When ¹  I saw him I fell down at his feet as though I were dead, but ²  he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid! I am the first and the last,

From ¹  the throne came out flashes of lightning and roaring ²  and crashes of thunder. Seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God, ³  were burning in front of the throne

and in front of the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal. ¹  In ²  the middle of the throne ³  and around the throne were four living creatures ⁴  full of eyes in front and in back.

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, since you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created!” ¹ 

all of whom ¹  were singing ²  in a loud voice: “Worthy is the lamb who was killed ³  to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and praise!”

Now ¹  I heard the number of those who were marked with the seal, ²  one hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed from all ³  the tribes of the people of Israel: ⁴ 

Then ¹  the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it on the earth, and there were crashes of thunder, roaring, ²  flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.

He ¹  opened the shaft of the abyss and smoke rose out of it ²  like smoke from a giant furnace. The ³  sun and the air were darkened with smoke from the shaft.

They ¹  were told ²  not to damage the grass of the earth, or any green plant or tree, but only those people ³  who did not have the seal of God on their ⁴  forehead.

The locusts ¹  were not given permission ²  to kill ³  them, but only to torture ⁴  them ⁵  for five months, and their torture was like that ⁶  of a scorpion when it stings a person. ⁷ 

Then ¹  I saw another powerful angel descending from heaven, wrapped ²  in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun and his legs were like pillars of fire. ³ 

But ¹  after three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and tremendous fear seized ²  those who were watching them.

Then ¹  the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, ²  and he will reign for ever and ever.”

Then ¹  the temple of God in heaven was opened and the ark of his covenant was visible within his temple. And there were flashes of lightning, roaring, ²  crashes of thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm. ³ 

But ¹  they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives ²  so much that they were afraid to die.

Then ¹  I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It ²  had ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns were ten diadem crowns, ³  and on its heads a blasphemous name. ⁴ 

Then ¹  I looked, and here was ²  the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him were one hundred and forty-four thousand, who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.

These are the ones who have not defiled themselves ¹  with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from humanity as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb,

and the temple was filled with smoke from God’s glory and from his power. Thus ¹  no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues from the seven angels were completed.

Thus ¹  people ²  were scorched by the terrible heat, ³  yet ⁴  they blasphemed the name of God, who has ruling authority ⁵  over these plagues, and they would not repent and give him glory.