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Book of Revelation with Commentary in PDF:
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New King James Version
Revelation 1
Commentary
Part 1
Commentary
Part 2
Introduction and Benediction
1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show
His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He
sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 who bore
witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to
all things that he saw. 3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear
the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in
it; for the time is near.
Greeting the Seven Churches
4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:
Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come,
and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus
Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the
ruler over the kings of the earth.
To Him who loved us and washed[a] us from our sins in His own blood, 6
and has made us kings[b] and priests to His God and Father, to Him be
glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
7 Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even
they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn
because of Him. Even so, Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the
End,”[c] says the Lord,[d] “who is and who was and
who is to come, the Almighty.”
Vision of the Son of Man
9 I, John, both[e] your brother and companion in the tribulation and
kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called
Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I
was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a
loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, “I am the Alpha and
the Omega, the First and the Last,”[f] and, “What
you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in
Asia:[g] to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to
Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned
I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven
lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the
feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and
hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame
of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace,
and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand
seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His
countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 And when I saw
Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me,
saying to me,[h] “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the
Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive
forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. 19
Write[i] the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and
the things which will take place after this. 20 The mystery of the
seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden
lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and
the seven lampstands which you saw[j] are the seven churches.
Revelation 2
Commentary
The Loveless Church
1 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,
‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right
hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2
“I
know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear
those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles
and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and
have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have
not
become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have
left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen;
repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and
remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 6 But
this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also
hate.
7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to
the
churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of
life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of
God.”’
The Persecuted Church
8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,
‘These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and
came
to life: 9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but
you
are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and
are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear any of those
things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to
throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will
have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you
the crown of life.
11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to
the
churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second
death.”’
The Compromising Church
12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,
‘These things says He who has the sharp two-edged sword: 13
“I know your works, and where you dwell, where
Satan’s
throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even
in the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed
among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you,
because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who
taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to
eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 15
Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans,
which thing I hate.[a] 16 Repent, or else I will come to you quickly
and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.
17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to
the
churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to
eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name
written which no one knows except him who receives
it.”’
The Corrupt Church
18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write,
‘These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame
of
fire, and His feet like fine brass: 19 “I know your works,
love,
service, faith,[b] and your patience; and as for your works, the last
are more than the first. 20 Nevertheless I have a few things against
you, because you allow[c] that woman[d] Jezebel, who calls herself a
prophetess, to teach and seduce[e] My servants to commit sexual
immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time
to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.[f] 22
Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery
with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their[g] deeds.
23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know
that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each
one of you according to your works.
24 “Now to you I say, and[h] to the rest in Thyatira, as many
as
do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as
they say, I will[i] put on you no other burden. 25 But hold fast what
you have till I come. 26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until
the end, to him I will give power over the nations—
27
‘ He shall rule them with
a rod of iron;
They shall be dashed
to pieces like the
potter’s vessels’[j]—
as I also have received 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.”’
Revelation 3
Commentary
The Dead Church
1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,
‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and
the
seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that
you
are alive, but you are dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things
which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works
perfect before God.[a] 3 Remember therefore how you have received and
heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will
come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come
upon you. 4 You[b] have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled
their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are
worthy. 5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I
will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but 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.”’
The Faithful Church
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,
‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true,
“He who
has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no
one opens”:[c] 8 “I know your works. See, I have
set before
you an open door, and no one can shut it;[d] for you have a little
strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I
will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and
are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship
before
your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept
My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial
which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the
earth. 11 Behold,[e] I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that
no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a
pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. 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 I will
write on him My new name.
13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to
the
churches.”’
The Lukewarm Church
14 “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans[f]
write,
‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness,
the
Beginning of the creation of God: 15 “I know your works, that
you
are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So
then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,[g] I will
vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich,
have
become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do
not know
that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18
I
counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be
rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of
your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye
salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.
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 dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will
grant to sit 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.”’
Revelation 4
Commentary
The Throne Room of Heaven
1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing
open
in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet
speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you
things which must take place after this.”
2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven,
and One sat on the throne. 3 And He who sat there was[a] like a jasper
and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the
throne, in appearance like an emerald. 4 Around the throne were
twenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders
sitting, clothed in white robes; and they had crowns[b] of gold on
their heads. 5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings,
and voices.[c] Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne,
which are the[d] seven Spirits of God.
6 Before the throne there was[e] a sea of glass, like crystal. And in
the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living
creatures full of eyes in front and in back. 7 The first living
creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the
third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living
creature was like a flying eagle. 8 The four living creatures, each
having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not
rest day or night, saying:
“ Holy,
holy, holy,[f]
Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and
is to come!”
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him
who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four
elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who
lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne,
saying:
11
“ You are worthy, O
Lord,[g]
To receive glory and
honor and power;
For You created all
things,
And by Your will
they exist[h] and were
created.”
Revelation 5
Commentary
The Lamb Takes the Scroll
1 And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a
scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 Then
I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is
worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” 3 And no
one
in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the
scroll, or to look at it.
4 So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read[a]
the scroll, or to look at it. 5 But one of the elders said to me,
“Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the
Root of
David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose[b] its seven
seals.”
6 And I looked, and behold,[c] in the midst of the throne and of the
four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as
though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are
the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 Then He came
and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
Worthy Is the Lamb
8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the
twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and
golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9
And they sang a new song, saying:
“ You are
worthy to take the
scroll,
And to open its
seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us
to God by Your
blood
Out of every tribe
and tongue and people
and nation,
10 And
have made us[d] kings[e]
and priests to our God;
And we[f] shall
reign on the
earth.”
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the
throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them
was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12
saying with a loud voice:
“ Worthy
is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and
riches and wisdom,
And strength and
honor and glory and
blessing!”
13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the
earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard
saying:
“ Blessing
and honor and glory and
power
Be to Him who sits
on the throne,
And to the Lamb,
forever and
ever!”[g]
14 Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And
the
twenty-four[h] elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and
ever.
Revelation 6
Commentary
First Seal: The Conqueror
1 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals;[a] and I
heard
one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder,
“Come and see.” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white
horse.
He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went
out conquering and to conquer.
Second Seal: Conflict on Earth
3 When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature
saying, “Come and see.”[b] 4 Another horse, fiery
red, went
out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the
earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to
him a great sword.
Third Seal: Scarcity on Earth
5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say,
“Come and see.” So 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 a
voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A
quart[c] of wheat for a denarius,[d] and three quarts of barley for a
denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”
Fourth Seal: Widespread Death on Earth
7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth
living creature saying, “Come and see.” 8 So I
looked, and
behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and
Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of
the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the
beasts of the earth.
Fifth Seal: The Cry of the Martyrs
9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of
those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony
which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying,
“How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge
our
blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then a white robe
was
given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a
little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and
their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.
Sixth Seal: Cosmic Disturbances
12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold,[e] there was a
great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and
the moon[f] became like blood. 13 And the stars of heaven fell to the
earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty
wind. 14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and
every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 15 And the kings
of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders,[g] the
mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves
and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and
rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits
on
the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His
wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
Revelation 7
Commentary
The Sealed of Israel
1 After these things I saw four angels standing at the four
corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the
wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree. 2 Then I
saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the
living God. And he cried 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, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants
of our God on their foreheads.” 4 And I heard the number of
those
who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes
of the children of Israel were sealed:
5 of the
tribe of Judah twelve
thousand were sealed;[a]
of the tribe of
Reuben twelve thousand
were sealed;
of the tribe of Gad
twelve thousand were
sealed;
6 of the
tribe of Asher twelve
thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of
Naphtali twelve thousand
were sealed;
of the tribe of
Manasseh twelve thousand
were sealed;
7 of the
tribe of Simeon twelve
thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Levi
twelve thousand
were sealed;
of the tribe of
Issachar twelve thousand
were sealed;
8 of the
tribe of Zebulun twelve
thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of
Joseph twelve thousand
were sealed;
of the tribe of
Benjamin twelve thousand
were sealed.
A Multitude from the Great Tribulation
9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no
one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues,
standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white
robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud
voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the
throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 All the angels stood around the
throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their
faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:
“ Amen!
Blessing and glory and
wisdom,
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, “Who are
these
arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?”
14 And I said to him, “Sir,[b] you know.”
So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the
great
tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of
the Lamb. 15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him
day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell
among them. 16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore;
the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; 17 for the Lamb who is in
the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living
fountains of waters.[c] And God will wipe away every tear from their
eyes.”
Revelation 8
Commentary
Seventh Seal: Prelude to the Seven Trumpets
1 When He opened 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 to them were given seven trumpets. 3 Then another angel,
having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much
incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints
upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of
the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from
the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it
with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were
noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.
6 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to
sound.
First Trumpet: Vegetation Struck
7 The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with
blood, and they were thrown to the earth.[a] And a third of the trees
were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
Second Trumpet: The Seas Struck
8 Then 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 living creatures in the sea died,
and a third of the ships were destroyed.
Third Trumpet: The Waters Struck
10 Then 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 water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the
waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it
was made bitter.
Fourth Trumpet: The Heavens Struck
12 Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a
third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them
were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the
night.
13 And I looked, and I heard an angel[b] flying through the midst of
heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the
inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the
trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”
Revelation 9
Commentary
Fifth Trumpet: The Locusts from the Bottomless Pit
1 Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from
heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. 2
And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like
the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened
because of the smoke of the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke locusts came
upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the
earth have power. 4 They were commanded not to harm the grass of the
earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not
have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And they were not given
authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their
torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. 6 In
those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire
to die, and death will flee from them.
7 The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On
their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were
like the faces of men. 8 They had hair like women’s hair, and
their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9 And they had
breastplates
like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the
sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. 10 They had
tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power
was to hurt men five months. 11 And they had as king over them the
angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in
Greek he has the name Apollyon.
12 One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these
things.
Sixth Trumpet: The Angels from the Euphrates
13 Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four
horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 saying to the sixth
angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are
bound
at the great river Euphrates.” 15 So the four angels, who had
been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to
kill a third of mankind. 16 Now the number of the army of the horsemen
was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. 17 And thus I saw
the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of
fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the
horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire,
smoke, and brimstone. 18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was
killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came
out
of their mouths. 19 For their power[a] is in their mouth and in their
tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them
they do harm.
20 But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did
not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship
demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can
neither see nor hear nor walk. 21 And they did not repent of their
murders or their sorceries[b] or their sexual immorality or their
thefts.
Revelation 10
Commentary
The Mighty Angel with the Little Book
1 I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven,
clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like
the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. 2 He had a little book open
in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on
the land, 3 and cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roars. When he
cried out, seven thunders uttered their voices. 4 Now when the seven
thunders uttered their voices,[a] I was about to write; but I heard a
voice from heaven saying to me,[b] “Seal up the things which
the
seven thunders uttered, and do not write them.”
5 The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised up
his hand[c] to heaven 6 and swore by Him who lives forever and ever,
who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the
things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that
there should be delay no longer, 7 but in the days of the sounding of
the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would
be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets.
John Eats the Little Book
8 Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said,
“Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the
angel
who stands on the sea and on the earth.”
9 So I went to the angel and said to him, “Give me the little
book.”
And he said to me, “Take and eat it; and it will make your
stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your
mouth.”
10 Then I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and
ate
it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it,
my stomach became bitter. 11 And he[d] said to me, “You must
prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and
kings.”
Revelation 11
Commentary
The Two Witnesses
1 Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel
stood,[a] saying, “Rise and measure the temple of God, the
altar,
and those who worship there. 2 But leave out the court which is outside
the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the
Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two
months. 3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will
prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in
sackcloth.”
4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before
the God[b] of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire
proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone
wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. 6 These have
power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their
prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to
strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
The Witnesses Killed
7 When they finish their testimony, the beast that ascends out of the
bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill
them. 8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city
which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our[c] Lord was
crucified. 9 Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations
will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow[d]
their dead bodies to be put into graves. 10 And those who dwell on the
earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one
another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the
earth.
The Witnesses Resurrected
11 Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God
entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on
those who saw them. 12 And they[e] heard a loud voice from heaven
saying to them, “Come up here.” And they ascended
to heaven
in a cloud, and their enemies saw them. 13 In the same hour there was a
great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven
thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to
the God of heaven.
14 The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.
Seventh Trumpet: The Kingdom Proclaimed
15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in
heaven, saying, “The kingdoms[f] of this world have become
the
kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and
ever!” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on
their
thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying:
“ We give
You thanks, O Lord God
Almighty,
The One who is and
who was and who is to
come,[g]
Because You have
taken Your great power
and reigned.
18 The
nations were angry, and
Your wrath has come,
And the time of the
dead, that they
should be judged,
And that You should
reward Your servants
the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear
Your name, small and
great,
And should destroy
those who destroy the
earth.”
19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His
covenant[h] was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises,
thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail.
Revelation 12
Commentary
The Woman, the Child, and the Dragon
1 Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with
the
sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve
stars. 2 Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to
give birth.
3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red
dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his
heads. 4 His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to
the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give
birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. 5 She bore a male
Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was
caught up to God and His throne. 6 Then the woman fled into the
wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should
feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
Satan Thrown Out of Heaven
7 And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the
dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, 8 but they did not
prevail, nor was a place found for them[a] in heaven any longer. 9 So
the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil
and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and
his angels were cast out with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now
salvation,
and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ
have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our
God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the
blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not
love their lives to the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you
who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For
the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows
that he has a short time.”
The Woman Persecuted
13 Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he
persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. 14 But the woman
was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the
wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times
and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. 15 So the serpent
spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he
might cause her to be carried away by the flood. 16 But the earth
helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the
flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon
was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of
her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony
of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 13
Commentary
The Beast from the Sea
1 Then I[a] stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast
rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns,[b] and on
his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. 2 Now the
beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a
bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his
power, his throne, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as
if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And
all the world marveled and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the
dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast,
saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with
him?”
5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and
he was given authority to continue[c] for forty-two months. 6 Then he
opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His
tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to
make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given
him over every tribe,[d] tongue, and nation. 8 All who dwell on the
earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book
of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 He who leads into captivity
shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed
with the sword. Here is the patience 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 spoke like a dragon. 12 And he exercises all the
authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and
those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound
was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come
down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. 14 And he deceives
those[e] who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to
do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to
make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. 15
He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the
image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not
worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 He causes all, both
small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on
their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or
sell except one who has the mark or[f] 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 it is the number of a man: His number is 666.
Revelation 14
Commentary
The Lamb and the 144,000
1 Then I looked, and behold, a[a] Lamb standing on Mount
Zion,
and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having[b] His
Father’s name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a
voice
from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud
thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. 3 They
sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living
creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the
hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. 4
These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are
virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These
were redeemed[c] from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the
Lamb. 5 And in their mouth was found no deceit,[d] for they are without
fault before the throne of God.[e]
The Proclamations of Three Angels
6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the
everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the
earth—to
every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— 7 saying with a loud
voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His
judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea
and springs of water.”
8 And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon[f] is fallen,
is
fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the
wine of the wrath of her fornication.”
9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice,
“If
anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his
forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of
the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His
indignation. He shall 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 ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest
day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives
the mark of his name.”
12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those[g] who keep the
commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me,[h] “Write:
‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now
on.’”
“Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may
rest from
their labors, and their works follow them.”
Reaping the Earth’s Harvest
14 Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One
like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand
a sharp sickle. 15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying
with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in
Your
sickle and reap, for the time has come for You[i] to reap, for the
harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So He who sat on the cloud
thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.
Reaping the Grapes of Wrath
17 Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he
also having a sharp sickle.
18 And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire,
and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying,
“Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the
vine
of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” 19 So the angel
thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth,
and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the
winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the
winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six
hundred furlongs.
Revelation 15
Commentary
Prelude to the Bowl Judgments
1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous:
seven
angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is
complete.
2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those
who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his
mark[a]and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass,
having harps of God. 3 They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God,
and the song of the Lamb, saying:
“ Great
and marvelous are Your
works,
Lord God Almighty!
Just and true are
Your ways,
O King of the
saints![b]
4 Who
shall not fear You, O Lord,
and glorify Your
name?
For You alone are
holy.
For all nations
shall come and worship
before You,
For Your judgments
have been
manifested.”
5 After these things I looked, and behold,[c] the temple of the
tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. 6 And out of the
temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure
bright linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands. 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 The temple
was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no
one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven
angels were completed.
Revelation 16
Commentary Part
1
Commentary Part
2
1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the
seven
angels, “Go and pour out the bowls[a] of the wrath of God on
the
earth.”
First Bowl: Loathsome Sores
2 So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul
and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and
those who worshiped his image.
Second Bowl: The Sea Turns to Blood
3 Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became
blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died.
Third Bowl: The Waters Turn to Blood
4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of
water, and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters
saying:
“ You are
righteous, O Lord,[b]
The One who is and
who was and who is to
be,[c]
Because You have
judged these things.
6 For they
have shed the blood of
saints and prophets,
And You have given
them blood to drink.
For[d] it is their
just due.”
7 And I heard another from[e] the altar saying, “Even so,
Lord
God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.”
Fourth Bowl: Men Are Scorched
8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was
given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with
great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over
these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.
Fifth Bowl: Darkness and Pain
10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast,
and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues
because of the pain. 11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of
their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.
Sixth Bowl: Euphrates Dried Up
12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river
Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings
from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits
like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of
the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are
spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the
earth and[f] of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that
great day of God Almighty.
15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who
watches,
and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his
shame.”
16 And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew,
Armageddon.[g]
Seventh Bowl: The Earth Utterly Shaken
17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud
voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying,
“It is done!” 18 And there were noises and
thunderings and
lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great
earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth. 19 Now the
great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations
fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup
of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. 20 Then every island fled
away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And great hail from heaven
fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men
blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was
exceedingly great.
Revelation 17
Commentary
The Scarlet Woman and the Scarlet Beast
1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came
and
talked with me, saying to me,[a] “Come, I will show you the
judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the
kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the
earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”
3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a
woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy,
having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and
scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having
in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her
fornication.[b] 5 And on her forehead a name was written:
MYSTERY, BABYLON THE
GREAT, THE MOTHER
OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and
with
the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with
great amazement.
The Meaning of the Woman and the Beast
7 But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? 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 will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And
those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written
in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the
beast that was, and is not, and yet is.[c]
9 “Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are
seven
mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five
have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes,
he must continue a short time. 11 The beast that was, and is not, is
himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to
perdition.
12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have
received
no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings
with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their
power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war with the Lamb,
and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of
kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and
faithful.”
15 Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the
harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. 16 And the
ten horns which you saw on[d] the beast, these will hate the harlot,
make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17
For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of
one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of
God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city
which reigns over the kings of the earth.”
Revelation 18
Commentary
The Fall of Babylon the Great
1 After these things I saw another angel coming down from
heaven,
having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 2
And he cried mightily[a] with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon
the
great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons,
a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated
bird! 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her
fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with
her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the
abundance of her luxury.”
4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of
her,
my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her
plagues. 5 For her sins have reached[b] to heaven, and God has
remembered her iniquities. 6 Render to her just as she rendered to
you,[c] and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which
she has mixed, mix double for her. 7 In the measure that she glorified
herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and
sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no
widow, and will not see sorrow.’ 8 Therefore her plagues will
come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will
be
utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges[d] her.
The World Mourns Babylon’s Fall
9 “The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived
luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the
smoke of her burning, 10 standing at a distance for fear of her
torment, saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that
mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’
11 “And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over
her,
for no one buys their merchandise anymore: 12 merchandise of gold and
silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and
scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory,
every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble;
13 and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and
oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and
bodies and souls of men. 14 The fruit that your soul longed for has
gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone
from you,[e] and you shall find them no more at all. 15 The merchants
of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for
fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 16 and saying,
‘Alas,
alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and
scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! 17 For
in one hour such great riches came to nothing.’ Every
shipmaster,
all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood
at a distance 18 and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning,
saying, ‘What is like this great city?’
19 “They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and
wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which
all
who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she
is made desolate.’
20 “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles[f] and
prophets, for God has avenged you on her!”
Finality of Babylon’s Fall
21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw
it into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence the great city
Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore. 22 The
sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be
heard in you anymore. No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you
anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you
anymore. 23 The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the
voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For
your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all
the nations were deceived. 24 And in her was found the blood of
prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.”
Revelation 19
Commentary
Heaven Exults over Babylon
1 After these things I heard[a] a loud voice of a great
multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory
and honor and power belong to the Lord[b] our God! 2 For true and
righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who
corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the
blood of His servants shed by her.” 3 Again they said,
“Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!” 4
And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and
worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen!
Alleluia!” 5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying,
“Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him,
both[c] small and great!”
6 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound
of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying,
“Alleluia! For the[d] Lord God Omnipotent reigns! 7 Let us be
glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has
come, and His wife has made herself ready.” 8 And to her it
was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine
linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
9 Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those
who are called to the marriage supper of the
Lamb!’” And he said to me, “These are the
true sayings of God.” 10 And I fell at his feet to worship
him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am
your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of
Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of
prophecy.”
Christ on a White Horse
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat
on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and
makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were
many crowns. He had[e] a name written that no one knew except Himself.
13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called
The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen,
white and clean,[f] followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His
mouth goes a sharp[g] sword, that with it He should strike the nations.
And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the
winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on
His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.
The Beast and His Armies Defeated
17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud
voice, saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of heaven,
“Come and gather together for the supper of the great God,[h]
18 that you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the
flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them,
and the flesh of all people, free[i] and slave, both small and
great.”
19 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies,
gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and
against His army. 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the
false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived
those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his
image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with
brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded
from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were
filled with their flesh.
Revelation 20
Commentary
Satan Bound 1000 Years
1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key
to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 He laid hold of
the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound
him for a thousand years; 3 and he cast him into the bottomless pit,
and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the
nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these
things he must be released for a little while.
The Saints Reign with Christ 1000 Years
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed
to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their
witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the
beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or
on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a[a]
thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the
thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed
and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the
second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of
Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Satanic Rebellion Crushed
7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from
his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the
four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to
battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the
breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the
beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured
them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire
and brimstone where[b] the beast and the false prophet are. And they
will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
The Great White Throne Judgment
11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose
face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place
for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before
God,[c] and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is
the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by
the things which were written in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead
who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in
them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14 Then
Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second
death.[d] 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast
into the lake of fire.
Revelation 21
Commentary
All Things Made New
1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first
heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.
2 Then I, John,[a] saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of
heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I
heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the
tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they
shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no
more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for
the former things have passed away.”
5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all
things new.” And He said to me,[b] “Write, for
these words are true and faithful.”
6 And He said to me, “It is done![c] I am the Alpha and the
Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the
water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall
inherit all things,[d] and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8
But the cowardly, unbelieving,[e] abominable, murderers, sexually
immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in
the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second
death.”
The New Jerusalem
9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the
seven last plagues came to me[f] and talked with me, saying,
“Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s
wife.”[g] 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great
and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy[h] Jerusalem,
descending out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God. Her
light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as
crystal. 12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and
twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the
names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: 13 three gates on
the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three
gates on the west.
14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were
the names[i] of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 And he who talked
with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.
16 The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its
breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand
furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal. 17 Then he
measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the
measure of a man, that is, of an angel. 18 The construction of its wall
was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The
foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of
precious stones: the first foundation 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, and the twelfth
amethyst. 21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate
was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like
transparent glass.
The Glory of the New Jerusalem
22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb
are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to
shine in it,[j] for the glory[k] of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its
light. 24 And the nations of those who are saved[l] shall walk in its
light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into
it.[m] 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no
night there). 26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the
nations into it.[n] 27 But there shall by no means enter it anything
that defiles, or causes[o] an abomination or a lie, but only those who
are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Revelation 22
Commentary
The River of Life
1 And he showed me a pure[a] river of water of life, clear as
crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the
middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of
life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every
month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3
And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb
shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His
face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no
night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God
gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
The Time Is Near
6 Then he said to me, “These words are faithful and
true.” And the Lord God of the holy[b] prophets sent His
angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place.
7 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the
words of the prophecy of this book.”
8 Now I, John, saw and heard[c] these things. And when I heard and saw,
I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these
things.
9 Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. For[d] I
am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those
who keep the words of this book. Worship God.” 10 And he said
to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book,
for the time is at hand. 11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still;
he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him
be righteous[e] still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”
Jesus Testifies to the Churches
12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with
Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and
the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the
Last.”[f]
14 Blessed are those who do His commandments,[g] that they may have the
right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the
city. 15 But[h] outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and
murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.
16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these
things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the
Bright and Morning Star.”
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And
let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who
thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
A Warning
18 For[i] I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of
this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add[j] to him the
plagues that are written in this book; 19 and if anyone takes away from
the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away[k] his part
from the Book[l] of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which
are written in this book.
I Am Coming Quickly
20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming
quickly.”
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.[m] Amen.