1 T hen I looked, and behold, the Lamb stood on Mount Zion, and with Him 144, 000 who had His name and His Father’s name inscribed on their foreheads.

Then I looked and saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion. There were 144, 000 people with Him. These people had His name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads.

2 A nd I heard a voice from heaven like the sound of great waters and like the rumbling of mighty thunder; the voice I heard of harpists accompanying themselves on their harps.

I heard a voice coming from heaven. It was like the sound of rushing water and of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like people playing music on their harps.

3 A nd they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders '> the heavenly Sanhedrin]. No one could learn that song except the 144, 000 who had been ransomed (purchased, redeemed) from the earth.

This large group sang a new song. They sang before the throne and in front of the four living beings and the twenty-four leaders. Only the 144, 000 could learn this song. They had been bought by the blood of Christ and made free from the earth.

4 T hese are they who have not defiled themselves by relations with women, for they are '> pure as] virgins. These are they who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These are they who have been ransomed (purchased, redeemed) from among men as the firstfruits for God and the Lamb.

These are men who have kept themselves pure by not being married. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They have been bought by the blood of Christ and have been made free from among men. They are the first ones to be given to God and to the Lamb.

5 N o lie was found to be upon their lips, for they are blameless (spotless, untainted, without blemish) before the throne of God.

No lie has come from their mouths. They are without blame. The Three Angels

6 T hen I saw another angel flying in midair, with an eternal Gospel (good news) to tell to the inhabitants of the earth, to every race and tribe and language and people.

Then I saw another angel flying in the heavens. He was carrying the Good News that lasts forever. He was preaching to every nation and to every family group and to the people of every language and to all the people of the earth.

7 A nd he cried with a mighty voice, Revere God and give Him glory (honor and praise in worship), for the hour of His judgment has arrived. Fall down before Him; pay Him homage and adoration and worship Him Who created heaven and earth, the sea and the springs (fountains) of water.

He said with a loud voice, “Honor God with love and fear. The time has come for Him to judge all men. Worship Him Who made heaven and earth and the sea and the places where water comes out of the earth.”

8 T hen another angel, a second, followed, declaring, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She who made all nations drink of the wine of her passionate unchastity '> idolatry].

A second angel followed, saying, “Babylon has fallen! The great city Babylon has fallen! She made all the nations drink of the wine of her sinful sex life.”

9 T hen another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a mighty voice, Whoever pays homage to the beast and his statue and permits the stamp (mark, inscription) to be put on his forehead or on his hand,

A third angel followed, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the wild animal and his false god and receives a mark on his forehead or hand,

10 H e too shall drink of the wine of God’s indignation and wrath, poured undiluted into the cup of His anger; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

he will drink of the wine of the anger of God. It is mixed in full strength in the cup of God’s anger. They will be punished with fire and burning sulphur in front of the holy angels and before the Lamb.

11 A nd the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no respite (no pause, no intermission, no rest, no peace) day or night—these who pay homage to the beast and to his image and whoever receives the stamp of his name upon him.

The smoke of those who are being punished will go up forever. They have no rest day or night. It is because they have worshiped the wild animal and his false god and have received the mark of his name.

12 H ere the steadfastness of the saints, those who keep God’s commandments and faith in Jesus.

This is why God’s people need to keep true to God’s Word and stay faithful to Jesus.

13 T hen I heard further '> perceiving the distinct words of] a voice from heaven, saying, Write this: Blessed (happy, to be envied) are the dead from now on who die in the Lord! Yes, blessed (happy, to be envied indeed), says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, for their works (deeds) do follow (attend, accompany) them!

Then I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write these words: ‘From now on those who are dead who died belonging to the Lord will be happy.’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will have rest from all their work. All the good things they have done will follow them.” The War of Armageddon

14 A gain I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud One resembling a Son of Man, with a crown of gold on His head and a sharp scythe (sickle) in His hand.

I looked and saw a white cloud. Sitting on the cloud was One like the Son of Man. He had a crown of gold on His head. In His hand He had a sharp knife for cutting grain.

15 A nd another angel came out of the temple sanctuary, calling with a mighty voice to Him Who was sitting upon the cloud, Put in Your scythe and reap, for the hour has arrived to gather the harvest, for the earth’s crop is fully ripened.

Then another angel came out from the house of God and called to Him with a loud voice. He said, “Use Your knife and gather in the grain. The time has come to gather the grain because the earth is ready.”

16 S o He Who was sitting upon the cloud swung His scythe (sickle) on the earth, and the earth’s crop was harvested.

He Who sat on the cloud raised His knife over the earth. And the grain was gathered in.

17 T hen another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he also carried a sharp scythe (sickle).

Then another angel came out from the house of God in heaven. He had a sharp knife for cutting grain also.

18 A nd another angel came forth from the altar, who has authority and power over fire, and he called with a loud cry to him who had the sharp scythe (sickle), Put forth your scythe and reap the fruitage of the vine of the earth, for its grapes are entirely ripe.

Another angel who has power over fire came out from the altar. He said with a loud voice to the angel who had the sharp knife, “Use your knife and gather in the grapes from the vine of the earth, for they are ready to gather.”

19 S o the angel swung his scythe on the earth and stripped the grapes and gathered the vintage from the vines of the earth and cast it into the huge winepress of God’s indignation and wrath.

The angel used his sickle on the earth. He gathered from the vine of the earth and put the fruit into the large place for making wine. It was full of God’s anger.

20 A nd the winepress were trodden outside the city, and blood poured from the winepress, as high as horses’ bridles, for a distance of 1, 600 stadia (about 200 miles).

They walked on it outside the city and blood came out of the place where wine is made. The blood ran as far as a man could walk in seven days. It came up as high as a horse’s head.