white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple: and he, that sitteth on the throne, shall dwell over them. 16 They shall no more hunger nor thirst, neither shall the sun fall on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall rule them, and shall lead them to the fountains of the waters of life, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. CHAP. VIII. The seventh seal is opened: the angels with the seven trumpets. A burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. 8 And the second angel sounded the trumpet: and as it were a great mountain, burning with fire, was cast into the sea, and the third part of the sea became blood: 9 And the third part of those creatures died, which had life in the sea, and the third part of the ships was destroyed. 10 And the third angel sounded the trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, burning as it were a torch, and it fell on the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters: 11 And the name of the star is called wormwood. And the third ND when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence part of the waters became wormin heaven, as it were for half an hour. wood: and many men died of the 2 And I saw seven angels stand-waters, because they were made ing in the presence of God: and bitter. there were given to them seven trumpets. 12 And the fourth angel sounded the trumpet, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third 3 And another angel came, and stood before the altar, having a part of the moon, and the third part golden censer: and there was given of the stars, so that the third part of to him much incense, that he should them was darkened, and the day did offer of the prayers of all saints not shine for a third part of it, upon the golden altar, which is before the throne of God. 4 And the smoke of the incense of the prayers of the saints ascended up before God, from the hand of the angel, 5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with the fire of the altar, and cast it on the earth, and there were thunders and voices and lightnings, and a great earthquake. 6 And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets, prepared themselves to sound the trumpet. the night in like manner. and 13 And I beheld, and heard the voice of one eagle flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice: Wo, wo, wo to the inhabitants of the earth: by reason of the rest of the voices of the three angels who are yet to sound the trumpet. CHAP. IX. Locusts come forth from the bottomless pit. AND the fifth angel sounded the trumpet, and saw a star fall 7 And the first angel sounded the from heaven upon the earth, and trumpet, and there followed hail there was given to him the key of and fire, mingled with blood, and it the bottomless pit. was cast on the earth, and the third 2 And he opened the bottomless part of the earth was burnt up, and pit: and the smoke of the pit arose, the third part of the trees was as the smoke of a great furnace : Ver. 1. A star fall. Some arch-heretic and the sun and the air were dark- Apollyon: in Latin Exterminans, ened with the smoke of the pit. 3 And from the smoke of the pit there came out locusts upon the earth. And power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power: (that is Destroyer.) 12 One wo is past, and behold there come yet two woes more hereafter. 13 And the sixth angel sounded thetrumpet: and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar, 4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass which is before the eyes of God, of the earth, nor any green thing, 14 Saying to the sixth angel, nor any tree: but only the men who who had the trumpet: Loose the have not the sign of God on their four angels, who are bound in the foreheads. great river Euphrates. 5 And it was given unto them that they should not kill them; but that they should torment them five months and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when he striketh a man. 6 And in those days men shall seek death, and shall not find it: and they shall desire to die, and death shall fly from them. 7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold: and their faces were as the faces of men. 8 And they had hair as the hair of women: and their teeth were as lions. 9 And they had breast-plates as breast-plates of iron, and the noise of their wings was as the noise of chariots of many horses running to battle. 10 And they had tails like to scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. And they had over them 15 And the four angels were loosed, who were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month and a year, for to kill the third part of men. 16 And the number of the army of horsemen was twenty thousand times ten thousand. And I heard the number of them. 17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision and they, that sat on them, had breast-plates of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone, and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions and from their mouths proceeded fire, and smoke, and brimstone. 18 And by these three plagues was slain the third part of men, by the fire and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. 19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths, and in their tails. For, their tails are like to serpents, and have heads: and with them they hurt. 20 And the rest of the men, who were not slain by these plagues, did 11 A king, the angel of the bot-not do penance from the works of tomless pit: whose name in He- their hands, that they should not brew is Abaddon, and in Greek adore devils and idols of gold and Ver. 3. Locusts. It is commonly understood of heretics. They are not able to hurt the green trees; that is, such as have a lively faith, working by charity; but only the repro. bate: they are represented as prepared to battle; as being ever ready to contend: they wear counterfeit gold on their heads; for all is but pretence and fiction: in shape they are 118 men, in smoothness of speech, as women; in fury and rage, against all that oppose them, as lions; their breasts and hearts are as hard as iron; they are full of noise and shuf. tling; the sting of their pestiferous doctrine is worse than that of scorpions; but their reign In generally but for a short time. silver and brass and stone and who standeth upon the sea and wood, which neither can see, nor upon the earth. hear, nor walk. 9 And I went to the angel, say 21 Neither did they penance ing unto him, that he should give from their murders, nor from their me the book. And he said to me: sorceries, nor from their fornication, Take the book, and eat it up: and nor from their theftsit shall make thy belly bitter, but in thy mouth it shall be sweet as honey. CHAP. Хари The cry of a mighty angel. ND I saw another mighty anA gel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud, and a rainbow was on his head, and his face was as the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire. 10 And I took the book from the hand of the angel, and eat it up: and it was in my mouth, sweet as honey: and when I had eaten it,my belly was bitter. 11 And he said to me: Thou 2 And he had in his hand a little must prophesy again to many nabook open: and he set his right foot tions, and people, and tongues, and upon the sea, and his left foot upon kings. the earth. CHAΡ. ΧΙ. 1 3 And he cried with a loud voice He is ordered to measure the temple. as when a lion roareth. And when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write and I heard a voice from heaven saying to me Seal up the things which the seven thunders have spoken; and write them not. A ND there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and it was said to me: Arise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that adore therein. 2 But the court, which is without the temple, cast out and measure it not: because it is given unto the gentiles, and the holy city they shall tread under foot two and forty months: 10 5 And the angel whom I saw standing upon the sea, and upon the 3 And I will give unto my two earth, lifted up his hand to heaven, witnesses, and they shall prophesy And the swore by him that li- a thousand two hundred sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. veth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things which are therein; and the earth, and the things which are in it; and the sea, and the things which are therein : That, time shall be no longer: 4 These are the two olive-trees, and the two candlesticks that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 And if any man will hurt them, fire shall come out of their mouths, and shall devour their enemies. And if any man will hurt them, in this manner must he be slain. 7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound the trumpet, the mystery of God shall be finished, as 6 These have power to shut hea he hath declared by his servants the prophets. ven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy and they have power over waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues as often as they ** 8 And I heard a voice from hea- Chap. 11. Ver. 3. My two witnesses. It is commonly understood of Henoch and Elias. 7 And when they shall have sight of God, fell on their faces and finished their testimony, the beast, that ascendeth out of the abyss, shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their bodies shall lie in the streets of the great city, which is called spiritually Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord also was crucified. adored God, saying : 17 We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, who art, and who wast, and who art to come: because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and thou hast reigned. 18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest ren 9 And they of the tribes, and peoples, and tongues, and nations, der reward to thy servants the proshall see their bodies for three days phets and the saints, and to them and a half: and they shall not suffer that fear thy name, little and great, their bodies to be laid in sepulchres. and shouldest destroy them who 10 And they that dwell upon the have corrupted the earth. earth shall rejoice over them, and 19 And the temple of God was make merry: and shall send gifts opened in heaven: and the ark of his one to another, because these two testament was seen inhistemple,and prophets tormented them that dwelt there were lightnings, and voices, upon the earth. and an earthquake, and great hail. 11 And after three days and a half, the spirit of life from God entered into them. And they stood upon their feet, and great fear fell upon them that saw them. 12 And they heard a great voice from heaven, saying to them: Come up hither. And they went up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies saw them. CHAP. XII. The vision of the woman clothed with the sun. ND a great sign appeared in A heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars : 2 And being with child, she cried travailing in birth, and was in pain to be delivered. 3 And there was seen another sign in heaven: and behold a great 13 And at that hour there was made a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell: and there were slain in the earthquake names red dragon having seven heads, and of men seven thousand: and the ten horns: and on his head seven rest were cast into a fear, and gave diadems, glory to the God of heaven. 4 And his tail drew the third 14 The second wo is past and part of the stars of heaven, and cast behold the third wo will come them to the earth: and the dragon quickly. stood before the woman who was 15 And the seventh angel sounded ready to be delivered; that, when the trumpet: and there were great she should be delivered, he might voices in heaven saying: The king- devour her son. dom of this world is become our 5 And she brought forth a manLord's and his Christ's, and he shall child, who was to rule all nations reign for ever and ever: Amen. with an iron rod: and her son was taken up to God, and to his throne, 6 And the woman fled into the 16 And the four and twenty ancients, who sit on their seats in the Ver. 1. A woman. The church of God. It may also by allusion be applied to our Newed Lady. wilderness where she had a place rished for a time and times, and half prepared by God, that there they a time, from the face of the serpent. should feed her a thousand two 15 And the serpent cast out of his hundred sixty days. 7 And there was a great battle in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels: 8 And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And that great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, who is called the devil and satan, who seduceth the whole world: and he was cast unto the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. mouth after the woman, water as it were a river: that he might cause her to be carried away by the river. 16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the river, which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was angry against the woman and went to make war with the rest of her seed, who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of JESUS Christ. 18 And he stood upon the sand 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying: Now is come sal- of the sea. vation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: because the accuser of our brethren is cast forth, who accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of the testimony, and they loved not their lives unto death. A CHAP. XIII. Of the beast with seven heads. ND I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy. 2 And the beast, which 1 saw, was like to a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his own strength, and great power. 12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you that dwell therein. Wo to the earth, and to the sea, because the devil is come down unto you, 3 And I saw one of his heads as it having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time. 13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman, who brought forth the man-child: were slain to death: and his death's wound was healed. And all the earth was in admiration after the beast. 4 And they adored the dragon, which gave power to the beast: and they adored the beast, saying: Who is like to the beast? and who shall be able to fight with him ? 14 And there were given to the woman two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the desert unto her place, where she is nou- 5 And there was given to him a Ver. 1. A beast. This first beast, with seven heads and ten horns, is probably the whole company of infidels, enemies, and persecutors of the people of God from the beginning to the end of the world. The seven heads are seven kings, that is, seven principal kingdoms or empires; which have exercised, or shall exercise tyrannical power over the people of God: of these five were then fallen, viz. the Egyptian, Assyrian, Chaldean, Persian, and Grecian monarchies: one was present, viz. the empire of Rome; and the seventh and chiefest was to come, viz. the great Antichrist and his empire. The ten horns may be understood of ten lesser persecutors. Ver. 3. One of his heads, &c. Some understand this of the mortal wound which the idolatry of the Roman empire (signified by the sixth head) received from Constantine: which was as it were healed again by Julian the apostate |