Chapter 7

An Interlude

1 After this I saw afour angels standing at the bfour corners of the earth, holding back cthe four winds of the earth, dso that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree.

2 And I saw another angel ascending afrom the rising of the sun, having the bseal of cthe living God; and he cried out with a loud voice to the dfour angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea,

3 saying, “aDo not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have bsealed the bond-servants of our God on their cforeheads.”

The 144,000

4 And I heard the anumber of those who were sealed, bone hundred and forty-four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:

5 From the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand,

6 from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand,

7 from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand,

8 from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.

A Multitude from the Tribulation

9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from aevery nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing bbefore the throne and cbefore the Lamb, clothed in dwhite robes, and epalm branches were in their hands;

10 and they cry out with a loud voice, saying,

“aSalvation to our God bwho sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

11 And all the angels were standing aaround the throne and around athe elders and the bfour living creatures; and they cfell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,

12 saying,

“aAmen, bblessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. aAmen.”

13 Then one of the elders aanswered, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the bwhite robes, who are they, and where have they come from?”

14 I 1said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the agreat tribulation, and they have bwashed their robes and made them cwhite in the dblood of the Lamb.

15 “For this reason, they are abefore the throne of God; and they bserve Him day and night in His 1ctemple; and dHe who sits on the throne will spread His etabernacle over them.

16 “aThey will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun 1beat down on them, nor any heat;

17 for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their ashepherd, and will guide them to springs of the 1bwater of life; and cGod will wipe every tear from their eyes.”