The New Testament Part 46

5 [14:14]And I saw, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud one sitting like the Son of man, having on his head a crown of gold and in his hand a sharp sickle. [14:15]And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Send your sickle and reap, for the time has come to harvest, for the harvest of the earth is dry. [14:16]And he that sat on the cloud cast his sickle upon the earth, and the earth was harvested.

6 [14:17]And another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he had a sharp sickle; [14:18]and another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and cried with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, Send your sharp sickle and gather the grapes of the vine of the earth, for its grapes are ripe. [14:19]And the angel cast his sharp sickle on the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth and cast it into the great wine-press of the wrath of G.o.d. [14:20]And the wine-press was trodden without the city, and the blood went out from the wine-press to the horses' bridles, a distance of sixteen hundred stadia [158 English miles].

CHAPTER IX.

THE LAST SEVEN PLAGUES OF THE KINGDOM OF THE BEAST.

1 [15:1]AND I saw another symbol in heaven, great and wonderful, seven angels having the last seven plagues, because by them the wrath of G.o.d was finished. [15:2]And I saw as it were a sea of gla.s.s mingled with fire, and those becoming victors over the beast and his image and the number of his name standing on the sea of gla.s.s, having harps of G.o.d.

[15:3]And they sing the song of Moses the servant of G.o.d and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and wonderful are thy works, Lord G.o.d Almighty; just and true are thy ways, king of the nations; [15:4]who shall not fear thee, Lord, and glorify thy name? For thou only art holy, for all the nations shall come and worship before thee, for thy righteous ordinances have been made manifest.

2 [15:5]And after this I saw, and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony was opened in heaven, [the inner temple], [15:6]and the seven angels went out who have the last seven plagues, clothed with pure bright linen, and girded about the b.r.e.a.s.t.s with golden girdles.

[15:7]And one of the four cherubs gave the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of the G.o.d who lives forever and ever.

[15:8]And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of G.o.d and from his power, and no one could enter into the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.

3 [16:1]And I heard a loud voice saying to the seven angels, Go, pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of G.o.d on the earth. [16:2]And the first went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and there was an evil and malignant ulcer on the men who have the mark of the beast and those who worship his image.

4 [16:3]And the second poured out his bowl on the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead body, and every living soul died, the [creatures]

in the sea.

5 [16:4]And the third poured out his bowl on the rivers and the fountains of waters; and they became blood. [16:5]And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art just, the Is and the Was, [the] Holy One, because thou hast judged thus, [16:6]for they shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; they are worthy.

[16:7]And I heard the altar say, Yes, Lord G.o.d Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.

6 [16:8]And the fourth poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was given it to scorch men with fire. [16:9]And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of G.o.d who had power over these plagues, and changed not their minds to give him glory.

7 [16:10]And the fifth poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast; and his kingdom was darkened, and they gnawed their tongues from painful labor, [16:11] and blasphemed the G.o.d of heaven on account of their painful labors and their ulcers, and they changed not their minds to turn from their works.

8 [16:12]And the sixth poured out his bowl on the river, the great Euphrates; and its water was dried up, that the way of the kings from the East might be prepared. [16:13]And I saw three impure spirits like frogs [proceed] from the mouth of the dragon and from the mouth of the beast and from the mouth of the false prophet;-- [16:14]for [these] are spirits of demons that perform miracles, that go to the kings of all the world, to a.s.semble them for the battle of that great day of G.o.d Almighty. [16:15]Behold, I come as a thief; blessed is he that watches and keeps on his clothes, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.

[16:16]And they a.s.sembled them in the place called in Hebrew Armagedon.

9 [16:17]And the seventh angel poured out his bowl on the air; and there came out a loud voice from the temple, from the throne, saying, It is done. [16:18] And there were lightnings and voices and thunders, and there was a great earthquake, such as has not been since a man was on the earth, such an earthquake and one so great. [16:19]And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell.

And Babylon the great was remembered before G.o.d, to give her the cup of the wine of his indignant wrath. [16:20]And every island fled, and the mountains were not found. [16:21]And great hail of about the weight of a talent [the Attic talent, 56 pounds, the Jewish, 113] came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed G.o.d on account of the plague of the hail because its plague was very great.

CHAPTER X.

THE FALL OF BABYLON.

1 [17:1]AND one of the seven angels having the seven bowls came and spoke to me, saying, Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, [17:2]with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

2 [17:3]And he bore me away into the wilderness in the Spirit. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, [the beast] full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns. [17:4]And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and the impurities of the fornication of the earth, [17:5]and on her forehead the names inscribed, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. [17:6]And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of the martyrs of Jesus, and I wondered when I saw her with great wonder.

3 [17:7]And the angel said to me, Why did you wonder? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast which carries her, having the seven heads and ten horns. [17:8]The beast which you saw was and is not, and is about to come up from the abyss, and goes to destruction; and those who live on the earth, whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder, when they see the beast that he was and is not and is to come. [17:9]Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sits, [17:10]and are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he comes must continue a short time. [17:11]And the beast which was and is not, he also is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goes to destruction.

4 [17:12]And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings, which have not yet received a kingdom, but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. [17:13] These have one will, and give their power and their authority to the beast. [17:14]They shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall conquer them,--for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.

[17:15]And he said to me, The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples and mult.i.tudes and nations and tongues. [17:16]And the ten horns which you saw and the beast shall hate the harlot, and make her desolate and naked, and eat her flesh, and burn her with fire; [17:17]for G.o.d has put it into their hearts to do his will and to have one will and give their kingdom to the beast, till the words of G.o.d are finished. [17:18]And the woman which you saw is the great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.

5 [18:1]After this I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power, and the earth was lighted by his glory. [18:2]And he cried with a loud voice, saving, Babylon the great has fallen, has fallen, and has become a habitation of demons, and a haunt of every impure spirit, and a haunt of every impure and hateful bird, [18:3]because all nations have drank of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth became rich from the greatness of her luxury.

6 [18:4]And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that you may not partake of her sins, and receive of her plagues; [18:5] for her sins have reached to heaven and G.o.d has remembered her wickedness. [18:6]Render to her as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; of the cup that she has mixed, mix to her double; [18:7]as much as she glorified herself, and lived luxuriously, so much distress and sorrow give her. For she says in her mind, I sit a queen and am not a widow and I see not sorrow.

[18:8]Therefore in one day shall her plagues come, death and sorrow and famine, and she shall be burnt with fire; for mighty is the Lord G.o.d who has judged her.

7 [18:9]And the kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her shall weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, [18:10]standing at a distance on account of fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, the great city, Babylon the mighty city, for in one hour your judgment has come. [18:11]And the merchants of the earth shall weep and lament for her, because no one buys their wares any more, [18:12]wares of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls, and linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and every implement of ivory and every implement of most precious wood, of bra.s.s and iron and marble, [18:13]cinnamon and amomum and incense and ointment and frankincense, and wine and oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and of horses and chariots and servants, and souls of men. [18:14]And the fruit of your soul's desire has gone from you, and all precious and shining stores have perished from you, and you shall find them no more.

8 [18:15]And dealers in these things, and those who became rich by her, shall stand afar off for fear of her distress, weeping and lamenting, [18:16]saying, Alas, alas, the great city, that was clothed with fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, [18:17]for in one hour are so great riches made a desolation. And every sailing-master and every one who sails to the place, and sailors and all that work on the sea, shall stand afar off, [18:18]and looking on the smoke of its burning, cry, saying, What city is like this great city? [18:19]And they shall cast dust on their heads, and cry weeping and lamenting, saying, Alas, alas, the great city, by which all were enriched who had ships on the sea on account of her costly merchandise, for in one hour is it made desolate.

[18:20]Rejoice over her, heaven, and you holy angels and apostles and prophets, for G.o.d has executed your judgment on her.

9 [18:21]And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall Babylon the great city be cast down, and shall be found no more. [18:22]And the voice of harpers and singers and of those that play on flutes and trumpets shall be heard in you no more. And no artisan of any art shall be found in you any more, and the sound of a mill shall be heard in you no more, [18:23]and the light of a candle shall shine in you no more, and the voice of a bridegroom and of a bride shall be heard in you no more, for your merchants were the great ones of the earth, for all nations were deceived by your magic arts, [18:24]and in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all that have been killed on the earth.

CHAPTER XI.

SATAN CONQUERED AND IMPRISONED, HIS RELEASE AND FINAL OVERTHROW.

1 [19:1]AFTER this I heard a loud voice as of a great mult.i.tude in heaven, saying, Halleluia, the salvation and glory and power of our G.o.d, [19:2]for true and righteous are his judgments, for he has judged the great harlot who destroyed the earth with her fornication, and avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. [19:3]And again they said, Halleluia, and her smoke ascends forever and ever. [19:4]And the twenty-four elders fell down, and the four cherubs, and worshipped G.o.d who sat on the throne, saying, Amen, Halleluia. [19:5]And a voice came out from the throne, saying, Praise our G.o.d, all his servants and those that fear him, small and great. [19:6]And I heard them as the voice of a great mult.i.tude, and as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunders, saying, Halleluia, for the Lord our G.o.d the Almighty reigns. [19:7]Let us rejoice and be glad, and give glory to him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and his wife has prepared herself, [19:8]and it was given her to be arrayed in fine linen white and clean;--for fine linen represents the righteous ordinances of the saints.

2 [19:9]And he said to me, Write, Blessed are those who are called to the wedding supper of the Lamb. And he told me, These are the true words of G.o.d. [19:10]And I fell before his feet to worship him. And he said to me, See [that you do it] not; I am your fellow-servant and of your brothers who have the testimony of Jesus; worship G.o.d. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

3 [19:11]And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat on it is called faithful and true, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. [19:12]And his eyes are a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; he has a name written that no man knows except himself, [19:13]and he is clothed in a mantle dipped in blood, and his name is called The Word of G.o.d. [19:14]And the armies of heaven follow him upon white horses, clothed with fine white clean linen.

[19:15]And out of his mouth proceeds a sharp sword, that with it he may smite the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, and he shall tread the wine-press of the indignant wrath of G.o.d Almighty.

[19:16]And he has on the mantle and on the thigh his name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

4 [19:17]And I saw an angel standing on the sun, and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid-heaven, Come, a.s.semble yourselves to the great supper of G.o.d, [19:18]that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of chiliarchs and the flesh of mighty [men] and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all, both free-men and servants and both small and great.

[19:19]And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies a.s.sembled together to make war with him that sat on the horse and with his army. [19:20]And the beast was taken and with him the false prophet who performed miracles before him, with which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worship his image; and the two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with sulphur.

[19:21]And the rest were killed with the sword of him that sits on the horse, which proceeded out of his mouth, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.

5 [20:1]And I saw an angel descending from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. [20:2]And he took the dragon, which is the old serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, [20:3]and cast him into the abyss, and shut him up and put a seal over him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years were finished; after that he must be released a short time.

6 [20:4]And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given them, and the souls of those who have been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and the word of G.o.d, and who did not worship the beast nor his image and did not receive the mark on their forehead and on their right hand; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years; [20:5]the rest of the dead did not live till the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. [20:6]Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first resurrection; on these the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of G.o.d and Christ, and reign with him a thousand years.

7 [20:7]And when the thousand years are finished, Satan shall be released from his prison, [20:8]and go forth to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, the Gog and the Magog [the king and the people], and to a.s.semble them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. [20:9] And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and surrounded the encampment of the saints and the beloved city; and fire came down from heaven and consumed them.

[20:10]And the devil who deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and sulphur, where also the beast and the false prophet [were cast], and they shall be tormented day and night forever and ever.

CHAPTER XII.

THE FINAL JUDGMENT, THE NEW JERUSALEM, ETC.

1 [20:11]AND I saw a great white throne and him that sat on it, from whose presence the earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. [20:12]And I saw the dead, great and small, stand before the throne, and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is of life. And the dead were judged from the things written in the books according to their works. [20:13]And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged each according to their works. [20:14]And Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. [20:15]And whoever was not found enrolled in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

2 [21:1]And I saw a new heaven and new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth pa.s.sed away, and the sea was no more. [21:2]And I saw the holy city New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from G.o.d, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. [21:3]And I heard a loud voice from heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of G.o.d is with men, and he will tabernacle with them, and they shall be his people, and G.o.d himself will be with them, their G.o.d, [21:4]and he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, nor shall lamentation nor crying nor pain be any more, for the former things have pa.s.sed away.

3 [21:5]And he that sits on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said, Write that these words are faithful and true.

[21:6]And he said to me, It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to him that thirsts of the fountain of the water of life freely. [21:7]He that conquers shall inherit these things, and I will be to him a G.o.d and he shall be to me a son.

[21:8]But the fearful and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and fornicators and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death.