Blessed is the one who reads the words of this ¹  prophecy aloud, ²  and blessed are ³  those who hear and obey ⁴  the things written in it, because the time is near! ⁵ 

(Look! He is returning with the clouds, ¹  and every eye will see him, even ²  those who pierced him, ³  and all the tribes ⁴  on the earth will mourn because ⁵  of him. This will certainly come to pass! ⁶  Amen.) ⁷ 

‘I know the distress you are suffering ¹  and your poverty (but you are rich). I also know ²  the slander against you ³  by those who call themselves Jews and really are not, but are a synagogue ⁴  of Satan.

Because you have kept ¹  my admonition ²  to endure steadfastly, ³  I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth.

In ¹  a circle around the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on those thrones were twenty-four elders. They were ²  dressed in white clothing and had golden crowns ³  on their heads.

Now ¹  when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been violently killed ²  because of the word of God and because of the testimony they had given.

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 

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.

For three and a half days those from every ¹  people, tribe, ²  nation, and language will look at their corpses, because they will not permit them to be placed in a tomb. 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.

and all those who live on the earth will worship the beast, ¹  everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world ²  in the book of life belonging to the Lamb who was killed. ³ 

He ¹  exercised all the ruling authority ²  of the first beast on his behalf, ³  and made the earth and those who inhabit it worship the first beast, the one whose lethal wound had been healed.

The second beast ¹  was empowered ²  to give life ³  to the image of the first beast ⁴  so that it could speak, and could cause all those who did not worship the image of the beast to be killed.

Then ¹  I saw another ²  angel flying directly overhead, ³  and he had ⁴  an eternal gospel to proclaim ⁵  to those who live ⁶  on the earth – to every nation, tribe, ⁷  language, and people.

And the smoke from their ¹  torture will go up ²  forever and ever, and those who worship the beast and his image will have ³  no rest day or night, along with ⁴  anyone who receives the mark of his name.”

I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of those who testified to Jesus. ¹  I ²  was greatly astounded ³  when I saw her.

They will make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those accompanying ¹  the Lamb are the called, chosen, and faithful.”

Then ¹  the angel ²  said to me, “Write the following: Blessed are those who are invited to the banquet at the wedding celebration of the Lamb!” He also said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

but ¹  nothing ritually unclean ²  will ever enter into it, nor anyone who does what is detestable ³  or practices falsehood, ⁴  but only those whose names ⁵  are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

But ¹  he said to me, “Do not do this! ²  I am a fellow servant ³  with you and with your brothers the prophets, and with those who obey ⁴  the words of this book. Worship God!”