Study Desk

But there is one thing you are doing right. You hate what the Nicolaitans are doing, and so do I.

Some of you in Thyatira don't follow Jezebel's teaching. You don't know anything about what her followers call the "deep secrets of Satan." So I won't burden you down with any other commands.

Wake up! You have only a little strength left, and it is almost gone. So try to become stronger. I have found that you are not completely obeying God.

You obeyed my message and endured. So I will protect you from the time of testing that everyone in all the world must go through.

I am coming soon. So hold firmly to what you have, and no one will take away the crown that you will be given as your reward.

Buy your gold from me. It has been refined in a fire, and it will make you rich. Buy white clothes from me. Wear them and you can cover up your shameful nakedness. Buy medicine for your eyes, so that you will be able to see.

I correct and punish everyone I love. So make up your minds to turn away from your sins.

Then another horse came out. It was fiery red. And its rider was given the power to take away all peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another. He was also given a big sword.

After this I saw four angels. Each one was standing on one of the earth's four corners. The angels held back the four winds, so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. These angels had also been given the power to harm the earth and the sea. Then I saw another angel come up from where the sun rises in the east, and he was ready to put the mark of the living God on people. He shouted to the four angels,

as they shouted, "Our God, who sits upon the throne, has the power to save his people, and so does the Lamb."

And so they stand before the throne of God and worship him in his temple day and night. The one who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.

The name of the star was Bitter, and a third of the water turned bitter. Many people died because the water was so bitter.

When the fourth angel blew his trumpet, a third of the sun, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars were struck. They each lost a third of their light. So during a third of the day there was no light, and a third of the night was also without light.

Everyone on earth will celebrate and be happy. They will give gifts to each other, because of what happened to the two prophets who caused them so much trouble.

But the woman was given two wings like those of a huge eagle, so that she could fly into the desert. There she would escape from the snake and be taken care of for a time, two times, and half a time.

This made the dragon terribly angry with the woman. So it started a war against the rest of her children. They are the people who obey God and are faithful to what Jesus did and taught.

It was allowed to put breath into the idol, so that it could speak. Everyone who refused to worship the idol of the beast was put to death.

They poured out the blood of your people and your prophets. So you gave them blood to drink, as they deserve!"

The great city of Babylon split into three parts, and the cities of other nations fell. So God made Babylon drink from the wine cup that was filled with his anger.

Hailstones, weighing about a hundred pounds each, fell from the sky on people. Finally, the people cursed God, because the hail was so terrible.