The Bible, Douay-Rheims Part 813

3:10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon the whole world to try them that dwell upon the earth.

3:11. Behold, I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

3:12. He that shall overcome, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my G.o.d: and he shall go out no more. And I will write upon him the name of my G.o.d and the name of the city of my G.o.d, the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my G.o.d, and my new name.

3:13. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.

3:14. And to the angel of the church of Laodicea write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, who is the beginning of the creation of G.o.d:

The Amen... that is, the true one, the Truth itself; the Word and Son of G.o.d. The beginning,' 'apx... that is, the principle, the source, and the efficient cause of the whole creation.

3:15. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would thou wert cold or hot.

3:16. But because thou art lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth.

3:17. Because thou sayest: I am rich and made wealthy and have need of nothing: and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.

3:18. I counsel thee to buy of me gold, fire tried, that thou mayest be made rich and mayest be clothed in white garments: and that the shame of thy nakedness may not appear. And anoint thy eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

3:19. Such as I love, I rebuke and chastise. Be zealous therefore and do penance.

3:20. Behold, I stand at the gate and knock. If any man shall hear my voice and open to me the door, I will come in to him and will sup with him: and he with me.

3:21. To him that shall overcome, I will give to sit with me in my throne: as I also have overcome and am set down with my Father in his throne.

3:22. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.

Apocalypse Chapter 4

The vision of the throne of G.o.d, the twenty-four ancients and the four living creatures.

4:1. Aftengs which must be done hereafter.

4:2. And immediately I was in the spirit. And behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and upon the throne one sitting.

4:3. And he that sat was to the sight like the jasper and the sardine stone. And there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

4:4. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats, four and twenty ancients sitting, clothed in white garments. And on their heads were crowns of gold.

4:5. And from the throne proceeded lightnings and voices and thunders.

And there were seven lamps burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of G.o.d.

4:6. And in the sight of the throne was, as it were, a sea of gla.s.s like to crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four living creatures, full of eyes before and behind.

4:7. And the first living creature was like a lion: and the second living creature like a calf: and the third living creature, having the face, as it were, of a man: and the fourth living creature was like an eagle flying.

4:8. And the four living creatures had each of them six wings: and round about and within they are full of eyes. And they rested not day and night, saying: Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord G.o.d Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.

4:9. And when those living creatures gave glory and honour and benediction to him that sitteth on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever:

4:10. The four and twenty ancients fell down before him that sitteth on the throne and adored him that liveth for ever and ever and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:

4:11. Thou art worthy, O Lord our G.o.d, to receive glory and honour and power. Because thou hast created all things: and for thy will they were and have been created.

Apocalypse Chapter 5

The book sealed with seven seals is opened by the Lamb, who thereupon receives adoration and praise from all.

5:1. And I saw, in the right hand of him that sat on the throne, a book, written within and without, sealed with seven seals.

5:2. And I saw a strong angel, proclaiming with a loud voice: Who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof?

5:3. And no man was able, neither in heaven nor on earth nor under the earth, to open the book, nor to look on it.

5:4. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open the book, nor to see it.

5:5. And one of the ancients said to me: Weep not: behold the lion of the tribe of Juda, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof.

5:6. And I saw: and behold in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the ancients, a Lamb standing, as it were slain, having seven horns and seven eyes: which are the seven Spirits of G.o.d, sent forth into all the earth.

5:7. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne.

5:8. And when he had opened the book, the four living creatures and the four and twenty ancients fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

The prayers of saints... Here we see that the saints in heaven offer up to Christ the prayers of the faithful upon earth.

5:9. And they sung a new canticle, saying: Thou art worthy, O Lord, to take the book and to open the seals thereof: because thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to G.o.d, in thy blood, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation:

5:10. And hast made us to our G.o.d a kingdom and priests, and we shall reign on the earth.

5:11. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the living creatures and the ancients (and the number of them was thousands of thousands),

5:12. Saying with a loud voice: The Lamb that was slain is worthy to receive power and divinity and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and benediction.

5:13. And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard all saying: To him that sitteth on the throne and to the Lamb, benediction and honour and glory and power, for ever and ever.

5:14. And the four living creatures said: Amen. And the four and twenty ancients fell down on their faces and adored him that liveth for ever and ever.

Apocalypse Chapter 6

What followed upon opening six of the seals.

6:1. And I saw that the Lamb had opened one of the seven seals: and I heard one of the four living creatures, as it were the voice of thunder, saying: Come and see.

6:2. And I saw: and behold a white horse, and he that sat on him had a bow, and there was a crown given him, and he went forth conquering that he might conquer.

White horse... He that sitteth on the white horse is Christ, going forth to subdue the world by his gospel. The other horses that follow represent the judgments and punishment that were to fall on the enemies of Christ and his church. The red horse signifies war; the black horse, famine; and the pale horse (which has Death for its rider), plagues or pestilence.