The Revelation of John (American Standard Version, 1901)

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, given by God and signified by his angel to his servant John, pronounces blessing on those who read and keep it. John writes to the seven churches of Asia, greeting them from him who is and was and is to come, the seven Spirits, and Jesus Christ, the faithful witness and firstborn of the dead, who comes with the clouds and is the Alpha and the Omega. On Patmos, in the Spirit on the Lord's day, John hears a trumpet voice and turns to see seven golden candlesticks and one like a son of man, with white hair, flaming eyes, feet like brass, seven stars in his right hand, and a sword from his mouth. John falls as dead; the figure says, Fear not; I am the first and the last, the Living one, who has the keys of death and Hades. The seven stars are the angels of the churches, the candlesticks the churches. He dictates letters to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea, commending or rebuking each and promising the one that overcomes a reward, closing each with, He that hath an ear, let him hear. John then sees a door opened in heaven and, in the Spirit, a throne with One seated like jasper and sardius, ringed by a rainbow, twenty-four crowned elders in white, seven lamps that are the seven Spirits, a sea of glass, and four living creatures full of eyes crying, Holy, holy, holy; the elders cast their crowns, declaring him worthy who created all things. A book sealed with seven seals lies in the right hand of the throned One; no one is found worthy to open it until the Lamb, as though slain, with seven horns and eyes, takes it, and the creatures and elders fall down with harps and bowls of incense, the prayers of the saints, singing that he purchased men of every tribe by his blood; myriads of angels and every creature ascribe blessing to the throne and the Lamb. The Lamb opens the seals: a white horse conquering, a red horse taking peace, a black horse with a balance, and a pale horse named Death, followed by Hades. Under the fifth seal the slain souls cry, How long, and receive white robes; the sixth brings a great earthquake, a blackened sun, a bloodied moon, falling stars, and kings hiding from the wrath of the Lamb. Four angels hold the winds while another seals a hundred forty-four thousand out of the tribes of Israel, and John sees a countless multitude from every nation in white robes with palms, who came out of the great tribulation and washed their robes in the Lamb's blood, whom the Lamb will shepherd to fountains of living water. When the Lamb opens the seventh seal, there is silence in heaven about half an hour, and seven angels are given seven trumpets.

An angel adds incense to the prayers of the saints, then casts fire from the altar to earth, producing thunders, lightnings, and an earthquake. The seven trumpets sound: the first brings hail and fire on the earth; the second turns a third of the sea to blood; the third drops a star called Wormwood on the waters; the fourth darkens a third of the sun, moon, and stars. An eagle cries woe. The fifth trumpet opens the pit of the abyss, releasing locusts that torment those without God's seal for five months; the first woe passes. The sixth trumpet looses four angels at the Euphrates whose horsemen kill a third of mankind; the rest do not repent. A strong angel holds a little book whose contents the seven thunders utter but which are sealed; the narrator eats the book, finding it sweet then bitter, and is told to prophesy again. A reed is given to measure the temple; two witnesses prophesy in sackcloth, are killed by the beast, and after three days and a half are revived and ascend. The seventh trumpet sounds; the kingdom is declared; the temple in heaven opens revealing the ark of the covenant. A woman arrayed with the sun bears a male child who is caught up to God; the dragon pursues her. War breaks out in heaven; Michael casts the dragon down. A beast rises from the sea with a healed death-stroke, and a second beast from the earth compels worship of an image and imposes a mark. The Lamb stands on Mount Zion with 144,000. Three angels proclaim judgment, Babylon's fall, and the fate of beast-worshippers. A figure like a son of man reaps the earth and the vintage is cast into the winepress of God's wrath. Seven angels receive golden bowls of God's wrath; the first bowl is poured on the earth, producing sores on those bearing the beast's mark.

The second through seventh angels pour their bowls: the sea and rivers become blood, the sun scorches men, the beast's kingdom is darkened, the Euphrates dries up, and a great earthquake divides the city. Three unclean spirits from the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet gather kings at Har-Magedon. One of the seven angels shows the seer the great harlot on a scarlet beast and explains the mystery of the beast, the seven heads, the ten horns, and the waters. Another angel cries that Babylon the great has fallen; a voice from heaven calls the people to come forth; the kings, merchants, and shipmasters of the earth weep over her. In heaven a multitude cries Hallelujah; the four and twenty elders and four living creatures worship; the marriage of the Lamb is proclaimed. The seer sees a rider on a white horse, called Faithful and True. The beast and the false prophet are cast into the lake of fire; the rest are slain by the sword from the rider's mouth. An angel binds the dragon for a thousand years; the beheaded reign with Christ. Satan is loosed, and fire devours the nations he gathers. The dead are judged before a great white throne; death and Hades are cast into the lake of fire. A new heaven and earth appear; the new Jerusalem descends. The seer is shown the city's dimensions, foundations, and a river of water of life. The seer identifies himself as John. The angel forbids worship and says not to seal the words. Jesus says he sent his angel. The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." A warning against altering the book is given. The grace of the Lord Jesus is with the saints.