Revelation 5–6

The Lamb Takes the Scroll

5Then I saw in the right hand of the One seated on the throne a scroll with writing on the inside and on the back, ^gsealed with seven seals. ^h2I also saw a mighty angel ⁱproclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” ³But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or even to look in it. ⁴And I cried and cried because no one was found worthy to open ^jthe scroll or even to look in it.

⁵Then one of the elders said to me, “Stop crying. Look! The Lion from the tribe of Judah, ^kthe Root of David, ^lhas been victorious ^mso that He may open the scroll and ⁿits seven seals.” ⁶Then I saw One like a slaughtered lamb ^ostanding between ^pthe throne and the four living creatures and among the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God ^qsent into all the earth. ⁷He came and took the scroll ^rout of the right hand of the One seated on the throne.

The Lamb Is Worthy

⁸When He took the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp ^sand gold bowls ^tfilled with incense, ^uwhich are the prayers of the saints. ⁹And they sang a new song: ^v

You are worthy to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

because You were slaughtered,

and You redeemed ^wpeople ^x

for God by Your blood

from every tribe and language

and people and nation. ^y

¹⁰You made them a kingdom ^z

and priests to our God, ^a

and they will reign on the earth.

¹¹Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and also of the living creatures and of the elders. Their number was countless thousands, plus thousands of thousands. ^b12They said with a loud voice:

The Lamb who was slaughtered is worthy

to receive power and riches

and wisdom and strength

and honor and glory and blessing!

¹³I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, ^con the sea, and everything in them say: ^d

Blessing and honor and glory and dominion

to the One seated on the throne,

and to the Lamb, forever and ever!

¹⁴The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

The First Seal on the Scroll

6Then I saw ^ethe Lamb open one of the seven ^fseals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, ^g“Come!” ^hi2I looked, and there was a white horse. ^jThe horseman on it had a bow; ^ka crown ^lwas given to him, and he went out as a victor to conquer. ^m

The Second Seal

³When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” ^no4Then another horse went out, a fiery red one, ^pand its horseman was empowered ^qto take peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another. And a large sword was given to him. ^r

The Third Seal

⁵When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” ^stAnd I looked, and there was a black horse. ^uThe horseman on it had a set of scales in his hand. ^v6Then I heard something like a voice among the four living creatures say, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius ^w—but do not harm the olive oil and the wine.” ^x

The Fourth Seal

⁷When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” ^yz8And I looked, and there was a pale green ^ahorse. The horseman on it was named Death, and Hades was following after him. ^bAuthority was given to them ^cdover a fourth of the earth, to kill by the sword, by famine, by plague, and by the wild animals of the earth. ^e

The Fifth Seal

⁹When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the people ^fslaughtered because of God’s word and the testimony they had. ^gh10They cried out with a loud voice: “Lord, ⁱthe One who is holy and true, ^jhow long until You judge and avenge our blood from those who live on the earth?” ^k11So a white robe was given to each of them, and they were told to rest a little while longer until the number would be completed of their fellow slaves and their brothers, who were going to be killed just as they had been.

The Sixth Seal

¹²Then I saw Him open ^lthe sixth seal. A violent earthquake occurred; ^mthe sun turned black like sackcloth ⁿmade of goat hair; the entire moon ^obecame like blood; ^p13the stars ^qof heaven fell to the earth as a fig tree drops its unripe figs when shaken by a high wind; ¹⁴the sky separated like a scroll being rolled up; ^rand every mountain and island was moved from its place. ^s

¹⁵Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the military commanders, the rich, the powerful, and every slave and free person hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. ^t16And they said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us ^ufrom the face of the One seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, ¹⁷because the great day of Their ^vwrath has come! And who is able to stand?” ^w