19 After this, I heard what sounded like a lot of voices in heaven, and they were shouting,
“Praise the Lord!
To our God belongs
the glorious power to save,
2 (A) because his judgments
are honest and fair.
That filthy prostitute
ruined the earth
with shameful deeds.
But God has judged her
and made her pay
the price for murdering
his servants.”
3 (B) Then the crowd shouted,
“Praise the Lord!
Smoke will never stop rising
from her burning body.”
4 After this, the 24 elders and the four living creatures all knelt before the throne of God and worshiped him. They said, “Amen! Praise the Lord!”
The Marriage Supper of the Lamb
5 (C) From the throne a voice said,
“If you worship
and fear our God,
give praise to him,
no matter who you are.”
6 (D) Then I heard what seemed to be a large crowd that sounded like a roaring flood and loud thunder all mixed together. They were saying,
“Praise the Lord!
Our Lord God All-Powerful
now rules as king.
7 So we will be glad and happy
and give him praise.
The wedding day of the Lamb
is here,
and his bride is ready.
8 She will be given
a wedding dress
made of pure
and shining linen.
This linen stands for
the good things
God's people have done.”
9 (E) Then the angel told me, “Put this in writing. God will bless everyone who is invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” The angel also said, “These things God has said are true.”
10 I knelt at the feet of the angel and began to worship him. But the angel said, “Don't do that! I am a servant, just like you and everyone else who tells about Jesus. Don't worship anyone but God. Everyone who tells about Jesus does it by the power of the Spirit.”
The Rider on the White Horse
11 (F) I looked and saw heaven was open, and a white horse was there. Its rider was called Faithful and True, and he is always fair when he judges or goes to war. 12 (G) He had eyes like flames of fire, and he was wearing a lot of crowns. His name was written on him, but he was the only one who knew what the name meant.
13 (H) The rider wore a robe that was covered with[a] blood, and he was known as “The Word of God.” 14 He was followed by armies from heaven that rode on white horses and were dressed in pure white linen. 15 (I) From his mouth a sharp sword went out to attack the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod and will show the fierce anger of God All-Powerful by trampling the grapes in the pit where wine is made. 16 On the part of the robe that covered his thigh was written, “KING OF KINGS AND Lord OF LordS.”
17 (J) I then saw an angel standing on the sun, and he shouted to all the birds flying in the sky, “Come and join in God's great feast! 18 You can eat the flesh of kings, rulers, leaders, horses, riders, free people, slaves, important people, and everyone else.”
19 I also saw the beast and all kings of the earth come together. They fought against the rider on the white horse and against his army. 20 (K) But the beast was captured and so was the false prophet. This is the same prophet who had worked miracles for the beast, so he could fool everyone who had the mark of the beast and worshiped the idol. The beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into a lake of burning sulfur. 21 But the rest of their army was killed by the sword that came from the mouth of the rider on the horse. Then birds stuffed themselves on the dead bodies.
Footnotes
- 19.13 covered with: Some manuscripts have “sprinkled with.”
Cross references
- 19.2 : Dt 32.43; 2 K 9.7.
- 19.3 : Is 34.10.
- 19.5 : Ps 115.13.
- 19.6 a : Ez 1.24; 2 Esd 6.17; b Ps 93.1; 97.1; 99.1.
- 19.9 : Mt 22.2,3.
- 19.11 a : Ez 1.1-3; b Ps 96.13; Is 11.4.
- 19.12 : Dn 10.6.
- 19.13 : Ws 18.14-19.
- 19.15 a : Ps 2.9; b Is 63.3; Jl 3.13; Rev 14.20.
- 19.17,18 : Ez 39.17-20.
- 19.20 : Rev 13.1-18.