13 "I know where you dwell, where Satan's throne is; and you hold fast My name ^[Jesus], and did not deny My faith ^{[the Gospel]} even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

14 "But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam [see the book of Numbers 22-31...the Jews back-slid into severely wrong religious practices], who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality ^{[Hellenistic Jews, in-the-church "clean", church-approved  prostitution, not red-light-district whores. Port city and sailors will be sailors and so let's make a way to make this OK. Let's blend church and secular stuff "rightly".]}.

15 "So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans ^{[an early loose morals church sect...probably many Hellenistic Jews...practicing adultery and  but who confounded...conquered... "the folks"...the laity...with their knowledge & intellect & learned & wordy speeches; lifestyle doesn't matter as long as you obey The Law; Jesus did not hate them...He hated their deeds/ways]}.

16 "Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword ^{[the Word of God]} of My mouth.

17 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit ^{[Holy Spirit...3rd person of the Divine Trinity]} says to the churches. To him who overcomes ^{[true believers are "overcomers"]}, to him I will give some of the hidden manna ^{[probably both a  reminder of communion &  harking back to sustaining them in the wilderness]}, and I will give him a white stone  ^{[a vote the opposite of a "black ball" negative vote?]}, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.' ^{[Jesus gives this church three promises: hidden manna, the white stone, and a new name]}

18 "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira ^{[inland, blue-collar  (tradesmen) church next northernmost of Izmir, Turkey...in ruins now; also symbolic of the medieval church from 607-1520AD ]} write: The Son of God ^[Jesus], who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet are like burnished bronze, says this:

19 "I know your deeds, and your love and faith and service and perseverance, and that your deeds of late are greater than at first.

20 "But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel [not the one of the Old Testament], who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray ^{[liberally stretching the limits on what is OK]} so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.

 21 "I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality.

22 "Behold, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds.

23 "And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.

24 "But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them; I place no other burden on you.

25 "Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come.

 26 "He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to Him I will give authority over the nations;

27 and He shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father;

28 and I will give him the morning star.

29 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'  ^{[Jesus seems to give this church four promises: They get authority over the nations, rule over the nations, dash the nations, and they get the morning star. Especially in words to this church, John really uses the mixed metaphors from Daniel/Ezekiel to slip meaning past & fool the Patmos Roman guards. John mixes Jewish eschatological stuff & Greek apocryphal stuff and hopes that believers familiar with the Gospel and John's letters will sniff out the truth. BUT, the real Jesus NEVER tells his followers to rule and lay waste to any people!!!!! The message is that the GOOD of God will defeat the evil of Satan...talking about God's victorious work!]}

Chapter 3:

 1 "To the angel of the church in Sardis ^{[at that time, it had the largest synagogue in the western world]} write: He who has the seven Spirits of God ^{[harking  back to the seven-fold ministry of the Holy Spirit, Isaiah 11:2]} and the seven stars  ^{[angels of each church, above]}, says this: "I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead ^{[this church there was severely persecuted and in survival mode, having gone "underground' & wondering if its worth it all and contemplating just "blending in".]}.

2 "Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.

3 "So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.

4 "But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.

5 "He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments [in purity]; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels [].

6 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' ^{[Jesus gives this church five promises]}

7 ""And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:

8 I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

9 "Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie. I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.

10 "Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

11 " I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.

12 " He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.

13 "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' ^{[Jesus gives this church six promises]}

14 ""To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:

15 " I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.

16 "So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.

17 "Because you say, "" I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,'' and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,

18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.

19 " Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.

20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.

21 " He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

22 " He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.''' ^{[Jesus gives this church only one promise]}

Chapter 4 *

Scene in Heaven

1 After these things I looked, and behold,  a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, " Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things."
2   Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.
3   And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.
4   Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.

The Throne and Worship of the Creator

5   Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God;
6   and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind.
7  The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle.
8   And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, " HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME."
9   And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever,
10   the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying,
11   "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created."

Chapter 5 *

The Book with Seven Seals

1   I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals.
2   And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?"
3   And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it.
4   Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it;
5   and one of the elders said to me, "Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals."
6   And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.
7   And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
8   When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
9   And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
10   "You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth."

Angels Exalt the Lamb

11   Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands,
12   saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing."
13   And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever."
14   And the four living creatures kept saying, " Amen." And the elders fell down and worshiped.
Chapter 6 *

The First Seal--Rider on White Horse

1   Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, "Come."
2   I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

The Second Seal--War

3   When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come."
4   And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.

The Third Seal--Famine

5   When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, "Come." I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand.
6   And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine."

The Fourth Seal--Death

7   When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come."
8   I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.

The Fifth Seal--Martyrs

9   When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained;
10   and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, " How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"
11   And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.

The Sixth Seal--Terror

12   I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood;
13   and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind.
14   The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15   Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains;
16   and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him  who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb;
17   for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"

Chapter 7 *

An Interlude

1   After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree.
2   And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea,
3   saying, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads."

The 144,000

4   And I heard the number of those who were sealed, one hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:
5   from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand,
6   from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand,
7   from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand,
8   from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.

A Multitude from the Tribulation

9   After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude^{[far more than 144,000]} which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands;
10   and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, " Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."
11   And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
12   saying, "Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen."
13   Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?"
14   I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15   "For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them.
16   "They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat;
17   for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."

Chapter 8 *

The Seventh Seal--the Trumpets

1   When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
2   And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
3   Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne.
4   And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel's hand.
5   Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake.
6   And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them.
7   The first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.
8   The second angel sounded, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea; and a third of the sea became blood,
9   and a third of the creatures which were in the sea and had life, died; and a third of the ships were destroyed.
10   The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters.
11   The name of the star is called Wormwood; and a third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the waters, because they were made bitter.
12   The fourth angel sounded, and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them would be darkened and the day would not shine for a third of it, and the night in the same way.
13   Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, "Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!"

Chapter 9 *

The Fifth Trumpet--the Bottomless Pit

1   Then 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.
2   He 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.
3   Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4   They 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.
5   And 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.
6   And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them.
7   The 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.
8   They had hair like the hair of women, and their  teeth were like the teeth of lions.
9   They had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle.
10   They have tails like scorpions, and stings; and in their tails is their power to hurt men for five months.
11   They 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.
12   The first woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things.

The Sixth Trumpet--Army from the East

13   Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14   one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates."
15   And 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.
16   The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them.
17   And 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.
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.
19   For 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.
20   The 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;
21   and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.

Chapter 10 *

The Angel and the Little Book

1   I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire;
2   and he had in his hand a little book which was open. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left on the land;
3   and he cried out with a loud voice, as when a lion roars; and when he had cried out, the seven peals of thunder uttered their voices.
4   When the seven peals of thunder had spoken, I was about to write; and I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up the things which the seven peals of thunder have spoken and do not write them."
5   Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven,
6   and swore by Him who lives forever and ever,  WHO CREATED HEAVEN AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE EARTH AND THE THINGS IN IT, AND THE SEA AND THE THINGS IN IT, that  there will be delay no longer,
7   but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets.
8   Then the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, "Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who  stands on the sea and on the land."
9   So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he said to me, "Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey."
10   I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.
11   And they said to me, "You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings."

Chapter 11 *

The Two Witnesses

1   Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, "Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it.
2   "Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months.
3   "And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth."
4   These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.
5   And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way.
6   These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.
7   When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them.
8   And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
9   Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.
10   And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
11   But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them.
12   And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.
13   And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14   The second woe is past; behold, the third woe is coming quickly.

The Seventh Trumpet--Christ's Reign Foreseen

15   Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever."
16   And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God,
17   saying, "We give You thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who are and who were, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign.
18   "And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth."
19   And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm.

Chapter 12 *

The Woman, Israel

1   A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars;
2   and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth.

The Red Dragon, Satan

3   Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems.
4   And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.

The Male Child, Christ

5   And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.
6   Then the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she would be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.

The Angel, Michael

7   And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. The dragon and his angels waged war,
8   and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven.
9   And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
10   Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.
11   "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.
12   "For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time."
13   And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child.
14   But the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, so that she could fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.
15   And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood.
16   But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth.
17   So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

Chapter 13 *

The Beast from the Sea

1   And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names.
2   And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority.
3   I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast;
4   they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?"
5   There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him.
6   And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.
7   It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.
8   All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.
9   If anyone has an ear, let him hear.
10   If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.

The Beast from the Earth

11   Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon.
12   He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.
13   He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men.
14   And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life.
15   And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
16   And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead,
17   and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.
18   Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.

Chapter 14 *

The Lamb and the 144,000 on Mount Zion

1   Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.
2   And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps.
3   And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth.
4   These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.
5   And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless.

Vision of the Angel with the Gospel

6   And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people;
7   and he said with a loud voice, "Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters."
8   And another angel, a second one, followed, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who had made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality."

Doom for Worshipers of the Beast

9   Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone  worships the beast and his  image, and receives a  mark on his forehead or on his hand,
10   he also will drink of the  wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength  in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with  fire and brimstone in the presence of the  holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
11   "And the  smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever;  they have no rest day and night, those who  worship the beast and his  image, and whoever receives the  mark of his name."
12   Here is  the perseverance of the saints who  keep the commandments of God and  their faith in Jesus.
13   And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, "Write, ' Blessed are the dead who  die in the Lord from now on!'" "Yes,"  says the Spirit, "so that they may  rest from their labors, for their  deeds follow with them."

The Reapers

14   Then I looked, and behold, a  white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one  like  a son of man, having a golden  crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand.
15   And another angel  came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, " Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the  harvest of the earth is ripe."
16   Then He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.
17   And another angel  came out of the temple which is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle.
18   Then another angel,  the one who has power over fire, came out from  the altar; and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, " Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth,  because her grapes are ripe."
19   So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into  the great wine press of the wrath of God.
20   And  the wine press was trodden  outside the city, and  blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses' bridles, for a distance of  two hundred miles.

Chapter 15 *

A Scene of Heaven

1   Then I saw  another sign in heaven, great and marvelous,  seven angels who had  seven plagues, which are  the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished.
2   And I saw something like a  sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had  been victorious over the  beast and  his image and the  number of his name, standing on the  sea of glass, holding  harps of God.
3   And they sang the  song of Moses,  the bond-servant of God, and the  song of the Lamb, saying,
           " Great and marvelous are Your works,
           O Lord God, the Almighty;
          Righteous and true are Your ways,
           King of the  nations!
4  
       " Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
          For You alone are holy;
          For  ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU,
          FOR YOUR  RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED."
5   After these things I looked, and  the temple of the  tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened,
6   and the  seven angels who had the seven plagues  came out of the temple, clothed in  linen, clean and bright, and  girded around their chests with golden sashes.
7   Then one of the  four living creatures gave to the  seven angels seven  golden bowls full of the  wrath of God, who  lives forever and ever.
8   And the temple was filled with  smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.

Chapter 16 *

Six Bowls of Wrath

1   Then I heard a loud voice from  the temple, saying to the  seven angels, "Go and  pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God."
2   So the first angel went and poured out his bowl  on the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant  sore on the people  who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.
3   The second angel poured out his bowl  into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living  thing in the sea died.
4   Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the  rivers and the springs of waters; and they  became blood.
5   And I heard the angel of the waters saying, " Righteous are You,  who are and who were, O  Holy One, because You  judged these things;
6   for they poured out  the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them  blood to drink. They deserve it."
7   And I heard  the altar saying, "Yes, O  Lord God, the Almighty,  true and righteous are Your judgments."
8   The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon  the sun,  and it was given to it to scorch men with fire.
9   Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they  blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they  did not repent so as to  give Him glory.
10   Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the  throne of the beast, and his kingdom became  darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain,
11   and they  blasphemed the  God of heaven because of their pains and their  sores; and they  did not repent of their deeds.
12   The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the  great river, the Euphrates; and  its water was dried up, so that  the way would be prepared for the kings  from the east.

Armageddon

13   And I saw coming out of the mouth of the  dragon and out of the mouth of the  beast and out of the mouth of the  false prophet, three  unclean spirits like  frogs;
14   for they are  spirits of demons,  performing signs, which go out to the kings of the  whole world, to  gather them together for the war of the  great day of God, the Almighty.
15   ("Behold,  I am coming like a thief.  Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes,  so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.")
16   And they  gathered them together to the place which  in Hebrew is called   Har-Magedon.

Seventh Bowl of Wrath

17   Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon  the air, and a  loud voice came out of the  temple from the throne, saying, " It is done."
18   And there were flashes of  lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was  a great earthquake,  such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty.
19    The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell.  Babylon the great was  remembered before God, to give her  the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath.
20   And  every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
21   And  huge hailstones, about  one hundred pounds each, came down from heaven upon men; and men  blasphemed God because of the  plague of the hail, because its plague was extremely severe.

Chapter 17 *

The Doom of Babylon

1    Then one of the  seven angels who had the  seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, "Come here, I will show you  the judgment of the  great harlot who  sits on many waters,
2   with whom  the kings of the earth committed acts of immorality, and  those who dwell on the earth were  made drunk with the wine of her immorality."
3   And  he carried me away   in the Spirit  into a wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a  scarlet beast, full of  blasphemous names, having  seven heads and ten horns.
4   The woman  was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand  a gold cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality,
5   and on her forehead a name was written, a  mystery, " BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF  THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH."
6   And I saw the woman drunk with  the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered greatly.
7   And the angel said to me, "Why do you wonder? I will tell you the  mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the  seven heads and the ten horns.
8   " The beast that you saw  was, and is not, and is about to  come up out of the  abyss and   go to destruction. And  those who dwell on the earth,  whose name has not been 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 will come.
9   " Here is the mind which has wisdom. The  seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits,
10   and they are seven  kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while.
11   "The beast which  was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he  goes to destruction.
12   "The  ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast  for one hour.
13   "These have  one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast.

Victory for the Lamb

14   "These will wage  war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will  overcome them, because He is  Lord of lords and  King of kings, and  those who are with Him are the  called and chosen and faithful."
15   And he said to me, "The  waters which you saw where the harlot sits, are  peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.
16   "And the  ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her  desolate and  naked, and will  eat her flesh and will  burn her up with fire.
17   "For  God has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by  having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the  words of God will be fulfilled.
18   "The woman whom you saw is  the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth."

Chapter 18 *

Babylon Is Fallen

1   After these things I saw another  angel  coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was  illumined with his glory.
2   And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, " Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She  has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every  unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird.
3   "For all the nations  have drunk of the  wine of the passion of her immorality, and  the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the  merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her  sensuality."
4   I heard another voice from heaven, saying, " Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues;
5   for her sins have  piled up as high as heaven, and God has  remembered her iniquities.
6   " Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the  cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her.
7   " To the degree that she glorified herself and  lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, ' I SIT as A QUEEN AND I AM NOT A WIDOW, and will never see mourning.'
8   "For this reason  in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be  burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her  is strong.

Lament for Babylon

9   "And  the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and  lived sensuously with her, will  weep and lament over her when they  see the smoke of her burning,
10    standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, ' Woe, woe,  the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in  one hour your judgment has come.'
11   "And the  merchants of the earth  weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any more--
12   cargoes of  gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and bronze and iron and marble,
13   and cinnamon and spice and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and cargoes of horses and chariots and slaves and  human lives.
14   "The fruit you long for has gone from you, and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and men will no longer find them.
15   "The  merchants of  these things, who became rich from her, will  stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning,
16   saying, ' Woe, woe,  the great city, she who  was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls;
17   for in  one hour such great wealth has been laid  waste!' And  every shipmaster and every passenger and sailor, and as many as make their living by the sea,  stood at a distance,
18   and were  crying out as they  saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ' What city is like  the great city?'
19   "And they threw  dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ' Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea  became rich by her wealth, for in  one hour she has been laid  waste!'
20   " Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and  apostles and prophets, because  God has pronounced judgment for you against her."
21   Then a  strong angel  took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "So will Babylon,  the great city, be thrown down with violence, and  will not be found any longer.
22   "And  the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer; and no craftsman of any craft will be found in you any longer; and the  sound of a mill will not be heard in you any longer;
23   and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the  voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your  merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived  by your sorcery.
24   "And in her was found the  blood of prophets and of saints and of  all who have been slain on the earth."

Chapter 19 *
Babylon Is Fallen

1   After these things I saw another  angel  coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was  illumined with his glory.
2   And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, " Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She  has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every  unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird.
3   "For all the nations have drunk of the  wine of the passion of her immorality, and  the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the  merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her  sensuality."
4   I heard another voice from heaven, saying, " Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues;
5   for her sins have  piled up as high as heaven, and God has  remembered her iniquities.
6   " Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the  cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her.
7   " To the degree that she glorified herself and  lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, ' I SIT as A QUEEN AND I AM NOT A WIDOW, and will never see mourning.'
8   "For this reason  in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be  burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her  is strong.

Lament for Babylon

9   "And  the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and  lived sensuously with her, will  weep and lament over her when they  see the smoke of her burning,
10    standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, ' Woe, woe,  the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in  one hour your judgment has come.'
11   "And the  merchants of the earth  weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any more--
12   cargoes of  gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and bronze and iron and marble,
13   and cinnamon and spice and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and cargoes of horses and chariots and slaves and  human lives.
14   "The fruit you long for has gone from you, and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and men will no longer find them.
15   "The  merchants of  these things, who became rich from her, will  stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning,
16   saying, ' Woe, woe,  the great city, she who  was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls;
17   for in  one hour such great wealth has been laid  waste!' And  every shipmaster and every passenger and sailor, and as many as make their living by the sea,  stood at a distance,
18   and were  crying out as they  saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ' What city is like  the great city?'
19   "And they threw  dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ' Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea  became rich by her wealth, for in  one hour she has been laid  waste!'
20   " Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and  apostles and prophets, because  God has pronounced judgment for you against her."
21   Then a  strong angel  took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "So will Babylon,  the great city, be thrown down with violence, and  will not be found any longer.
22   "And  the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer; and no craftsman of any craft will be found in you any longer; and the  sound of a mill will not be heard in you any longer;
23   and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the  voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your  merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived  by your sorcery.
24   "And in her was found the  blood of prophets and of saints and of  all who have been slain on the earth."

Chapter 20 *

Satan Bound

1   Then I saw  an angel coming down from heaven, holding the  key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.
2   And he laid hold of the  dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and  bound him for a thousand years;
3   and he threw him into the  abyss, and shut it and  sealed it over him, so that he would  not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.
4   Then I saw  thrones, and  they sat on them, and  judgment was given to them. And I saw  the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their  testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not  worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the  mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they  came to life and  reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
5   The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed.  This is the first resurrection.
6    Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the  second death has no power, but they will be  priests of God and of Christ and will  reign with Him for a thousand years.

Satan Freed, Doomed

7   When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be  released from his prison,
8   and will come out to  deceive the nations which are in the  four corners of the earth,  Gog and Magog, to  gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the  sand of the seashore.
9   And they  came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the  camp of the saints and the  beloved city, and  fire came down from heaven and devoured them.
10   And  the devil who  deceived them was thrown into the  lake of fire and brimstone, where the  beast and the  false prophet are also; and they will be  tormented day and night forever and ever.

Judgment at the Throne of God

11   Then I saw a great white  throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence  earth and heaven fled away, and  no place was found for them.
12   And I saw the dead, the  great and the small, standing before the throne, and  books were opened; and another book was opened, which is  the book of life; and the dead  were judged from the things which were written in the books,  according to their deeds.
13   And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and  death and Hades  gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them  according to their deeds.
14   Then  death and Hades were thrown into  the lake of fire. This is the  second death, the lake of fire.
15   And if anyone's name was not found written in  the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

Chapter 21 *

The New Heaven and Earth

1   Then I saw  a new heaven and a new earth; for  the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
2   And I saw  the holy city,  new Jerusalem,  coming down out of heaven from God,  made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
3   And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold,  the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will  dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them ,
4   and He will  wipe away every tear from their eyes; and  there will no longer be any death;  there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain;  the first things have passed away."
5   And  He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am  making all things new." And He said, "Write, for  these words are faithful and true."
6   Then He said to me, " It is done. I am the  Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.  I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the  water of life without cost.
7   " He who overcomes will inherit these things, and  I will be his God and he will be My son.
8   " But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in  the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the  second death."
9    Then one of the seven angels who had the  seven bowls full of the  seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying, " Come here, I will show you the  bride, the wife of the Lamb."

The New Jerusalem

10   And  he carried me away   in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me  the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,
11   having  the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a  stone of  crystal-clear jasper.
12   It had a great and high wall,  with twelve  gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel.
13   There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west.
14   And the wall of the city had  twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the  twelve apostles of the Lamb.
15   The one who spoke with me had a gold measuring  rod to measure the city, and its  gates and its wall.
16   The city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as the width; and he measured the city with the rod,  fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal.
17   And he measured its wall,  seventy-two yards, according to  human measurements, which are also  angelic measurements.
18   The material of the wall was  jasper; and the city was  pure gold, like clear  glass.
19    The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation stone was  jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth,  emerald;
20   the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth,  sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst.
21   And the twelve  gates were twelve  pearls; each one of the gates was a single pearl. And the street of the city was  pure gold, like transparent  glass.
22   I saw  no temple in it, for the  Lord God the Almighty and the  Lamb are its temple.
23   And the city  has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for  the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the  Lamb.
24    The nations will walk by its light, and the  kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.
25   In the daytime (for  there will be no night there)  its gates  will never be closed;
26   and  they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it;
27   and  nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are  written in the Lamb's book of life.

Chapter 22

The River and the Tree of Life

1   Then  he showed me a  river of the  water of life, clear  as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb,
2   in the middle of  its street.  On either side of the river was  the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
3    There will no longer be any curse; and  the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will  serve Him;
4   they will  see His face, and His  name will be on their  foreheads.
5   And  there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need  of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will  reign forever and ever.
6   And  he said to me, " These words are faithful and true"; and the Lord, the  God of the spirits of the prophets,  sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must soon take place.
7   "And behold,  I am coming quickly.  Blessed is he who heeds  the words of the prophecy of this book."
8    I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw,  I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things.
9   But  he said to me, "Do not do that. I am a  fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of  this book. Worship God."

The Final Message

10   And he said to me, " Do not seal up  the words of the prophecy of this book,  for the time is near.
11   " Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and the one who is holy, still keep himself holy."
12   "Behold,  I am coming quickly, and My  reward is with Me,  to render to every man according to what he has done.
13   "I am the  Alpha and the Omega,  the first and the last,  the beginning and the end."
14   Blessed are those who  wash their robes, so that they may have the right to  the tree of life, and may  enter by the  gates into the city.
15    Outside are the  dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.
16   " I, Jesus, have sent  My angel to testify to you these things  for the churches. I am  the root and the  descendant of David, the bright  morning star."
17   The  Spirit and the  bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And  let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the  water of life without cost.
18   I testify to everyone who hears  the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone  adds to them, God will add to him  the plagues which are written in  this book;
19   and if anyone  takes away from the  words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from  the tree of life and from the holy city,  which are written in this book.
20   He who  testifies to these things says, "Yes,  I am coming quickly." Amen.  Come, Lord Jesus.
21    The grace of the Lord Jesus be with  all. Amen.

Notes:

page originally posted following a multi-week study at Northside Baptist Church lead by Andy and Belinda Cress.

additions begun late September 2011 & off & on into Feb. 2012, as Zion Lutheran Church pastor Tim Bupp taught a course @ ZLC, Lexington, S. C.

other additions begun amongst a course started Jan. 22-April first, 2012, taught by David J. Stallard, Jr., M. D. @ Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church, Lexington, S. C., USA

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(begun posting 2001; latest adjustments or addition 7 November 2014)