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Revelation 14

The Lamb and the 144,000 people

14 Then I looked again and I saw the Lamb. He was standing on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. There were 144,000 people there with him. The Lamb's name and his Father's name were written on the front of those people's heads.

2 Then I heard a loud sound which came from heaven. The noise was like water that pours along a river very fast. It was like the loud noise of thunder. The sound was like people who were making music with harps. 3 The 144,000 people were singing a new song that they had learned. They sang it in front of the throne. They sang in front of the four beings that are alive and in front of the leaders. Only these 144,000 people could learn the new song. They are the people that God had saved from among the people who lived on the earth.

4 These 144,000 people have kept themselves pure. They have not had sex with women in a wrong way. They follow the Lamb everywhere that he goes. God has saved them from among the people of the world and he has paid for their sins. They are the first people to become a gift to God and to the Lamb. 5 They have not spoken any lies. They have done nothing wrong. [ a ]

The three angels with messages

6 Then I saw another angel who was flying high in the sky above me. He brought God's message of good news that is always true. He came to tell this news to everyone who lives on the earth. He would tell it to people from every nation, from every tribe and from every language. 7 He said in a loud voice, ‘Respect God and give him honour! Now it is time for him to judge people. He made the sky and the earth and the sea. He also made the springs of water. So worship him!’

8 A second angel followed the first one. He said, ‘God has destroyed Babylon! It is no longer a great city! It has caused people everywhere to do the same bad things as it enjoys. She is like a prostitute who makes men become drunk and have sex in a wrong way. She has caused them to turn away from God.’ [ b ]

9 A third angel followed the other two angels. He said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the wild animal and its idol, God will punish them. If anyone receives that animal's mark on their head or on their hand, God will punish them. 10 God will be very angry with all those people. They will be like people who must drink God's strong wine. When they drink wine from the cup of God's anger, they will have terrible pain. Fire and sulphur will burn them. God's angels and the Lamb will watch while God punishes them. 11 The smoke will rise for ever while they burn. They will have no rest during the day or during the night. This will happen to everyone who worships the wild animal and its image. It will happen to everyone who receives the mark which shows its name.’

12 This means that God's people must go on being patient and strong. They must continue to obey God's rules. They must continue to trust Jesus.

13 Then I heard a voice that spoke from heaven. It said, ‘Write this: From this time, people who continue to believe in the Lord and then they die will be very happy.’ God's Spirit says, ‘Yes, they will rest from their work. God will not forget the good things that they have done.’

The earth's harvest

14 Then I looked, and I saw a white cloud in front of me. I saw someone who was like a son of man. [ c ] He was sitting on the cloud. He had a gold crown on his head and a sharp knife in his hand. [ d ] 15 Then another angel came out from God's house in heaven. He shouted with a loud voice to the person who was sitting on the cloud. He told him, ‘Use your sharp knife and start to work. It is time to bring in the harvest. Cut down the plants and bring them in. The harvest on the earth is now ready.’

16 Then the person who sat on the cloud moved his sharp knife over the earth. He cut down the earth's plants and he brought in the harvest. [ e ]

17 Then another angel came out from God's house in heaven. He also had a sharp knife in his hand. 18 Again, another angel came from the altar where people offered gifts to God. This angel had authority for the fire on the altar. [ f ] He shouted with a loud voice to the angel who had the sharp knife. He told him, ‘Use your knife and cut the grapes off the earth's vine. The grapes are ready now to make wine.’

19 So the angel moved his sharp knife over the earth. He cut off the grapes which grew in the earth's vineyard. He threw the grapes into the winepress where God stamps on the grapes because he is very angry. 20 The winepress was outside the city. When God stamped on the grapes, the juice that came out of the winepress was blood. [ g ] The river of blood was very deep. It rose as high as horses' necks and it went as far as 300 kilometres.

Footnotes

  1. 14:5 These 144,000 may be a certain group of men who have decided to serve God with all their lives. So they have chosen not to have sex. Or it may mean that they have kept themselves pure because they have not worshipped false gods. They have been completely faithful to the true God. See Revelation 7:3 .
  2. 14:8 Babylon was the capital city of a country that was the enemy of God's people, Israel, many years ago. Babylon had ruled many other countries. The leaders in Rome ruled many countries when Jesus lived on the earth. Really, John may be talking about Rome here when he says ‘Babylon’. But ‘Babylon’ could mean any place that is against God and his people. That means a place where Satan rules.
  3. 14:14 ‘a son of man’ or ‘a human’. This person seems to be the Lord Jesus. Jesus often called himself the Son of Man. See Daniel 7:13 .
  4. 14:14 The sharp knife had a round shape to cut crops.
  5. 14:16 The Lord Jesus brings in the harvest of people from all the earth. He will bring all the people together. He will decide who is good. He will also decide who is bad. See Matthew 13:30 .
  6. 14:18 Fire destroys what the farmer does not need after the harvest.
  7. 14:20 God is showing how angry he is. He is angry with everyone who will not obey him. The grapes are like a picture of bad people. At the time when John was writing Revelation, this is how people made wine. They put the grapes in a big hole that they had cut in the rock. This was called a winepress. Then they walked on the grapes, to squeeze them. Pipes went out of the winepress. The juice from the grapes went out through the pipes. It was red like blood. This is a picture of how God will punish his enemies. So, in fact, John was describing the deaths of these people. See also Revelation 19:15 and Isaiah 63:3 .

God’s People Sing a New Song

14 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, who was standing on Mount Zion. [ a ] There were 144,000 people with him. They all had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.

2 And I heard a sound from heaven as loud as the crashing of floodwaters or claps of thunder. But it sounded like harpists playing their harps. 3 The people sang a new song before the throne and before the four living beings and the elders. The only ones who could learn the new song were the 144,000 who had been bought from the earth. No one else could learn it.

4 These are the ones who did not do sinful things with women. They kept themselves pure. Now they follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were bought from among the people of the earth as the first to be offered to God and the Lamb. 5 They are not guilty of telling lies; they are without fault.

The Three Angels

6 Then I saw another angel flying high in the air. The angel had the eternal Good News to announce to the people living on earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and race of people. 7 The angel said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him praise. The time has come for God to judge all people. Worship God. He made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the springs of water.”

8 Then the second angel followed the first angel and said, “She is destroyed! The great city of Babylon is destroyed! She made all the nations drink the wine of her sexual sin and of God’s anger.”

9 A third angel followed the first two angels. This third angel said in a loud voice, “God will punish all those who worship the beast and the beast’s idol and agree to have the beast’s mark on their forehead or on their hand. 10 They will drink the wine of God’s anger. This wine is prepared with all its strength in the cup of God’s anger. They will be tortured with burning sulfur before the holy angels and the Lamb. 11 And the smoke from their burning pain will rise forever and ever. There will be no rest, day or night, for those who worship the beast and its idol or who wear the mark of its name.” 12 This means that God’s holy people must be patient. They must obey God’s commands and keep their faith in Jesus.

13 Then I heard a voice from heaven. It said, “Write this: From now on there are great blessings for those who belong to the Lord when they die.”

The Spirit says, “Yes, that is true. They will rest from their hard work. What they have done will stay with them.”

The Earth Is Harvested

14 I looked and there before me, sitting on a white cloud, was one who looked like the Son of Man. He had a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple. This angel called to the one who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle and gather from the earth. The time to harvest has come, and the fruit on the earth is ripe.” 16 So the one who was sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth. And the earth was harvested.

17 Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven. This angel also had a sharp sickle. 18 And then another angel, one with power over the fire, came from the altar. He called to the angel with the sharp sickle and said, “Take your sharp sickle and gather the bunches of grapes from the earth’s vine. The earth’s grapes are ripe.” 19 The angel swung his sickle over the earth. He gathered the earth’s grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s anger. 20 The grapes were squeezed in the winepress outside the city. Blood flowed out of the winepress. It rose as high as the heads of the horses for a distance of 200 miles. [ b ]

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 14:1 Mount Zion Another name for Jerusalem, here meaning the spiritual city where God’s people live with him.
  2. Revelation 14:20 200 miles Literally, “1600 stadia, ” a little less than 300 km.

14 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:

3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and 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 ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto 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 that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.

16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.

17 And 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, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.

19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

The Lamb and the 144,000 on Mount Zion

14 Then I looked, and behold, ( A ) the Lamb was standing on ( B ) Mount Zion, and with Him ( C ) 144,000 who had ( D ) His name and the ( E ) name of His Father written ( F ) on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a voice from heaven, like ( G ) the sound of many waters and like the ( H ) sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of ( I ) harpists playing on their harps. 3 And they *sang [ a ] ( J ) a new song before the throne and before the ( K ) four living creatures and the ( L ) elders; and ( M ) no one was able to learn the song except the ( N ) 144,000 who had been ( O ) purchased from the earth. 4 ( P ) These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are celibate. These are the ones who ( Q ) follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been ( R ) purchased from mankind ( S ) as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. 5 And ( T ) no lie was found in their mouths; they are ( U ) blameless.

Vision of the Angel with the Gospel

6 And I saw another angel flying in ( V ) midheaven with ( W ) an eternal gospel to preach to ( X ) those who [ b ] live on the earth, and to ( Y ) every nation, tribe, language, and people; 7 and he said with a loud voice, “ ( Z ) Fear God and ( AA ) give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who ( AB ) made the heaven and the earth, and sea and ( AC ) springs of waters.”

8 And another angel, a second one, followed, saying, “ [ c ] ( AD ) Fallen, fallen is ( AE ) Babylon the great, she who has ( AF ) made all the nations drink of the ( AG ) wine of the [ d ] passion of her sexual immorality.”

Doom for Worshipers of the Beast

9 Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone ( AH ) worships the beast and his ( AI ) image, and receives a ( AJ ) mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink of the ( AK ) wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed [ e ] in full strength ( AL ) in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with ( AM ) fire and [ f ] brimstone in the presence of the ( AN ) holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the ( AO ) smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; ( AP ) they have no rest day and night, those who ( AQ ) worship the beast and his ( AR ) image, and [ g ] whoever receives the ( AS ) mark of his name.” 12 Here is ( AT ) the [ h ] perseverance of the [ i ] saints who ( AU ) keep the commandments of God and [ j ] ( AV ) their faith in Jesus.

13 And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Write: ‘ ( AW ) Blessed are the dead who ( AX ) die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes,” ( AY ) says the Spirit, “so that they may ( AZ ) rest from their labors, for their ( BA ) deeds follow with them.”

The Harvest

14 Then I looked, and behold, a ( BB ) white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one ( BC ) like [ k ] a son of man, with a golden ( BD ) crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. 15 And another angel ( BE ) came out of the [ l ] temple, calling out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “ [ m ] ( BF ) Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the ( BG ) harvest of the earth [ n ] is ripe.” 16 Then He who sat on the cloud [ o ] swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.

17 And another angel ( BH ) came out of the [ p ] temple which is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. 18 Then another angel, ( BI ) the one who has power over fire, came out from ( BJ ) the altar; and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “ [ q ] ( BK ) Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters [ r ] from the vine of the earth, ( BL ) because her grapes are ripe.” 19 So the angel [ s ] swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into ( BM ) the great wine press of the wrath of God. 20 And ( BN ) the wine press was trampled ( BO ) outside the city, and ( BP ) blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses’ bridles, [ t ] for a distance of [ u ] 1,600 stadia.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 14:3 One early ms something like a new song
  2. Revelation 14:6 Lit sit
  3. Revelation 14:8 Lit Babylon...fell, fell, she who
  4. Revelation 14:8 Or wrath (incurred from God)
  5. Revelation 14:10 Lit unmixed ; in ancient times wine was usually diluted with water
  6. Revelation 14:10 I.e., burning sulfur
  7. Revelation 14:11 Lit if anyone
  8. Revelation 14:12 Or steadfastness
  9. Revelation 14:12 Lit holy ones ; i.e., God’s people
  10. Revelation 14:12 Lit the faith of
  11. Revelation 14:14 Or the Son of Man
  12. Revelation 14:15 Or sanctuary
  13. Revelation 14:15 Lit Send forth
  14. Revelation 14:15 Lit has become dry
  15. Revelation 14:16 Lit cast
  16. Revelation 14:17 Or sanctuary
  17. Revelation 14:18 Lit Send forth
  18. Revelation 14:18 Lit of
  19. Revelation 14:19 Lit cast
  20. Revelation 14:20 Lit from
  21. Revelation 14:20 Possibly about 184 miles or 296 km; a Roman stadion perhaps averaged 607 ft. or 185 m

The Lamb and the 144,000

14 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, ( A ) standing on Mount Zion, ( B ) and with him 144,000 ( C ) who had his name and his Father’s name ( D ) written on their foreheads. ( E ) 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters ( F ) and like a loud peal of thunder. ( G ) The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. ( H ) 3 And they sang a new song ( I ) before the throne and before the four living creatures ( J ) and the elders. ( K ) No one could learn the song except the 144,000 ( L ) who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. ( M ) They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. ( N ) They were purchased from among mankind ( O ) and offered as firstfruits ( P ) to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; ( Q ) they are blameless. ( R )

The Three Angels

6 Then I saw another angel flying in midair, ( S ) and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth ( T ) —to every nation, tribe, language and people. ( U ) 7 He said in a loud voice, “Fear God ( V ) and give him glory, ( W ) because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made ( X ) the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.” ( Y )

8 A second angel followed and said, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’ [ a ] ( Z ) which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.” ( AA )

9 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast ( AB ) and its image ( AC ) and receives its mark on their forehead ( AD ) or on their hand, 10 they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, ( AE ) which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. ( AF ) They will be tormented with burning sulfur ( AG ) in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. ( AH ) There will be no rest day or night ( AI ) for those who worship the beast and its image, ( AJ ) or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” ( AK ) 12 This calls for patient endurance ( AL ) on the part of the people of God ( AM ) who keep his commands ( AN ) and remain faithful to Jesus.

13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord ( AO ) from now on.”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, ( AP ) “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

Harvesting the Earth and Trampling the Winepress

14 I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, ( AQ ) and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man [ b ] ( AR ) with a crown ( AS ) of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple ( AT ) and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle ( AU ) and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest ( AV ) of the earth is ripe.” 16 So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. ( AW ) 18 Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar ( AX ) and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, “Take your sharp sickle ( AY ) and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.” 19 The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. ( AZ ) 20 They were trampled in the winepress ( BA ) outside the city, ( BB ) and blood ( BC ) flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia. [ c ]

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 14:8 Isaiah 21:9
  2. Revelation 14:14 See Daniel 7:13.
  3. Revelation 14:20 That is, about 180 miles or about 300 kilometers
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