&#8220;Do not damage the earth or the sea or the trees until we have put a seal on the foreheads of the servants<n id="1" /> of our God.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> one of the elders asked<n id="2" /> me, &#8220;These dressed in long white robes &#8211; who are they and where have they come from?&#8221;

<t /><p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> a measuring rod<n id="2" /> like a staff was given to me, and I was told,<n id="3" /> &#8220;Get up and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and the ones who worship there.

When<n id="1" /> I saw him I fell down at his feet as though I were dead, but<n id="2" /> he placed his right hand on me and said: &#8220;Do not be afraid! I am the first and the last,

He declared<n id="1" /> in a loud voice: &#8220;Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has arrived, and worship the one who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water!&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">A<n id="1" /> second<n id="2" /> angel<n id="3" /> followed the first,<n id="4" /> declaring:<n id="5" /> &#8220;Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great city!<n id="6" /> She made all the nations<n id="7" /> drink of the wine of her immoral passion.&#8221;<n id="8" />p>

<p class="bodytext">A<n id="1" /> third angel<n id="2" /> followed the first two,<n id="3" /> declaring<n id="4" /> in a loud voice: &#8220;If anyone worships the beast and his image, and takes the mark on his forehead or his hand,

<t /><p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke to me.<n id="2" /> &#8220;Come,&#8221; he said, &#8220;I will show you the condemnation and punishment<n id="3" /> of the great prostitute who sits on many waters,

He<n id="1" /> shouted with a powerful voice:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Fallen, fallen, is Babylon the great!p> <p class="poetry">She<n id="2" /> has become a lair for demons,p> <p class="poetry">a haunt<n id="3" /> for every unclean spirit,p> <p class="poetry">a haunt for every unclean bird,p> <p class="poetry">a haunt for every unclean and detested beast.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> one powerful angel picked up a stone like a huge millstone, threw it into the sea, and said,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;With this kind of sudden violent force<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Babylon the great city will be thrown down<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">and it will never be found again!p>

<p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> I saw one angel standing in<n id="2" /> the sun, and he shouted in a loud voice to all the birds flying high in the sky:<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Come, gather around for the great banquet<n id="4" /> of God,p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">After these things I looked, and there was<n id="1" /> a door standing open in heaven!<n id="2" /> And the first voice I had heard speaking to me<n id="3" /> like a trumpet<n id="4" /> said: &#8220;Come up here so that<n id="5" /> I can show you what must happen after these things.&#8221;

So<n id="1" /> I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He<n id="2" /> said to me, &#8220;Take the scroll<n id="3" /> and eat it. It<n id="4" /> will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.&#8221;

and, by the signs he was permitted to perform on behalf of the beast, he deceived those who live on the earth. He told<n id="1" /> those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who had been wounded by the sword, but still lived.

Another<n id="1" /> angel, who was in charge of<n id="2" /> the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to the angel<n id="3" /> who had the sharp sickle, &#8220;Use<n id="4" /> your sharp sickle and gather<n id="5" /> the clusters of grapes<n id="6" /> off the vine of the earth,<n id="7" /> because its grapes<n id="8" /> are now ripe.&#8221;<n id="9" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues came and spoke to me,<n id="2" /> saying, &#8220;Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb!&#8221;