1 T hen the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him.

The fifth angel blew his horn. I saw a star from heaven which had fallen to earth. The key to the hole without a bottom was given to the angel.

2 H e opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit.

He opened the hole and smoke came out like the smoke from a place where there is much fire. The sun and the air became dark because of the smoke from the hole.

3 T hen out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

Locusts came down to the earth out of the smoke. They were given power to hurt like small animals that sting.

4 T hey were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.

They were told not to hurt the grass or any green plant or any tree. They were to hurt only the men who did not have the mark of God on their foreheads.

5 A nd they were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment for five months; and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a man.

The locusts were not allowed to kill these men. They were to give them much pain for five months like the pain that comes from a small animal that stings.

6 A nd in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them.

Men will look for ways to die during those days, but they will not find any way. They will want to die, but death will be kept from them.

7 T he appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle; and on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men.

The locusts looked like horses ready for war. They had on their heads what looked like crowns of gold. Their faces were like men’s faces.

8 T hey had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions.

Their hair was like the hair of women. Their teeth were like the teeth of lions.

9 T hey had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle.

Their chests were covered with what looked like pieces of iron. The sound their wings made was like the sound of many wagons rushing to war.

10 T hey have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months.

They had tails like a small animal that stings. The sting came from their tails. They were given power to hurt men for five months.

11 T hey have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon.

These locusts have a king over them. He is the head angel of the hole that has no bottom. His name in the Hebrew language is Abbadon. In the Greek language it is Apollyon. (It means the one who destroys.)

12 T he first woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things. The Sixth Trumpet—Army from the East

The first time of trouble is past. But see, there are two more times of trouble coming after this. The Sixth Horn—the Angels That Kill

13 T hen the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,

The sixth angel blew his horn. I heard a voice coming from the four corners of the altar made of gold that is before God.

14 o ne saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”

The voice said to the sixth angel who had the horn, “Let the four angels loose that have been chained at the big river Euphrates.”

15 A nd the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind.

They had been kept ready for that hour and day and month and year. They were let loose so they could kill one-third part of all men that were living.

16 T he number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them.

The army had 200 million soldiers on horses. I heard them say how many there were.

17 A nd this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone.

I saw, as God wanted to show me, the horses and the men on them. The men had pieces of iron over their chests. These were red like fire and blue like the sky and yellow like sulphur. The heads of the horses looked like the heads of lions. Fire and smoke and sulphur came out of their mouths.

18 A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths.

One-third part of all men was killed by the fire and smoke and sulphur that came out of their mouths.

19 F or the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm.

The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails. Their tails were like the heads of snakes and with them they could bite and kill.

20 T he rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk;

The men that were still living after these troubles were past would not turn away from worshiping demons. They would not turn away from false gods made from gold and silver and brass and stone and wood. None of these false gods can see or hear or walk.

21 a nd they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.

These men were not sorry for their sins and would not turn away from all their killing and their witchcraft. They would not stop their sex sins and their stealing.