The Revelation of St. John the Divine

⭑ Unlocked Dynamic Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 14 -

But then I saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. With him were 144,000 people. His name and his Father’s name had been written on their foreheads.

I heard a sound from heaven, which was as loud as the sound of a huge waterfall or mighty thunder. It also sounded like many people playing on harps.

The 144,000 people were singing a new song while they stood in front of the throne, in front of the four living creatures, and in front of the elders. Only the 144,000 people, the ones whom the Lamb had redeemed from among the people on the earth, could learn that song. No one else could learn that song.

Those 144,000 are the ones who did not corrupt themselves with women; for they never had sexual relations. They are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These are the ones whom the Lamb had redeemed for God from among the people of earth; they are the ones whom the Lamb had first offered to God and to himself.

These people never lied when they spoke, and they never acted immorally.

The Three Angels and Babylon’s Fall

Then I saw another angel flying between the sky and heaven. He was bringing God’s eternal good news to earth in order that he might proclaim it to people who live on the earth. He will proclaim it to every nation, to every tribe, to speakers of every language, and to every people group.

He said in a loud voice, “Honor God and praise him because it is now time for him to judge everyone! Worship him because he is the one who created the heaven, the earth, the ocean, and the springs of water.”

Another angel, a second one, came after him saying, “The very evil city of Babylon is now completely destroyed! Babylon made people of all the nations engage with her in the passion of sexual immorality. Babylon is like someone who gives another person too much wine to drink!”

Another angel, a third one, came afterward, saying in a loud voice, “If people worship the beast and its image or allow its mark to be put on their foreheads or on their hands,

God will be angry with them and his anger will be like strong wine that he will make them drink. He will torment them in burning sulfur in the presence of his holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

The smoke from the fire that torments them will rise forever. God will torment them continually, day and night. This is what will happen to the people who worship the beast and its image or who allow its name to be written on them.”

So God’s people, those who obey what God commands and who trust in Jesus, must faithfully continue obeying and trusting him.

Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: How fortunate from now on are those who die in union with the Lord.” God’s Spirit says, “Yes, after they die, they will no longer have to endure suffering. Instead, they will rest, and everyone will know the good things that they have done.”

The Harvest of the Earth

Then I saw another surprising thing. It was a white cloud, and on the cloud someone was sitting who looked like the Son of Man. He was wearing a golden crown on his head. In his hand he held a sharp sickle.

Still another angel came out of the temple in heaven. In a loud voice, he said to the one who was sitting on the cloud, “The time has come to reap the grain on the earth, so with your sickle reap the grain because the grain is ripe.”

Then the one who was sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and he harvested the earth.

Another angel came out of the sanctuary in heaven. He also held a sharp sickle.

From the altar came still another angel. He is the one who takes care of the fire of the altar. He said in a loud voice to the angel who held the sickle, “With your sickle cut off the clusters of grapes in the vineyards on the earth! Then gather the clusters of grapes together because its grapes are ripe!”

So the angel swung his sickle on the earth. Then he threw the grapes into the huge place where God will angrily punish.

God trampled the grapes in the winepress outside the city, and blood came out! The blood flowed in a stream so deep that it reached up to the bridles of the horses and extended for three hundred kilometers.

I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a number, one hundred forty-four thousand, having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads.

I heard a sound from heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of a great thunder. The sound which I heard was like that of harpists playing on their harps.

They sing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the one hundred forty-four thousand, those who had been redeemed out of the earth.

These are those who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed by Jesus from among men, the first fruits to God and to the Lamb.

In their mouth was found no lie, for they are blameless.(a)

The Three Angels and Babylon’s Fall

I saw an angel flying in mid heaven, having an eternal Good News to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people.

He said with a loud voice, “Fear the Lord, and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and the springs of waters!”

Another, a second angel, followed, saying, “Babylon the great has fallen, which has made all the nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality.”

Another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand,

he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.

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.

Here is the perseverance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”

I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their works follow with them.”

The Harvest of the Earth

I looked, and saw a white cloud, and on the cloud one sitting like a son of man,(b) having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

Another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Send your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come; for the harvest of the earth is ripe!”

He who sat on the cloud thrust his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.

Another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven. He also had a sharp sickle.

Another angel came out from the altar, he who has power over fire, and he called with a great voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Send your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for the earth’s grapes are fully ripe!”

The angel thrust his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vintage of the earth and threw it into the great wine press of the wrath of God.

The wine press was trodden outside of the city, and blood came out of the wine press, up to the bridles of the horses, as far as one thousand six hundred stadia.(c)

Footnotes

(a)14:5 TR adds “before the throne of God”

(b)14:14 ℘ Daniel 7:13