Study Desk

Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is on the point of death, for I have not found your works perfect in the sight of my God.

Yet you have still a few persons in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes; they will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.

For you say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.' You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."

They sing a new song: "You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation;

and I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a day's pay, and three quarts of barley for a day's pay, but do not damage the olive oil and the wine!"

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they had given;

for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?"

For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them.

for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

They were allowed to torture them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torture was like the torture of a scorpion when it stings someone.

In appearance the locusts were like horses equipped for battle. On their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces,

They have tails like scorpions, with stingers, and in their tails is their power to harm people for five months.

So the four angels were released, who had been held ready for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, to kill a third of humankind.

For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they inflict harm.

but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample over the holy city for forty-two months.

And I will grant my two witnesses authority to prophesy for one thousand two hundred sixty days, wearing sackcloth."

For three and a half days members of the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb;

singing, "We give you thanks, Lord God Almighty, who are and who were, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign.