mouth speaking great things, and 15 And it was given him to give blasphemies: and power was given life to the image of the beast, and to him to do two and forty months. that the image of the beast should 6 And he opened his mouth unto speak: and should cause, that whoblasphemies against God, to blas-soever will not adore the image of pheme his name, and his tabernacle, the beast, should be slain.

and them that dwell in heaven. 16 And he shall make all, both

7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. And power was given him over every tribe, and people, and tongue, and nation.

8 And all that dwell upon the earth, adored him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb, which was slain from the beginning of the world.

9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.

little and great, rich and poor, freemen and bondmen, to have a character in their right hand, or on their foreheads.

17 And that no man might buy or sell, but he that hath the character, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. He that hath understanding, let him count the number of the beast. For it is the number of a man: and the number of him is six hundred six

10 He that shall lead into captivity, shall go into captivity: he ty-six. that shall kill by the sword, must be killed by the sword. Here is the Of the Lamb and of the virgins that

patience and the faith of the saints.

11 And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns, like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon.

12 And he executed all the power of the former beast in his sight: and he caused the earth, and them that dwell therein, to adore the first beast, whose wound to death was healed.

13 And he did great signs, so that he made also fire to come down from heaven unto the earth in the sight of men.

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ND 1

CHAP. XIV.

follow him.
beheld, and lo a Lamb

stood upon mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty-four thousand having his name, and the name of his Father written on their foreheads.

2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the noise of many waters, and as the voice of great thunder : and the voice, which I heard, was as the voice of harpers, harping on their harps.

3 And they sung as it were a new canticle before the throne, and before the four living creatures, and the ancients; and no man could say the canticle, but those hundred forty-four thousand, who were purchased from the earth.

14 And he seduced them that dwell on the earth, for the signs, which were given him to do in the sight of the beast, saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make the image of the beast, 4 These are they who were not which had the wound by the sword, defiled with women: for they are virgins. These follow the Lamb

whithersoever he goeth. These ven, saying to me: Write: Blesswere purchased from among men, ed are the dead who die in the the first-fruits to God and to the Lord. From henceforth now, saith Lamb: the Spirit, that they may rest from 5 And in their mouth there was their labours: for their works folfound no lie: for they are without low them. spot before the throne of God:

14 And I saw, and behold a

6 And I saw another angel fly-white cloud: and upon the cloud ing through the midst of heaven, one sitting like to the Son of man, having the eternal gospel, to preach having on his head a crown of gold, unto them that sit upon the earth, and over every nation, and tribe, and tongue, and people:

7 Saying with a loud voice: Fear the Lord, and give him honour, because the hour of his judgment is come: and adore ye him, that made heaven and earth, the sea and the fountains of waters.

8 And another angel followed, saying: That great Babylon is fallen, is fallen: which made all nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

and in his hand a sharp sickle.

15 And another angel came out from the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat upon the cloud: Thrust in thy sickle, and reap, because the hour is come to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.

16 And he that sat on the cloud, thrust his sickle into 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.

9 And the third angel followed 18 And another angel came out them, saying with a loud voice: If from the altar, who had power over any man shall adore the beast and fire: and he cried with a loud voice his image, and receive his charac- to him that had the sharp sickle, ter in his forehead, or in his hand; saying: Thrust in thy sharp sickle,

10 He also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mingled with pure wine in the cup of his wrath, and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb.

and gather the clusters of the vineyard of the earth: because the grapes thereof are ripe.

19 And the angel thrust in his sharp sickle into the earth, and gathered the vineyard of the earth, and cast it into the great press of the wrath of God:

20 And the press was trodden without the city, and blood came

11 And the smoke of their torments shall ascend up for ever and ever: neither have they rest day nor night, who have adored the out of the press, up to the horses' beast, and his image, and whoso-bridles, for a thousand and six ever receiveth the character of his hundred furlongs.

name.

12 Here is the patience of the saints, who keep the command

CHẤP. XV.
They that have overcome the beast

glorify God.
saw another sign in hea-
ven great and wonderful: se-

ments of God, and the faith of AND 1

JESUS.

13 And I heard a voice from hea-ven angels having the seven last

Ver. 8. Babylon. It is probable that here, by the great Babylon, is meant the city of the devil, that is, the universal society of the wicked; as Jerusalem is taken for the city and church of God.

Ver. 13. Die in the Lord. It is understood of the martyrs, who die for the Lord.

plagues. For in them is filled up of the beast: and upon them that the wrath of God.

adored the image thereof.

2 And I saw as it were a sea of 3 And the second angel poured

glass mingled with fire, and them that had overcome the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having the harps of God:

3 And singing the canticle of Moses the servant of God, and the canticle of the Lamb, saying: Great and wonderful are thy works, O Lord God Almighty: just and true are thy ways, O king of ages.

4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and magnify thy name? For thou only art holy: for all nations shall come, and shall adore in thy sight, because thy judgments are manifest.

5 And after these things I looked, and behold the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:

6 And the seven angels came out of the temple having the seven plagues, clothed with clean and white linen, and girt about the breasts with golden girdles.

7 And one of the four living creatures, gave to the seven angels seven golden vials, full of the wrath of God who liveth for ever and

I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels: Go, and pour out the seven vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

out his vial upon the sea, and there came blood as it were of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.

4 And the third poured out his vial upon the rivers and the fountains of waters: and there was made blood.

5 And I heard the angel of the waters, saying: Thou art just, O Lord, who art, and who wast, the holy one, because thou hast judged these things :

6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; fo they are worthy.

7 And I heard another, from the altar saying: Yea, O Lord God Almighty, true and just are thy judgments.

8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun, and it was given unto him to afflict men with heat and fire:

9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who hath power over these plagues, neither did they penance to give him glory.

10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast : and his kingdom became dark, and they gnawed their tongues for pain: 11 And they blasphemed the God of heaven, because of their pains and wounds, and did not penance from their works.

12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon that great river Euphrates: and dried up the water thereof, that a way might be prepared for the kings from the rising of the sun.

13 And I saw from the mouth of the dragon, and from the mouth of

2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth, and the beast, and from the mouth of there fell a sore and grievous wound the false prophet, three unclean upon men, who had the character spirits like frogs

14 For they are the spirits of de- demnation of the great harlot, who working signs, and they go forth sitteth upon many waters,

uro the kings of the whole earth to gathor them to battle against the great day of the Almighty God.

15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

16 And he shall gather them together into a place, which in Hebrew is called Armagedon.

With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication : and they who inhabit the earth, have been made drunk with the wine of her whoredom.

3 And he took me away in spirit into the desert. And I saw a woman sittingupon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

4 And the woman was clothed round about with purple and scar

17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial upon the air, and there came a great voice out of the temple let, and gilt with gold, and prefrom the throne, saying: It is done. cious stones and pearls, having a

18 And there were lightnings, golden cup in her hand, full of the and voices, and thunders, and there abomination and filthiness of her was a great earthquake, such an one fornication.

as never had been since men were 5 And on her forehead a name was upon the earth, such an earthquake, written: A mystery: Babylon the so great. great, the mother of the fornications and the abominations of the earth.

19 And the great city was dividid into three parts: and the cities of the gentiles fell. And great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the indignation of his wrath.

20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And great hail like a talent came down from heaven upon men: and men blasphemed God for the plague of the hail; because it was exceeding great.

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6 And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of JBsus. And I wondered, when I had seen her, with great admiration.

7 And the angel said to me: Why dost thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast which carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

8 The beast, which thou sawest, was and is not, and shall come up

CHAP. XVII. The description of the great harlot. out of the bottomless pit, and go ND there came one of the se- into destruction : and the inhabiven angels who had the seven tants on the earth (whose names vials, and spoke with me, saying: are not written in the book of life Come, I will shew thee the con- from the foundation of the world)

Ver. 5. A mystery. That is, a secret, because what follows of the name and title of the great harlot is to be taken in a mystical sense

Ver. 5. Babylon. Either the city of the devil in general, or, if this place be to be under stood of any particular city, pagan Rome, which then, and for 300 years, persecuted the church; and was the principal seat both of empire and idolatry.

Ver. 8. The beast which thou sawest. This beast which supports Babylon, may signify the power of the devil which was and is not, being much abridged by the coming of Christ, but shall again exert itself under Antichrist. The seven heads of this beast are seven moun tains or empires, instruments of his tyranny; of which five were then fallen, as above: Ch. xiii. 5. 1. The beast itself is said to be the eighth, and of the seven; because they all so under the devil, and by his instigation, so that his power is in them all, yet so as to make an, as it were, an eighth empire, distinct from them all

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snall wonder, seeing the beast that was and is not.

CHAP. XVIII.

The fall of Babylon. 9 And here is the understanding, A ND after these things I saw that hath wisdom. The seven heads, another angel come down from are seven mountains, upon which heaven, having great power: and the woman sitteth, and they are the earth was enlightened with his seven kings:

10 Five are fallen, one is, and the other is not yet come: and when he is come, he must remain a short time.

11 And the beast which was, and is not: the same also is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into destruction.

glory.

2 And he cried out with a strong voice, saying: Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen: and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every unclean spirit, and the hold of every unclean and hateful bird. 3 Because all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication: and the kings of the earth

12 And the ten horns which thou sawest, are ten kings, who have have committed fornication with

not yet received kingdom, but shall receive power as kings one hour after the beast.

13 These have one design: and their strength and power they shall deliver to the beast.

her: and the merchants of the earth have been made rich by the power of her delicacies.

4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying: Go out from her, my people that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you re

14 These shall fight with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall over-ceive not of her plagues. come them, because he is Lord of 5 For her sins have reached unto lords, and King of kings, and they heaven, and the Lord hath rememthat are with him are called, and elect, and faithful.

15 And he said to me: The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and nations, and tongues.

bered her iniquities.

6 Render to her as she also hath rendered to you: and double unto her double according to her works : in the cup, wherein she hath mingled, mingle ye double unto her. 16 And the ten horns, which 7 As much as she hath glorified thou sawest in the beast: these herself, and lived in delicacies, so shall hate the harlot, and shall make much torment and sorrow give ye her desolate and naked, and shall to her: because she saith in her eat her flesh, and shall burn her heart; I sit a queen, and am no with fire. widow, and sorrow I shall not see.

17 For God hath given into 8 Therefore shall her plagues their hearts, to do that which plea- come in one day, death, and mournseth him: that they give their king-ing, and famine, and she shall be dom to the beast till the words of burnt with the fire; because God God be fulfilled. is strong who shall judge her.

18 And the woman which thou 9 And the kings of the earth, sawest, is the great city which hath who have committed fornication, kingdom over the kings of the earth. and lived in delicacies with her,

Ver. 12. Ten kings. Ten lesser kingdoms, enemies also of the church of Christ: which nevertheless shall be made instruments of the justice of God for the punishment of Babylon.. Some understand this of the Goths, Vandals, Hunns, and other barbarous nations, that destroyed the empire of Rome