7
1 After
this, I saw
four angels standing
at the four
corners of the
earth, holding the
four winds of the
earth, so that
no wind would
blow on the
earth, or on
the sea, or
on any tree.
2 I
saw another angel ascend
from the sunrise,
having the seal
of the living
God. He cried
with a loud
voice to the
four angels to
whom it was
given to harm the
earth and the
sea,
3 saying,
“Don’t harm the
earth, the sea,
or the trees, until
we have sealed
the bondservants of
our God on
their foreheads!”
4 I heard
the number of
those who were
sealed, one
hundred forty-four
thousand, sealed
out of every
tribe of the
children of Israel:
5 of
the tribe of
Judah twelve
thousand were sealed,
of the tribe
of Reuben twelve
thousand,
of the tribe
of Gad twelve
thousand,
6 of
the tribe of Asher
twelve thousand,
of the tribe
of Naphtali twelve
thousand,
of the tribe
of Manasseh twelve
thousand,
7 of
the tribe of
Simeon twelve
thousand,
of the tribe
of Levi twelve
thousand,
of the tribe
of Issachar twelve
thousand,
8 of
the tribe of
Zebulun twelve
thousand,
of the tribe
of Joseph twelve
thousand, and
of the tribe
of Benjamin twelve
thousand were sealed.
9 After
these things I
looked, and behold,
a great multitude
which no man
could count, out
of every nation
and of all
tribes, peoples,
and languages,
standing before
the throne and
before the Lamb,
dressed in white
robes, with palm
branches in their
hands.
10 They
cried with a
loud voice, saying,
“Salvation be to
our God, who
sits on the
throne, and to
the Lamb!”
11 All
the angels were
standing around
the throne, the
elders, and the
four living
creatures; and
they fell on
their faces before
his throne, and
worshiped God,
12 saying,
“Amen! Blessing, glory,
wisdom, thanksgiving,
honor, power, and
might, be to
our God forever
and ever! Amen.”
13 One
of the elders
answered, saying
to me, “These
who are arrayed
in the white
robes, who are
they, and where
did they come
from?”
14 I
told him, “My
lord, you know.”
He said to
me, “These are
those who came
out of the
great suffering.
They washed their
robes and made
them white in
the Lamb’s blood.
15 Therefore
they are before
the throne of
God, and they
serve him day
and night in
his temple. He
who sits on
the throne will
spread his
tabernacle over
them.
16 They
will never be
hungry or thirsty
any more. The
sun won’t beat
on them, nor
any heat;
17 for
the Lamb who is
in the middle
of the
throne shepherds them
and leads them
to springs
of life-giving waters.
And God will
wipe away every
tear from their
eyes.”