and the one who is like a lamb,

May they reign with complete power forever!”

14 The four living creatures said, “◄Amen!/May it be so!►” Then the elders prostrated themselves and worshipped God and Jesus.

When the Lamb opened each of the first four seals of the scroll, each of the four living creatures called forth a mounted horseman who brought judgment to people on the earth.

Revelation 6:1-8

6 I saw that Jesus, the one who is like a lamb, opened the first of the seven seals of the scroll. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice as loud as [SIM] thunder, “Come!” 2 Then I saw a white horse come out. The one who sat on it had a bow and arrows. God gave him a crown to show that he was the king. Then the one who conquers people went out to continue to conquer people. 3 When the one who was like a lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 Then a red horse came out. The one sitting on it was allowed {God allowed the one sitting on it} to cause people to no longer live peacefully, but instead to be killing each other. For this purpose he was given {God’s agent gave to him} a large sword. 5 When the one who is like a lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” This time, I saw a black horse come out. The one who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 I heard a voice that sounded like it was coming from among the four living creatures. It was saying ◄to the horseman/to the man who was sitting on the black horse►, “A quart of wheat will cost so much that a man must work a whole day to earn enough money to buy it, and three quarts of barley will sell for the same price. But do not cut off the supply of olive oil or the wine [MTY]!” 7 When the one who is like a lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the fourth living creature say, “Come!” 8 This time I saw a pale horse come out. The one who sat on it is named ‘The one who causes death [PRS]’, and the one that is named ‘The place where dead people go’ accompanied him. God gave them authority over one quarter of the people on earth to incite them to kill each other with weapons [SYN], and also authority to kill them ◄by causing them to starve, by their causing them to become sick from epidemics, and by their causing them to be attacked by wild animals.

When the Lamb opened the fifth seal, the souls of dead believers appealed to God to judge those who killed them, but God told them to rest a bit longer.

Revelation 6:9-11

9 When the one who is like a lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under (OR, at the base of) the altar in heaven the souls of God’s servants who had been killed {whom people had killed} because of their believing God’s message, and because they told others the message about Jesus. 10 They spoke loudly to God saying, “Sovereign/Almighty Lord, you are holy and faithful. How long will it be before you judge and punish the people on earth who murdered us(exc)?” 11 God gave to each of them a long white robe, and he told them to rest a little longer until people killed all the believers who served the Lord with them. They were believers whom God wanted to die in just the same way that these others had been killed.

When the Lamb opened the sixth seal of the scroll, the upheaval in the sky and on the earth caused all the rebellious people on earth to hide because they knew God’s time to judge people had come.

Revelation 6:12-17

12 I saw that when the one who is like a lamb opened the sixth seal, the earth shook violently. The sun became as black as cloth made ◄of black wool/of pitch►. The whole moon became red [SIM] like blood. 13 The stars fell to the earth in great numbers, just [SIM] like immature figs fall when a fig tree is shaken by a strong wind {when a strong wind shakes a fig tree}. 14 The sky split open and rolled up on either side just [SIM] like an old scroll rolls up when it is split in two. Every mountain and island moved out of its place. 15 As a result, all the rebellious people of the earth, including kings, high-ranking people, generals, the rich people, the powerful people, along with everyone else, both slave and free, hid themselves in caves and between the mountain rocks. 16 They shouted to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us (exc) and hide us (exc) in order that the one who sits upon the throne will not be able to see us (exc) [MTY], and in order that the one who is like a lamb will not be able to punish [MTY] us (exc). 17 This is the terrible day on which they will punish [MTY] us (exc), and when that happens, no one will be able to survive! [RHQ]”

An angel came up from the east and commanded the four angels stationed in four directions to continue restraining the destructive winds until angels had sealed God’s servants.

Revelation 7:1-8

7 After this I saw four angels. One was standing at the north, one at the east, one at the south, and one at the west. They were restraining the winds that blew from all directions [MTY] to keep them from blowing destructively on the earth or on the ocean or even on any tree. 2 I saw another angel come up from the east. He was carrying God’s seal. With this seal God, who is all-powerful, marks his own people to protect them. The angel called out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom he had given power to harm the earth and the ocean. He said 3 to them, “Do not harm the earth or the ocean or the trees until we (exc) have marked the servants of our (inc) God on their foreheads.” 4 Then the angel and his fellow angels marked all God’s servants. I heard the number of people who were marked {whom the angels marked} because of their being God’s servants. The number was 144,000. They were from all the tribes of Israel. They symbolized the complete number of people whom God would protect. 5 The angels marked 12,000 people from the tribe of Judah, 12,000 from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000 from the tribe of Gad, 6 12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh, 7 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12.000 from the tribe of Issachar, 8 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, and 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin.

The triumphant crowd stood before the throne in heaven and acknowledged that God and the Lamb had rescued them. Then the angels, the elders, the living creatures, and a huge crowd of people worshipped God and praised him.

Revelation 7:9-12

9 After these things I saw a huge crowd. There were so many people that no one would be able to count them. They were from every nation, every tribe, every people-group, and every language [MTY]. They were standing before the throne and before Jesus, the one who is like a lamb. They were wearing white robes and held palm branches to wave them in order to celebrate. 10 They shouted loudly, “O our (exc) God, you who sit on the throne, and Jesus, you who are like a lamb, you two have delivered us(exc) from Satan’s power!” 11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They all bowed down before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshipped God. 12 They said, “May it be so! We(exc) praise, thank, and honor you, our (exc) God, forever! We(exc) acknowledge that you are completely wise, the powerful one, who is forever able to accomplish everything he wants to. ◄May everyone acknowlege that it is so!/Amen!►”

One of the elders explained to John about the saints who are dressed in white robes.

Revelation 7:13-17

13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These people who are wearing white robes, do you know who they are, and where they come from?” 14 I answered him, “Sir, I do not know. Surely you know who they are!” He said to me, “These are the people ◄whom others have caused to suffer greatly/who have been persecuted►. Because they believed that Jesus, the one who is like a sacrificial lamb, atoned for our sin when his blood flowed from his body when he died, it is as though [MET] they have washed their robes and have made them clean and white. 15 Because of this, they are in front of God’s throne, and they serve him day and night in his heavenly temple. God, the one who sits on the throne, will shelter/protect them [MTY]. 16 As a result, they will never again be hungry. They will never again be thirsty. The sun will never again ◄beat on/burn► them, nor will any heat scorch them. 17 This is because the one who is like a lamb who is at the throne will take care of them, just like a shepherd takes care of his sheep [MET]. He will guide them to the source of eternal life, just like a shepherd leads his sheep to springs of water, which enable the sheep to live [MET]. God will cause them to no longer be sad. It will be as if he were wiping away all tears from their eyes [MTY].”

When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, it thundered, lightning flashed, and the earth shook.

Revelation 8:1-5

8 When Jesus, the one who is like a lamb, opened the seventh seal, there was no sound at all in heaven for ◄a very short time/about half an hour►. 2 I saw the seven angels who stand in front of God. A trumpet was given {◄God/An angel► gave a trumpet} to each one of them. 3 Another angel, who had a golden container for burning incense, came and stood at the altar. He was given {An angel gave to him} a large quantity of incense, in order that he might offer it, with the prayers of all God’s people, upon the golden altar that is in front of God’s throne. Then he burned this incense on the altar. 4 From the pot in the angel’s hand, the smoke of the incense, along with the prayers of God’s people, went up to God. 5 In response, the angel took the golden incense burner and filled it with coals of fire from the altar. He threw the contents of the [MTY] incense burner onto the earth. Thunder sounded and rumbled, lightning was flashing, and the earth shook.

The successive trumpet blasts by each of the first four angels resulted in great catastrophes on the earth and in the sky.

Revelation 8:6-12

6 The seven angels, each of which had one of the seven trumpets, prepared to blow them. 7 When the first angel blew his trumpet, hail and fire mixed with blood poured down onto the earth. As a result, a third of everything on the surface of the land was burned up {the fire burned up a third of everything on the surface of the land}. A third of the trees were also burned up {It also burned up a third of the trees}, and a third of all the green grass was burned up. 8 When the second angel blew his trumpet, something that was like a huge burning mountain fell into the ocean. As a result, a third of the ocean became red like [MTY] blood, 9 a third of the living creatures in the ocean died, and a third of the ships in the ocean were destroyed. 10 When the third angel blew his trumpet, a huge star, which was burning like a torch, fell from the sky into a third of the rivers and into a third of the springs. 11 The name of the star is Bitterness. As a result, the water in a third of the rivers and springs became bitter, and many people died from drinking the water because it had become bitter. 12 When the fourth angel blew his trumpet, God struck the sun, the moon, and the stars, so that they lost a third of their light. The sun also did not shine during a third of the day, and the moon and stars did not shine during a third of the night.

An eagle announced that rebellious people on earth would suffer greatly.

Revelation 8:13

13 As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying high in the sky, shouting in a loud voice, “Terrible things will happen to rebellious people who live on the earth! Terrible things will happen when the three remaining angels blow their trumpets! And they are about to blow them!”

When the fifth angel blew his trumpet, locusts with stings like scorpions appeared on the earth and attacked rebellious people.

Revelation 9:1-12

9 The fifth angel blew his trumpet. Then I saw an evil angel. He was like a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. He was given {Someone gave him} the key to the shaft that descended ◄to the underworld/to the deep dark pit►. 2 When he opened that shaft, smoke arose from it like smoke from a huge burning furnace. The smoke prevented anyone from seeing the sky and the light of the sun. 3 Locusts came out of the smoke onto the earth. They were given {God gave them} power to sting people, like scorpions sting people. 4 God told the locusts that they should not harm grass, nor any plants, nor any tree. God said that they should harm only those people who did not have a mark on the forehead to show that they belonged to God. 5 God did not allow the locusts to kill those people. Instead, he allowed them to continue torturing people for five months. When they tortured people, the pain those people felt was like the pain a scorpion causes when it stings someone. 6 During the time when the locusts torture rebellious people, the pain will be so bad that people will want to find a way to die, but they will not be able to [PRS]. 7 The locusts looked like horses that are ready for battle. They had on their heads what looked like golden crowns. Their faces were like the faces of people. 8 They had long hair like the long hair of women. Their teeth were strong, like lions’ teeth. 9 They wore metal breastplates. When they were flying, their wings made a noise like the roar when many horses pull chariots as they are rushing into battle. 10 They had tails like scorpions have. With their tails they stung people for five months. 11 The king who ruled over them was the angel of the underworld. His name in the Hebrew language is Abaddon. In the Greek language it is Apollyon. Both of those names mean ‘Destroyer’.

12 That was the end of the first terrible event. Be aware that two tragic events are still to come.

When the sixth angel blew his trumpet, a third of the rebellious people on earth died. But the rest of the rebellious people did not repent of their false worship or of their evil practices.

Revelation 9:13-21

13 The sixth angel blew his trumpet. Then I heard a voice from the four corners of the golden altar that is in God’s presence. 14 It was saying to the sixth angel, the one who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels whom I have bound at the great river Euphrates!” 15 The four angels were released, those who had been {He released the four angels, whom God had} kept ready for that exact hour of that day, of that month, of that year. They were released {He released them} in order that they might enable their soldiers to kill a third of the rebellious people. 16 The number of the soldiers riding on horses who did that was 200 million. I heard someone say how many there were. 17 In the vision I saw what the horses and the beings that rode them looked like. They wore breastplates that were red like fire, dusky blue like smoke, and yellow like sulfur. The heads of the horses were like the heads of lions. From their mouths came fire, smoke, and fumes of burning sulfur. 18 Those three things—the fire, the smoke, and the burning sulfur from the horses’ mouths—killed a third of the rebellious people. 19 The horses had power with their mouths and with their tails. Their tails have heads like snakes by which they harm people. 20 The rest of the rebellious people, those who were not killed by these plagues of fire and smoke and burning sulfur, did not turn from their sinful behavior. They did not stop worshipping the idols that they had made with their own hands. They did not stop worshipping demons and idols that were made of gold, of silver, of bronze, of stone, and of wood, even though they are idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk. 21 They did not stop murdering people, or practicing sorcery, or acting in sexually immoral ways, or stealing things.

John saw a mighty angel coming down out of heaven and holding a small open scroll. When the angel shouted, it thundered several times, but a voice from heaven prohibited John from recording what the thunder said. The angel affirmed that the living Creator of the universe would no longer delay in completing what he planned for his creation.

Revelation 10:1-7

10 In the vision I saw another mighty angel that was coming down out of heaven. A cloud surrounded him. There was a rainbow over his head. His face shone [SIM] like the sun. His legs looked like pillars of fire. 2 He had in his hand a small scroll that was open. He set his right foot on the ocean and his left foot on the land. 3 He shouted something with a loud voice, a voice like the roar of a lion. When he shouted this, it thundered seven times, speaking words that I could understand. 4 When it thundered like that, I was about to write the words that I heard, but a voice from heaven said to me, “Keep secret what the thunder said! Do not write it down!” 5 Then the angel whom I had seen standing on the ocean and the land raised his right hand toward heaven, 6 and he asked the one who lives forever, the one who created heaven and everything that is in it, who created the earth and everything that is in it, and who created the ocean and everything that is in it, to affirm that what he said was true. He said that he would surely no longer delay what he had planned to do. 7 He said that when the time came for the seventh angel to blow his trumpet, he would complete what God had secretly planned, just like he announced long ago to his servants, the prophets.

The heavenly voice told John to take the open scroll from the angel and eat it. When he had eaten it, he was commanded by God to prophesy again about all people.

Revelation 10:8-11

8 The one whose voice I had heard from heaven spoke to me again. He said, “Go and take the open scroll from the hand of the angel who is standing on the ocean and on the land.” 9 So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. In your mouth it will taste sweet like honey, but it will make your stomach bitter.” 10 I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. In my mouth it tasted sweet like honey, but when I had eaten it, it made my stomach turn sour. 11 The one whose voice spoke from heaven said to me, “You must ◄prophesy again/proclaim again what I will reveal to you► about many people-groups, many nations, speakers of many languages [MTY], and many kings.”

Christ told John to count his worshipers from the nations, and he appointed two witnesses to prophesy to the nations for a limited time. When they finished witnessing, the beast from the underworld killed them, causing the nations to enjoy temporary victory. God resurrected his witnesses, took them to heaven, and punished the nations. Survivors feared and acknowledged God as awesome.

Revelation 11:1-14

11 An angel gave to me a reed similar to a measuring stick. He said to me, “Christ says this: ‘Go to the temple where people worship God, measure it and the altar in it, and count the people who worship there. 2 But do not measure the courtyard outside of the temple [DOU], because it has been given {God has given it} to the non-Jewish people. As a result, they will trample Jerusalem city for 42 months. 3 I will appoint my two ◄witnesses/men who will tell others about me►. They will proclaim what I reveal to them for 1,260 days. They will wear rough clothes made from goat’s hair to show that they are sad about people’s sin.’ ” 4 Those witnesses are the ones that are represented by the two olive trees and the two lampstands that are in the presence of the Lord who rules the earth [SYM]. 5 If enemies try to harm those witnesses, fire will come from the mouths of the witnesses and destroy them. If people want to harm them, the two witnesses will certainly kill them similarly. 6 Those witnesses will have authority to keep rain from falling during the time that they are proclaiming what God reveals to them. They also will have authority to cause water everywhere to become red like [MET] blood, and authority to cause all kinds of plagues to occur. They will do this as often as they want to. 7 When they have finished proclaiming to people the message from God, the beast that comes up ◄from the underworld/from the deep dark pit► will attack them, overcome them, and kill them. 8 The dead bodies of the two witnesses will lie in the street of the great city where their Lord was crucified, the city that is symbolically named Sodom or Egypt because its people are very evil, like the people who lived in Sodom and Egypt. 9 Individuals of many people-groups, tribes, language groups [MTY], and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days. But these individuals will not allow anyone to bury their bodies. 10 When the rebellious people who live on the earth see that the witnesses are dead, they will rejoice and celebrate. They will send gifts to each other, because these two prophets had caused plagues to occur which tormented the rebellious people on the earth. 11 But after three and a half days, God will cause those two witnesses to breathe again and live. They will stand up, and those who see them will be terrified. 12 The two witnesses will hear a loud voice which came from heaven saying to them: “Come up here!” Then they will go up to heaven in a cloud. Their enemies will see them as they ascend. 13 At that same time there will be a terrible earthquake, which will cause a tenth of the buildings in [MTY] the city will collapse, and 7,000 people will die. The rest of the people will be afraid and acknowledge that the God who rules in heaven is awesome.

14 That will be the second terrible event. Be aware that the third tragic event will happen soon.

When the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, voices from heaven declared that the Lord God and his Messiah now govern everyone, and the elders declared that the time had come for God’s final judgment. With the heavenly sanctuary open, lightning flashed, thunder reverberated, the earth shook, and large hail fell.

Revelation 11:15-19

15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet. Angels in heaven shouted loudly, “Our Lord God and the Messiah whom he has appointed can now govern everyone in [MTY] the world, and they will continue to rule people forever!” 16 The 24 elders who sit on their thrones in God’s presence ◄prostrated themselves/bowed down low► and worshipped him. 17 They said:

Lord God, you are the Almighty One!

You are the one who exists now!

You are the one who has always existed!

We thank you that you have defeated by your power everyone who has rebelled against you,

and you now rule over everyone in the world.

18 The unbelieving people of [MTY] the nations were raging at you.

As a result you have become very angry with them.

You have decided that this is the appropriate time for you to judge all the dead people.

You have also decided that it is the time for you to reward all your servants,

both the prophets and the rest of your people who reverence you [MTY],

whether they were considered socially significant/important or socially insignificant/unimportant.

It is time for you to reward all of them!

You have also decided it is the time for you to destroy the people who are destroying others on the earth.

19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened {was open} and I saw in the temple the sacred box/chest that contains God’s commandments. Lightning was flashing, it was thundering and rumbling, the earth shook, and large hailstones fell from the sky.

When a royal woman gave birth to a royal son, she fled to safety and care in a place in the wilderness that was prepared by God.

Revelation 12:1-6

12 Then something very unusual appeared in the sky. It was a woman, whose appearance and clothing were [MET] as bright as the sun. The moon was under her feet. On her head was a crown that was made of twelve stars. 2 She was pregnant. Then, as she was about to give birth, she cried out because she was suffering pain. 3 Something else very unusual appeared in the sky. It was a huge red dragon. It had seven heads and ten horns. On each of its heads was a royal crown. 4 The dragon’s tail dragged a third of the stars from the sky and threw them to the earth. The dragon set himself in front of the woman who was about to give birth, in order that he might eat her child as soon as it was born. 5 The woman gave birth to a son, who is destined to rule all the nations with complete authority as if he was using [MET] an iron rod [MET]. God snatched away her child and took him to rule from his throne. 6 The woman fled to a desert. She has a place there that God has prepared for her, in order that the angels may take care of her for 1,260 days.

There was a battle in heaven in which Michael and his angels fought the dragon. The dragon and his angels were thrown out of heaven to earth. A loud voice from heaven declared the victory and the sovereignty of God, and lamented the tragic struggle coming to people on earth.

Revelation 12:7-12

7 In the vision I saw that there was a battle in heaven. Michael and the angels that he commanded fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back against Michael and his angels. 8 But the dragon did not win the battle, so God did not allow the dragon and his angels to stay in heaven any longer. 9 The huge dragon was thrown {Michael and his angels threw the huge dragon} out of heaven. The dragon is the ancient serpent, the one who is called the Devil and Satan. He is the one who deceives people all over the earth. He was thrown down to the earth, along with all his angels. 10 Then I heard someone in heaven shout loudly, saying,

Now our God has saved his people by his power, and he rules everyone!

Now the Messiah, the one who is the supreme ruler whom God appointed,

has authority to rule all people, because our God has thrown out of heaven the one who accuses our fellow believers!

The dragon is the one who accuses them day and night before our God,

saying that they have sinned and that God ought to punish them.

11 Our fellow believers overcame the dragon because they never stopped trusting

(OR, never stopped telling people about) Jesus,

and because they trusted in what Jesus, the one who is like a lamb, accomplished when his blood flowed when he died.

Even though those believers wanted to live,

they were willing to let people kill them for speaking the truth about him.

12 So, all you angels living [MTY] in heaven, rejoice!

But terrible things will happen to you ungodly people who [MTY] live on the earth and on the ocean, because the devil has come down to you!

He is very angry because he knows that he has only a short time during which he can harm people.

When the dragon pursued the woman who had given birth to a son, he was thwarted, so he prepared to fight against her other offspring.

Revelation 12:13-18

13 When the dragon realized that he had been thrown {that the angels had thrown him} down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to a son. 14 But the woman was given two wings like the wings of a very large eagle, in order that she might fly to a desolate place. That is a place that God has prepared for her. There she was taken care of {God’s angels took care of her} for three and a half years. The serpent, that is, the dragon, was not able to reach her there. 15 The serpent spewed water like a river from his mouth in the direction of the woman, in order that the water might sweep her away. 16 But the ground helped the woman by opening up and swallowing the river that the dragon spewed out from his mouth! 17 Then the dragon was very angry with the woman, so he went away to fight against the people who are like the rest of her descendants. They are the people who obey God’s commandments and who tell other people about Jesus (OR, hold fast to what Jesus taught them). 18 The dragon stood on the ocean shore.

A beast rose from the ocean. It received power and authority from the dragon. Everyone worshipped it; that is, all people whose names were not recorded in the book of life worshipped the beast for 42 months.

Revelation 13:1-10

13 I saw a beast that was coming up out of the ocean. It had ten horns and seven heads. On each of its horns there was a royal crown. On each of its heads there was a name that insulted God. 2 The beast that I saw was like a leopard. But its feet were like the feet of a bear, and its mouth was like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave the beast power. From his own throne he also gave it authority to rule people [DOU]. 3 One of the heads of the beast had been wounded {The Lord had wounded one of the heads of the beast}, causing the beast to almost die. But its wound was healed. As a result, nearly all the people of the earth [HYP, MTY] marveled at the beast and became his disciples. 4 They worshipped the dragon, because he had given to the beast authority to rule people. They also worshipped the beast, saying, “No one is as powerful as the beast!/ [RHQ] ◄No one would dare to fight against it!/Who would dare to fight against it?►” [RHQ] 5 The beast was allowed {God allowed the beast} to speak [MTY] in a boastful way and to insult God. It was also allowed {God also allowed it} to rule over people for 42 months. 6 It [MTY] insulted God, insulted the place where he lives, and insulted everyone who lives with him in heaven. 7 It was allowed {God allowed it} to fight against God’s people and to conquer them. It was allowed {God allowed it} to have authority to rule over every tribe, over every people-group, over speakers of every language [MTY], and over every nation. 8 Most of [HYP] the people living on earth worshipped it. They were people whose names were not written in a book by the one who is like a lamb, the one who had been killed. Since the beginning of the world he wrote in it the names of the people who will have eternal life. 9 Everyone who wants to understand [MTY] must listen carefully to this message from God: 10 If God has determined that some people will be captured by their enemies, they will be captured. If God has determined that some people will be killed with a sword, they will be killed with a sword. So God’s people must be steadfast, and remain faithful to him.

Another beast appeared, having the same authority to rule people that the first beast had, and it caused people on earth to worship the first beast. People made an image of the first beast, and the beast had everyone killed who refused to worship the image. It caused all people to be marked with the name of the first beast. The number of the beast’s name is 666.

Revelation 13:11-18

11 I saw another beast, which was coming up from the earth. It had two small horns on its head like a sheep has. But it spoke things to deceive people, like the dragon does. 12 While the first beast watched, it used all the same authority to rule people that the first beast had. It forced the people who live on the earth [MTY, DOU] to worship the first beast, that is, the one who was healed of the wound that had caused it to almost die. 13 The second beast performed awesome miracles, even causing fire from the sky to fall to earth while people watched. 14 He performed miracles ◄on behalf of/with the authority of► the first beast. By doing that he deceived the unbelieving people on the earth so that they believed that they should worship the first beast. But this happened only because God allowed it to happen. The second beast told the people living on earth to make an image of the first beast, the one that people had almost killed with a sword and that then came back to life again. 15 The image of the first beast was allowed to breathe, in order that it might speak and in order that it might command that whoever refused to worship its image should be killed {that people should kill whoever refused to worship its image}. 16 The second beast required also that the first beast’s name be marked {its agents mark the first beast’s name} on the right hand or on the forehead of everyone, those of little social importance and of great social importance, the rich and the poor, free people and slaves. Everyone! 17 They did this in order that people could not buy anything or sell anything if they did not have the mark, which represents the name of the beast or the number of its name, on their foreheads. 18 You must think wisely to understand the meaning of the mark. Anyone who thinks wisely should calculate from the number of the beast what the man’s name is. That number is 666.

John saw the Lamb standing on Zion Mountain with 144,000 redeemed people, who were marked with God’s seal. They were singing a new song that only the redeemed could sing.

Revelation 14:1-5

14 But then I saw the one who is like a lamb standing on Zion Hill in Jerusalem. With him were 144,000 people. His name and his Father’s name had been written {He had written his name and his Father’s name} on their foreheads. 2 I heard a sound from heaven, which was as loud [SIM] as the sound of a huge waterfall (OR, a great/wide river of rushing water) and which was also as loud as [SIM] mighty thunder. The sound that I heard was like the sound that people make when they are playing their harps. 3 The 144,000 people were singing a new song while they stood in front of the throne, in front of the four living creatures, and in front of the elders. Only the 144,000 people, the ones who have been {whom the one who is like a lamb has} redeemed/bought from among the people on the earth, could learn that song. No one else could learn the song that they sang. 4 Those 144,000 are the people who are spiritually pure, like virgins are morally pure. They have not ◄defiled themselves/made themselves impure► [MET] by worshipping any false god. They are the ones who accompany Jesus, the one who is like a lamb, wherever he goes. They represent all those whom he has redeemed/bought for God from among the people of earth, in order that he might offer them to God and to himself. 5 Those people never lie when they speak [MTY], and they never act immorally.

An angel announced that after God judged and then destroyed the wicked cities symbolized as Babylon. Another angel declared individual judgment on worshipers of the beast, who symbolizes the head of this world power. The saints are called to remain steadfast.

Revelation 14:6-13

6 I saw another angel that was flying between the sky and heaven. He was bringing God’s eternal good message to earth, in order that he might proclaim it to people who live on the earth. He will proclaim it to every nation, to every tribe, to speakers of every language [MTY], and to every people-group. 7 He said in a loud voice, “Revere God and honor him, because it is now time for him to judge people! Worship God, because he is the one who created the heaven, the earth, the ocean, and the springs of water.” 8 A second angel came after him saying, “The very evil cities (OR, city) represented by Babylon are completely destroyed! God has punished their people because they have persuaded people of all the nations to forsake God, just like a prostitute [MET] persuades men to drink strong wine and as a result commit sexual immorality.” 9 A third angel came next, saying in a loud voice, “If people worship the beast and its image and allow its mark to be put {its agent to put its mark} on their foreheads or on their hands, 10 God will be angry with them and punish them very severely [MET]. They will be tormented {God will torment them} in burning sulfur in the presence of his holy angels and in the presence of the one who is like a lamb. 11 The smoke from the fire that torments them will rise forever. They will be tormented {God will torment them} continually, day and night. That is what will happen to the people who worship the beast and its image and who allow its name to be marked on them {allow its agent to mark them with its name}.” 12 So God’s people, those who obey what God commands and who trust in Jesus, must faithfully continue obeying and trusting him. 13 I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: God will now abundantly bless the people who have a close relationship with the Lord Jesus for the rest of their lives.” God’s Spirit says, “Yes, after they die, they will no longer have to work hard. Instead, they will rest, and the record of the good deeds [MTY] that they have done will go with them (OR, God will reward them for the good deeds that they have done).”

Someone like the One who came from heaven sat on a cloud, holding a sharp sickle. An angel from the sanctuary commanded him to harvest the earth. Another angel was commanded to reap fruit that grows on vines. He threw the fruit that he harvested into the place where God angrily crushes people like a winepress crushes grapes. When the winepress was trodden, the flow was like a flood of blood on the earth.

Revelation 14:14-20

14 Then I was surprised to see a white cloud, and on the cloud someone was sitting who looked like the one who came from heaven. He was wearing a golden crown on his head. In his hand he held a sharp sickle. 15 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven. In a loud voice, speaking figuratively about gathering people for God to judge them, he said to the one who was sitting on the cloud, “The time has come to reap the grain on the earth, so with your sickle reap the grain, because the grain on the earth is ripe.” 16 The one who was sitting on the cloud forcefully gathered together all the people on earth, as [MET] a farmer reaps grain with his sickle. 17 Another angel came out of the sanctuary in heaven. He also held a sharp sickle. 18 From the altar came another angel. He is the one who takes care of the fire of the altar. Also speaking figuratively about gathering the wicked people for God to judge and punish them, he said in a loud voice to the angel who held the sharp sickle, “With your sharp sickle cut off the clusters of grapes in the vineyards on the earth! Then gather the clusters of grapes together, because its grapes are ripe!” 19 So, just like a man would cut off with his sickle the clusters of grapes in his vineyard [MET], an angel forcefully gathered the wicked people on the earth. Then he threw them into the huge place where God will angrily punish them. 20 The wicked people were trampled on {God’s agent trod on the wicked people} in the winepress outside the city. The blood that came out from the winepress flowed in a stream so deep that it reached to the bridles of the horses, and extended ◄180 miles/300 kilometers►.

John saw in the sky a marvelous sign of the seven angels who were responsible for inflicting people with the seven last plagues.

Revelation 15:1

15 Something else very unusual appeared in the sky. I saw seven angels, whose duty it was to punish (OR, inflict hardship upon) rebellious people with seven different plagues (OR, in seven different ways). God is so angry with rebellious people that this is the last time that he will punish them with the purpose of giving them an opportunity to turn away from their sinful behavior.

John saw those who had been victorious over the beast respond to God’s judgment of rebellious people on earth by singing praise to God for his mighty deliverance and righteous judgment.

Revelation 15:2-4

2 I saw what looked like an ocean that was made of glass and mixed with fire. And I saw the people who overcame the beast by not worshipping it or its image, or allowing its agent to mark them with the number that corresponds to the beast’s name [PRS]. They were standing by the ocean that looked like it was made of glass. They had harps for praising God. 3 They were singing a song like God’s servant Moses sang long ago. They sang like this to praise Jesus, the one who is like a lamb:

Lord God Almighty,

whatever you do is powerful and marvelous!

You always act righteously and truthfully.

You are king forever!

4 O Lord, you alone are holy!

People of [MTY] all nations will come and worship you,

because you show everyone that you have judged everyone righteously.

So, everyone will fear you and honor you! [RHQ].

John saw angels being given the seven bowls of judgment in the heavenly sanctuary, which became filled with the smoke of God’s unapproachable glory.

Revelation 15:5-8

5 After this, in the vision I saw in heaven the temple that ◄corresponds to/was represented by► the tent that the Israelites pitched in the desert. That was the tent that contained the Ten Commandments. The temple door was opened {was open}. 6 The seven angels who had the bowls containing the seven plagues came out of the temple. The angels were dressed in clean, white linen garments, and they wore gold bands around their chests. 7 One of the four living creatures gave each of the seven angels a golden bowl, filled with wine/liquid. That wine/liquid symbolized that God, who lives forever, would severely punish rebellious people. 8 The temple was filled with smoke that symbolized the presence of the glorious and all-powerful God. No one was able to enter the temple until the seven angels finished pouring out the seven plagues.

Four angels emptied their judgment bowls.

Revelation 16:1-9

16 In the vision I heard someone in the temple speak in a loud voice to the angels who had the seven bowls. He said, “Go from here and pour out on the earth the wine/liquid in [MTY] the seven bowls. This will show that God is angry with rebellious people and will punish them.” 2 So the first angel went and poured out on the earth the wine/liquid that was in [MTY] his bowl. As a result, horrible and painful sores broke out on God’s enemies who had allowed the beast’s agents to mark them and who worshipped the image of the beast. 3 The second angel poured out on the ocean the wine/liquid that was in [MTY] his bowl. As a result, the water in the ocean stank like the blood of a person who has died. And [MTY] every living creature that was in the ocean died. 4 The third angel poured out on the rivers and water springs the wine/liquid [MTY] that was in his bowl. As a result, the water in the rivers and springs turned into blood. 5 I heard the angel who has authority over the waters say to God, “O God, you exist and have always existed. You are the holy one. You judge people justly. 6 The rebellious people murdered your holy people and prophets. So you are just in punishing them by giving them blood to drink. This is what they deserve!” 7 Then I heard an angel respond from the altar [PRS], “Yes, Lord God, you who are almighty, you punish people rightly and justly!” 8 Then the fourth angel poured out on the sun the wine/liquid that was in [MTY] his bowl. He enabled the sun to scorch people with fiery heat. 9 Because people were severely burned by the intense heat {the intense heat severely burned people}, they said evil things about God [MTY], because he had the power to strike people with plagues like those. But they refused to stop their evil behavior and refused to honor him.

Two more angels emptied their judgment bowls on the earth. Demons gathered armies to fight against God. But Jesus warned his people to watch faithfully for his imminent coming. The battle was ready to begin at Armageddon.

Revelation 16:10-16

10 When the fifth angel poured out on the throne of the beast the wine/liquid that was in [MTY] his bowl, it became dark in the kingdom that the beast ruled. As a result, the beast and the people whom it ruled were biting their tongues because they were suffering intense pain. 11 They insulted God who rules in heaven, because their sores were so painful. But they refused to stop doing the evil things that they were doing. 12 The sixth angel poured out on the huge river Euphrates the wine/liquid that was in [MTY] his bowl. As a result, the water in the river was dried up so that the rulers from the eastern [MTY] countries could cross it with their armies [SYN]. 13 I saw evil spirits that looked like frogs. One came out of the mouth of the dragon, one from the mouth of the beast, and one from the mouth of the false prophet. 14 Those spirits were demons who were able to perform miracles. They went out to the rulers of the whole world, in order to gather their armies [SYN] together to the battle that they will fight on the wonderful day when Almighty God punishes his enemies [MTY]. 15-16 15-16The evil spirits will gather the rulers at a place that is called in the Hebrew language Armageddon.

I heard the Lord Jesus say, “You must listen carefully to me: I am coming unexpectedly [SIM], like a thief. So, I will be happy with those who stay alert and keep on living righteously so that they will not be ashamed, just like [MET] a person keeps his clothes on so that he will not be ashamed like a person who is naked.”

After the seventh angel emptied his bowl, God punished the very evil city symbolized by Babylon, and destroyed other cities, and terrible disasters followed.

Revelation 16:17-21

17 The seventh angel poured out into the air the wine/liquid that was in [MTY] his bowl. As a result, someone said with a loud voice from the throne in the temple, “The time for God to finish punishing rebellious people is about to be start.” 18 When the angel emptied his bowl, lightning flashed, there were rumblings and thunder, and the earth shook. It shook more violently than it has ever shaken since people first lived on earth. 19 And as a result, the very evil city that is symbolized by Babylon split into three parts. God also destroyed cities in other nations. God did not forget that the people of [MTY] the very evil city symbolized by Babylon had sinned very much. So he caused the people with whom he was furiously angry [MET] to drink a cup of very poisonous wine/liquid that represented his punishment. 20 Also as a result of the earthquake, every island disappeared, and the mountains became flat land. 21 Also as a result of the angel’s emptying his bowl, huge hailstones, each weighing about 100 pounds, fell from the sky onto the people. Then people insulted God because he had caused the destructive hail to fall on them in that terrible plague.

One of the seven angels offered to show John how God will punish the very evil city represented by a prostitute, with whom the rulers of people on earth have been seduced to act immorally and idolatrously.

Revelation 17:1-2

17 One of the seven angels, who had one of the seven bowls, came to me. He said to me, “Come with me, and I will show you how God will punish the very evil city that is represented by [SYM] a prostitute, a city in which there are many canals of water. 2 It is as though the rulers of earth have acted immorally and idolatrously with the people of that city [MET], and they have persuaded people who live on the earth to act immorally and idolatrously with them [MET], just like a prostitute persuades men to drink the strong wine she gives them, resulting in their becoming drunk and then committing sexual immorality. with her.”

When the angel took John to a wilderness, he saw an immoral woman who was drunk with the blood of God’s people. The sight caused John to react with great bewilderment.

Revelation 17:3-6

3 Then, as God’s Spirit controlled me, the angel carried me away to a desolate area. There I saw a woman who was sitting on a red beast. The beast had names written all over itself. They were names that ◄insulted/spoke evil against► God. The beast had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman that I saw was wearing purple and red clothes; and gold, precious stones, and pearls were fastened to her clothes and her body. She held in her hand a golden cup. The cup was full of a liquid that represents [SYM] the detestable/disgusting, idolatrous things and filthy immoral things that she does. 5 This name, that has a hidden/secret meaning, was written on her forehead: “This woman is Babylon, the very evil city! She acts like the mother of the prostitutes on the earth. She teaches them to act immorally and to worship idols.” 6 I saw that the woman had become drunk as a result of drinking the blood of God’s people, those who had told others about Jesus. When I saw her, I was very bewildered/perplexed.

The angel revealed the meaning of what John had seen, identifying as ruling entities both the beast which amazed people and his seven heads and ten horns, and the angel declared that they would be overcome by the Lamb and defeated. The angel identified the prostitute as representing the very evil city that dominates people, and he declared that it would be destroyed.

Revelation 17:7-18

7 The angel said to me, “Do not be bewildered [RHQ]! I will explain to you the hidden/secret meaning of the woman and of the beast on which she rides, the beast that has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The beast that you saw lived previously. Eventually God will destroy him, but now he is dead. He is about to come up ◄from the underworld/from the deep dark pit►. When the beast who had previously lived, and who then had died, reappears, the people who live on the earth will be amazed. They are people whose names were not in the book in which are written the names of people who will have eternal life. The angels have been writing those names in a list ◄from the beginning of the world/from the time when the world began►. 9 Those who think wisely can understand this: The seven heads of the beast on which the woman sits symbolize the seven hills of the city that the woman represents. They also symbolize seven rulers. 10 Five of those rulers have died. One is still alive. The seventh ruler has not yet come. When he comes, he must remain on earth for only a short time. 11 The beast that lived before and then was not alive will be the eighth ruler. He will be evil like the seven rulers were, but God will surely destroy him. 12 The ten horns that you saw represent ten rulers who have not yet begun to rule. They, together with the beast, will be authorized to rule people for only a short time, as if it were [MET] for one hour. 13 Those rulers will all agree to do the same thing. As a result they will give to the beast their power to rule people as well as their authority to rule people [DOU]. 14 The rulers and the beast will fight against Jesus, the one who is like a lamb. He will defeat them, because he is Lord who rules over all other lords and the King who rules over all other kings. Those people who are with Jesusand helping him are the ones whom God has chosen, and who keep serving him faithfully.” 15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw in the city where the prostitute sits represent people-groups, multitudes of people, nations, and speakers of many languages [MTY]. 16 The ten horns that you saw represent rulers [SYM]. They and the beast will hate the people in the city [MTY] that the prostitute represents. As a result, they will take away everything that is in the city, as if they were [MET] leaving it naked. They will destroy it as if [MET] devouring flesh/meat, and they will burn it with fire. 17 They will do that because God has caused them to decide to do what he wants them to do. As a result, they will let the beast have their power to rule until what God has said is fulfilled {until they fulfill what God has said} [MTY]. 18 The prostitute that you saw represents the very evil city whose leaders [MTY] rule over the kings of the earth.”

A powerful angel descended from heaven and announced that the cities represented by Babylon were about to be completely destroyed because of their immorality and idolatry.

Revelation 18:1-3

18 After this, in the vision I saw another angel, who had great authority, coming down from heaven. The earth became bright because he was shining so intensely/brightly. 2 He shouted with a very loud voice, “God is about to completely destroy [DOU] all the very evil cities (OR, the very evil city) that Babylon represents. As a result, all kinds of evil spirits [DOU] will live there, and all kinds of foul and detestable [DOU] birds will live there. 3 God will destroy those cities because their rulers have persuaded the people of [MTY] all nations to act very immorally and idolatrously with the people of [MET] those cities, just like a prostitute persuades men to drink strong wine and then commit fornication with her. The rulers of the earth have also acted immorally and idolatrously with the people of [MTY] those cities. The merchants of the earth have become rich because the people of those cities strongly desired and bought from the merchants many ◄luxuries/expensive things►.”

John heard Jesus tell God’s people to flee from those cities.

Revelation 18:4-5

4 I heard Jesus speak from heaven. He said, “My people, flee from those cities, in order that you do not sin as the people of those cities do. If you sin as they do, I will punish you as I will punish them. 5 It is as though their sins have been piled {have piled} up to heaven, and God remembers them [DOU], so now he will punish them [MTY].”

Jesus sentenced the cities represented by Babylon to destruction.

Revelation 18:6-8

6 To the angels whom God assigned to punish those cities, Jesus said, “Pay back/Punish the people of those cities to the same extent that they harmed other people. Cause them to suffer twice as much as they caused other people to suffer [DOU, MET]. 7 To the same extent that they have boasted about themselves and done the things that they wanted to do, to that extent torment them and cause them to grieve. Do that because in their minds they think, ‘We rule as queens! We are not widows, and we will never mourn as widows do’! 8 So in one day terrible calamities/troubles will come upon them. The people in those cities will die, others will mourn for them, people will be hungry because there will be no food, and their cities will be burned up. The Lord God is able to punish those cities like that, because he is very powerful.”

Earth’s kings, merchants, and maritime traders mourned the loss of those cities.

Revelation 18:9-19

9 “The kings of the earth who have acted immorally with people of those cities and have lived with the people of those cities, doing just what they wanted to do, will weep and mourn [DOU] for them when they see the smoke of the fire that is burning those cities. 10 They will stand far away from those cities, because they will be afraid that they will suffer just like the people of those cities are suffering. They will say, ‘Terrible things will happen to the awesome and mighty cities represented by Babylon! God will punish them suddenly and swiftly [MTY]!’ 11 The merchants of the earth will weep and will mourn [DOU] for those cities, because no one will ever again buy the things that they have to sell to the people in those cities. 12-13 12-13They sell ornaments made of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls. They sell expensive cloth made of fine linen and silk, expensive cloth that is dyed purple and crimson. They sell all kinds of rare wood, all kinds of items made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron, and marble. They sell cinnamon, spice, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, and grain. They sell cattle, sheep, horses, and chariots. They even sell human beings [SYN, DOU] to become slaves. 14 The merchants will say, ‘The good things you people longed to have are gone! All your luxurious and splendid [DOU] possessions have vanished!! They will be gone forever/You will never have them again [LIT]!’ 15 The merchants who sold these things and who had become rich by supplying them for those cities will stand far away, because they will be afraid that they will suffer just like the people of those cities are suffering. They will weep and mourn [DOU], 16 and they will say, ‘Terrible things [DOU] have happened to the awesome/great [MET] cities! They were like queens who dressed themselves in clothes made of [MTY] fine linen cloth and expensive cloth dyed purple and crimson, and who were adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls. 17 But suddenly and swiftly [MTY] God has destroyed these expensive things.’ Every ship captain, all people who travel by ship, all ◄sailors/those who work on ships►, and all others who earn their living by traveling on the ocean will stand far away from those cities. 18 When they see the smoke of the fire that is burning those cities, they will shout, ‘No other cities have ever been so awesome!’ [RHQ] 19 They will throw dust on their heads to show that they are sad, and they will shout, weep, and mourn [DOU]. They will say, ‘Terrible things have happened to the awesome/great cities, the cities that made all people who own ships that sail on the ocean become rich by carrying their costly ◄things for them to sell/merchandise►! God has suddenly and swiftly destroyed [MTY] those cities!’”

All of God’s people are called to rejoice because God has pronounced judgment on the cities represented by Babylon.

Revelation 18:20-24

20 Then someone spoke from heaven saying, “All you who live in heaven, rejoice over what has happened to the cities represented by Babylon! You who are God’s people, including you apostles, you ◄prophets/who speak messages that come directly from God►, rejoice, because God has justly punished the people of those cities because they acted in an evil way toward you!”

21 Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large stone for grinding grain, and threw it into the ocean. Then he said, “O you people in [APO] the awesome/great cities represented by Babylon, your cities will be destroyed so that they will disappear just like that stone disappeared in the ocean! Your cities will be gone forever [LIT]! 22 In your cities there will never again be anyone playing harps, singing, playing flutes, and blowing trumpets. There will no longer be any ◄skilled workers/craftsmen► making things. There will never again be people grinding grain at [MTY] the mills. 23 No lamplight will ever again shine. There will never again be the happy voices of a bridegroom and his bride. God will destroy your cities because your merchants were the most deceitful men in the world. You persuaded them to deceive people of [MTY] all nations. 24 You are also responsible for killing [MTY] the prophets and others of God’s people. Indeed, you are the ones who are guilty for the deaths of all those who have been {whom others have} killed on the earth!”

After the destruction of Babylon, John heard a huge crowd praising God for saving his people and announcing the marriage of the one who is like a lamb.

Revelation 19:1-8

19 After these things I heard what sounded like a huge crowd in heaven. They were shouting things like,

“◄Hallelujah!/Praise our God!►” “He has saved us!”

“He is glorious and mighty!”

2 “Praise him because he judges truly and justly!”

“He has punished the very evil cities that are like a prostitute,

because their people persuaded the other people of earth [MTY] to act immorally and idolatrously like they do.”

“Praise him because he has punished them for murdering his servants [MTY]!”

3 The crowd shouted a second time saying:

◄Hallelujah!/Praise God!► The smoke of the fire that is burning the cities will rise forever!

4 The 24 elders and the four living creatures ◄prostrated themselves/knelt down► and worshipped God, who sits on the throne. Then they said, “It is true! ◄Hallelujah!/Praise God!►” 5 Someone spoke from the throne and said, “All you who are our God’s servants, praise him! All you who reverence him, whether you are socially significant or insignificant, praise him! Everyone!” 6 I heard something like the noise of a huge crowd of people, like the sound of a huge waterfall (OR, a great/wide river of rushing water), and like the sound of loud thunder. They were shouting:

◄Hallelujah!/Praise God!► Because the Lord God, the Almighty One, reigns!

7 We should rejoice, we should be extremely glad, and we should honor him,

because it is now time for Jesus, the one who is like a lamb, to be united

permanently with his people, which will be like a man [MET] marrying his bride, and

because those who belong to him have prepared themselves to be united with him.

8 God has permitted them to be completely pure, like a bride who [MET] dresses in fine linen that is bright and clean.

Fine bright and clean linen represents the righteous acts of God’s people.

God will abundantly bless the people who have been invited to celebrate the marriage of the Lamb. Only God should be worshipped. All his servants are on an equal basis.

Revelation 19:9-10

9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: God will abundantly bless the people who are {whom he has} invited to the feast that celebrates Jesus, the one who is like a lamb, permanently uniting with his people, like someone [MET] marrying a wife.” He also said to me: “These words that God declares are true!” 10 I immediately ◄prostrated myself/knelt down► at his feet in order to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not worship me! I am just your (sg) fellow servant and the fellow servant of your (sg) fellow believers who tell people about Jesus. God is the one whom you should worship, because it is the Spirit of God who gives people the power to tell others about Jesus (OR, those who tell others about Jesus are truly declaring the words that the Spirit of God has given them)!”

John saw heaven open and saw the one whom he described as King of kings and Lord of lords mounted on a white horse.

Revelation 19:11-16

11 In the vision I saw heaven opened {open}, and I was surprised to see a white horse. Jesus, the one who was riding on the horse, is called ‘Trustworthy and Genuine/True’. He judges all people according to what is right, and fights righteously against his enemies. 12 His eyes shone like [MET] a flame of fire. There were many royal crowns on his head. A name had been written on him. Only he knows the meaning of that name. 13 The robe he was wearing was drenched with blood. His name is also “◄The one who expresses what God is like/The Word of God►.” 14 The armies of heaven were following him. They were also riding on white horses. They were wearing clothes made of clean white linen. 15 The words that Jesus speaks are like [MTY] a sharp sword with which he will strike the rebellious people of the nations. He himself will rule them powerfully, as though he had [MET] an iron rod. He will crush his enemies just like [MET] a person crushes grapes in a winepress. He will do this for God Almighty, who is extremely angry with them because of their sins. 16 On his cloak close to his thigh a name had been written {he had written a name}, which is “King who rules over all other kings and Lord who rules over all other lords.”

An angel invited all flesh-eating birds to feast on the flesh of people who would be killed by the Rider on the white horse. When the beast and the false prophet gathered kings with their armies to fight against the Rider and his army, the beast and the false prophet were thrown into the lake of fire. The Rider killed rebellious people with his sword, and the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

Revelation 19:17-21

17 I saw an angel who was standing in the light of [MTY] the sun. He called loudly to all the flesh-eating birds flying high in the sky, “Come and gather for the wonderful feast that God is providing for you! 18 Come and eat the flesh of all God’s enemies who are dead— the flesh of kings, army commanders, people who fought powerfully, horses and the soldiers who rode them, and the flesh of all other kinds of people, whether they were free or slaves, socially insignificant or significant. All kinds!” 19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of earth with their armies gathered together to fight against the Rider on the horse, and against his army. 20 The beast and the false prophet were captured {He captured the beast and the false prophet}. The false prophet is the one who had performed miracles in the beast’s presence. By doing that he had deceived the people who had accepted the beast’s mark on their foreheads and who worshipped its image. The beast and the false prophet were thrown {He threw the beast and the one who falsely said that he spoke messages that came directly from God} alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21 The rider on the horse killed the rest of their armies just by speaking words, which were like [MTY] a sword that extended from his mouth. All those birds gorged themselves on the flesh of the people whom he had killed.

John saw an angel coming down from heaven. He seized, bound, and imprisoned the dragon for 1,000 years.

Revelation 20:1-3

20 I saw an angel coming down from heaven. He had the key to the deep dark pit, and he was carrying a large chain in his hand. 2 He seized the dragon. That dragon is the ancient serpent, the devil, that is, Satan. The angel bound him with the chain. That chain could not be loosed {No one could loose that chain} for 1,000 years. 3 The angel threw him into the deep dark pit. He shut the door of the pit, locked it, and sealed it to prevent anyone from opening it. He did that in order that Satan might no longer deceive the people of the nations [MTY], until those 1,000 years are ended. After that time, Satan must be released {God/God’s angel must release Satan} for a short time in order that he can do what God has planned.

John saw the thrones of the martyrs who lived again and had authority to judge people. Those martyrs are the first people whom God will cause to live again. They will reign with Christ during the 1,000 years.

Revelation 20:4-6

4 I saw thrones on which people were sitting. They were given {God gave those people} authority to judge other people. I also saw the souls of people whose heads had been {whose heads others had} cut off because of their telling people about Jesus and declaring God’s message. They were people who refused to worship the beast or its image, and who did not allow the beast’s agents to put the beast’s mark on them, either on their foreheads or on their hands. They became alive again, and they ruled with Christ during those 1,000 years. 5 They were the ones who lived again the first time that God caused dead people to live again. The rest of the believers who had died did not live again until after those 1,000 years. 6 ◄God will be pleased with/How happy will be► those who live again that first time. God will consider them holy. They will not die [PRS] a second time. Instead, they will be priests who serve God and Christ, and they will rule with Christ during those 1,000 years.

When Satan is released, he will deceive the nations in order to assemble them to fight against God and his people. God will send fire to burn up the rebellious nations. He will cause Satan to be thrown into the lake of fire for everlasting punishment.

Revelation 20:7-15

7 When the 1,000 years are ended, Satan will be released {God’s angel will release Satan} from the deep pit in which he was imprisoned. 8 He will go out to deceive rebellious people in nations [IDM] all over the earth. These are the nations that the prophet Ezekiel called Gog and Magog. Satan will gather them to fight against God’s people. There will be so many of them fighting against God’s people that no one will be able to count them [SIM], just like no one can count the grains of sand on the ocean shore. 9 They will march over the whole earth and surround the camp of God’s people in Jerusalem, the city that God loves. Then God will send fire down from heaven, and it will burn them up. 10 The devil, who had deceived those people, will be thrown {God’s angel will throw the devil, who had deceived those people} into the lake of burning sulfur. This is the same lake into which both the beast and the false prophet had been thrown {he had thrown both the beast and the false prophet}. As a result, they will continually suffer severely forever.

11 Then I saw a huge white throne on which God was sitting. He was so awesome that the earth and the sky disappeared from his presence completely; they were completely destroyed {God completely destroyed them}. 12 I saw that the people who had died but now lived again were standing in front of the throne. They included people of every social status! The books in which God records what people do were opened {God/God’s angel opened the books in which God records what people do}. Another book was opened {He opened another book}, which is called the Book of Life, in which God has written the names of people who have eternal life. God judged the people who had died and now lived again according to what they had done, just like he had recorded it in the books. 13 The people whose bodies were buried in the sea became alive again in order to stand before God’s throne. Everyone who had been buried on the land (OR, Every person who was waiting in the place where dead people stay) became alive again, in order to stand before the throne. God judged each one of them according to what each one had done. 14 All the unbelievers [PRS, MTY] —those who had been in the place where they waited after they died— were thrown into the burning lake. The burning lake is the place in which people die the second time. 15 The people whose names [MTY] are not in the book, the one where God has written the names of people who have eternal life, were also thrown {◄God/God’s angel► threw them also} into the lake of fire.

John saw a new heaven, a new earth, and a New Jerusalem, the city where God will dwell permanently with his people.

Revelation 21:1-4

21 Then in the vision I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth had disappeared, and the oceans no longer existed. 2 I saw God’s holy city, which is the new city of Jerusalem. It was coming down out of heaven from God. The city had been prepared and decorated {God had prepared and decorated the city} as [SIM] a bride is decorated {decorates herself} beautifully in order to marry her husband. 3 I heard a loud voice that spoke from the throne of God. It said, “Listen to this! Now God will live with people. He will live right in the midst of them [DOU]! They will be his people. God himself will be with them, and he will be their God. 4 As a result, he will cause them to no longer be sad. It will be as though he will [MTY] wipe every tear from their eyes. None of them will ever again die or mourn or cry [DOU] or suffer pain, because the former things that make us sad will have disappeared.”

God declares that he has made everything new and has accomplished everything he intended to do. He declares himself to be the beginning and the end, and so he will give abundant eternal life to all who seek him, but will punish all the wicked in the lake of fire.

Revelation 21:5-8

5 Then God, who sits on the throne, said, “Listen to this! I am now making everything new!” He said to me: “Write these things that I have told you, because you can trust that I will certainly cause them to happen.” 6 He said to me, “I have finished doing all the things I needed to do. I am the one who began all things [MET] and the one who will cause all things to end [MET]. To everyone who is spiritually thirsty [MET], I will ◄freely give/give as a free gift► water from the spring that causes people to live forever. 7 I will give this to every person who is victorious over the evil powers (OR, over Satan). I will be their God, and they will be my children. 8 But those who are cowardly, those who do not believe in me, those who do detestable things, those who are murderers, those who sin sexually, those who commit sorcery, those who worship idols, and every liar, will all suffer in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. Anyone who suffers in that lake will be dying the second time.”

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls offered to show John the Bride of the Lamb.

Revelation 21:9

9 One of the seven angels who had one of the seven bowls that had been full of the wine/liquid causing [MTY] the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come with me and I will show you the people who have permanently united with Christ, the one who is like a lamb! They will be like [MET] a bride for him.”

An angel showed John the city of God, the New Jerusalem, that was coming down out of heaven from God, shining with his glory, having a huge wall with twelve gates and twelve huge foundation stones.

Revelation 21:10-14

10 Then, while God’s Spirit controlled me, the angel took/carried me to the top of a very high mountain. He showed me God’s holy city, the New Jerusalem. It was coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It was shining with his glory. The city was shining like a very precious jasper stone shines, and it was clear like crystal. 12 Around the city was a very high wall. The wall had twelve gates. An angel was at each gate. The names of the twelve tribes of Israel were written {God had written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel} over the gates. Each gate had the name of one tribe. 13 Three gates were on the east side, three gates were on the north side, three gates were on the south side, and three gates were on the west side. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones. On each foundation stone was the name of one of the twelve apostles of Jesus, the one who is like a lamb.

The angel guide measured the city and its wall.

Revelation 21:15-17

15 The angel who was speaking to me carried a golden measuring rod, in order to measure the city, its gates, and its wall. 16 The city was square in shape; it was as long as it was wide. After the angel measured the city with his rod, he reported that it was ◄1,500 miles/2,400 kilometers► long, and that its height was the same as its length and width. 17 He measured its wall and reported that it was ◄216 ft./70 meters► thick (OR, high). The angel used the measure that people normally use.

John described the composition of the city, its wall, its foundations, its gates, and its street, emphasizing the great value of each part.

Revelation 21:18-27

18 The city wall was made of something like the green stone that we call jasper. The city itself was made of something like pure gold that looked like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were beautifully made with wonderful stones that are like precious stones on earth. The first foundation stone was a crystalline stone like jasper, the second foundation stone was a blue stone like sapphire, the third foundation stone was a green stone like agate, the fourth foundation stone was a green stone like emerald, 20 the fifth foundation stone was a brown and white layered stone like sardonyx, the sixth foundation stone was a red stone like carnelian, the seventh foundation stone was a yellow stone like chrysolite, the eighth foundation stone was a green stone like beryl, the ninth foundation stone was a yellow stone like topaz, the tenth foundation stone was a green stone like chrysoprase, the eleventh foundation stone was a blue stone like hyacinth, and the twelfth foundation stone was a purple stone like amethyst. 21 The twelve gates of the city were something like huge pearls. Each gate was like it was a single pearl. The ground of the main plaza of the city (OR, The streets of the city) appeared to be pure gold that looked like clear glass.

22 There was no temple in the city. The Lord God Almighty himself, and the one who is like a lamb, are there, so there was no need for [MET] a temple. 23 The city will not need the sun or the moon to light the city, because the glory of God will illuminate the city, and Jesus, the one who is like a lamb, will also be its light. 24 The people of [MTY] the nations will live with the light of the city shining upon them. And the kings of the earth will bring their wealth into the city to honor God and the one who is like a lamb. 25 The gates of the city will not be shut {No one will shut the gates of the city} at the end of each day as they usually are shut, because there will be no night there. 26 The people of the world will also bring their wealth into the city to honor God and the one who is like a lamb. 27 No one who is morally impure, no one who does things that God considers detestable, and no one who tells lies, will ever enter that city. Only those people whose names are written in the book of the one who is like a lamb {whose names the one who is like a lamb has written in his book}, the names of people who have eternal life, will be there.

God will cause there to be abundant life in the city, his servants will worship him face-to-face, no one will be there whom God would curse, and his servants will reign forever and ever.

Revelation 22:1-5

22 The angel showed me the river of water that causes people who drink from it to live forever. The water was sparkling and clear like crystal. The river was flowing out from the throne where God and the one who is like a lamb were sitting. 2 It flowed down through the middle of the main street of the city. On each side of the river were trees bearing fruit that causes people who eat it to live forever. The trees bear twelve crops (OR, twelve kinds) of fruit; they produce one crop each month. The people of the nations [MTY] use the leaves of these trees as medicine in order that they may feel stronger 3 There will never be anyone or anything there that God will be under God’s curse. The throne of God and the one who is like a lamb will be in the city. And God’s servants will worship him there. 4 They will see him face-to-face, and his name will be written {he will write his name} on their foreheads. 5 There will never again be night. God’s servants will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will shine his light upon them. And they will rule forever.

God revealed to his servants his message in which he showed them what must happen soon.

Revelation 22:6-7

6 The angel said to me: “These words that God has revealed to you are true, and he will certainly do what he has promised to do. The Lord God who ◄inspires the prophets/tells the prophets what to say► sent his angel to show the people who serve him the events that must happen soon.” 7 Jesus says to all his people, “Listen to this! I am coming soon; God will abundantly bless everyone who obeys what has been commanded in this book.”

John attested that he himself has heard and seen all these things. He was told to tell others what has been revealed to him because its fulfillment was near, and everyone should be ready.

Revelation 22:8-11

8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw in a vision these things that I have written down. When I had heard and seen them, I immediately knelt down at the feet of the angel who was showing them to me, in order to worship him. 9 But he said to me, “Do not worship me I am just your fellow servant! I am also the fellow servant of your fellow believers who are ◄the prophets/the ones who tell messages that come directly from God►, and I am a fellow servant of those who obey what has been commanded in this book. Instead, worship God!” 10 He also said to me, “Do not keep secret the message about what God has foretold in this book, because it is almost time [MTY] for him to what he has promised to do in this message. 11 Since that time is near, if those who act in an evil manner want to continue to act that way [IRO], that is up to them. God will soon ◄pay them back/punish them► for that. If those who are vile want to continue to be vile [IRO], that is up to them. God will soon ◄pay them back/punish them► for that. Those who are acting righteously should continue to act righteously. And those who are holy should continue to be holy.”

Jesus announced that he had sent his angel to bear witness to the congregations about all that John had seen. Jesus authoritatively identified himself as the Descendant of King David and as the Messianic Morning Star.

Revelation 22:12-16

12 Jesus says this to everyone: “Listen! I am coming soon! And I will pay back everyone according to what each one has done, by punishing or rewarding them. 13 I am the one who began all things [MET] and the one who will cause all things to end [MET]. I existed before all things existed and I will exist at the end of all things [DOU]. 14 God is very pleased with the people who wash their robes, making themselves spiritually clean [MET], because they will be able to eat the fruit of [MTY] the tree that enables people to live forever, and because they will be able to enter the gates into the holy city. 15 People who are unholy will not be allowed to enter the city. They include people who practice sorcery, people who sin sexually, murderers, idol worshipers, and everyone who enjoys telling lies and are continual liars. They can never enter that city.”

16 “I, Jesus, sent my angel in order that he might tell you who are in the congregations that all these things that have been said are true. I am the descendant of King David whom the prophets promised would come [MET]. I am the one who is like the bright morning star [MET], the one that Moses promised would come.”

God’s Spirit and the Bride invite all who desire to drink the living water to come and drink, and they invite all who hear that invitation to extend it to others.

Revelation 22:17

17 God’s Spirit and his people, who are like [MET] the bride of Christ, say to each one who desires to believe, “Come!” Whoever hears this should also say to each one who desires to believe, “Come!” Spiritually thirsty people should come [MET]! Everyone who desires the water that enables people to live forever should take it as a free gift!

Jesus warned about what would happen to anyone who adds to the message of this book or who takes away any part of its revelation.

Revelation 22:18-19

18 “I, Jesus, solemnly warn everyone who hears what I have foretold in this book: If anyone adds anything to this message, God will cause him to experience the plagues that are {that I have} described in this book. 19 If anyone omits any of the message about what I have foretold in this book, God will take away that person’s right to eat fruit from [MTY] the tree that enables people to live forever. He will also take away that person’s right to enter God’s city. Both these things are described {I have described both these things} in this book.”

Jesus declares that he is certainly coming soon.

Revelation 22:20

20 Jesus, who says that all the things written here are true, says, “Certainly I am coming soon!” I, John, reply, “◄May it be so!/Amen!► Lord Jesus, come!”

John closes with a prayer that Jesus will continue to bless all God’s people.

Revelation 22:21

21 I pray that our Lord Jesus will continue to act kindly to all of you who are God’s people. ◄Amen!/May it be so!►