The Angel and the Little Scroll

10 Then I saw [fn]a mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like pillars of fire. 2 In his hand he held [fn]an open scroll. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and cried out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he cried out, the seven thunders sounded their voices. 4 And when the seven thunders [fn]spoke, I was about to write. But I heard a voice from heaven [fn]saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and [fn]do not write it down.” 5 Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his [fn]right hand to heaven 6 and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and everything in it, the earth and everything in it, and the sea and everything in it, and said that there would no longer be delay, 7 but that in the days when the seventh angel would sound his trumpet, the mystery of God would be completed, [fn]according to the good news he had announced to his servants the prophets.

8 Then the voice I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go take the [fn]little scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 9 So I went over to the angel and [fn]asked him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take the scroll and eat it. It will make yoʋr stomach bitter, but in yoʋr mouth it will be as sweet as honey.” 10 So I took the [fn]scroll from the angel's hand and ate it. In my mouth it was as sweet as honey, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned bitter. 11 Then I was told, “Yoʋ must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.”