and the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple, dressed in clean bright linen, wearing wide golden belts<n id="1" /> around their chests.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> I heard a loud voice from the temple declaring to the seven angels: &#8220;Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls containing God&#8217;s wrath.&#8221;<n id="2" />

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

<p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> the fifth angel<n id="2" /> poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast so that<n id="3" /> darkness covered his kingdom,<n id="4" /> and people<n id="5" /> began to bite<n id="6" /> their tongues because<n id="7" /> of their pain.

<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,

But<n id="1" /> the angel said to me, &#8220;Why are you astounded? I will interpret<n id="2" /> for you the mystery of the woman and of the beast with the seven heads and ten horns that carries her.

The<n id="1" /> ten horns that you saw, and the beast &#8211; these will hate the prostitute and make her desolate and naked. They<n id="2" /> will consume her flesh and burn her up with fire.<n id="3" />

For God has put into their minds<n id="1" /> to carry out his purpose<n id="2" /> by making<n id="3" /> a decision<n id="4" /> to give their royal power<n id="5" /> to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled.<n id="6" />

<p class="bodytext">Blessed are those who wash their robes so they can have access<n id="1" /> to the tree of life and can enter into the city by the gates.

They were singing a new song:<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;You are worthy to take the scrollp> <p class="poetry">and to open its sealsp> <p class="poetry">because you were killed,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and at the cost of your own blood<n id="3" /> you have purchased<n id="4" /> for Godp> <p class="poetry">persons<n id="5" /> from every tribe, language,<n id="6" /> people, and nation.p>

So<n id="1" /> I said to him, &#8220;My lord, you know the answer.&#8221;<n id="2" /> Then<n id="3" /> he said to me, &#8220;These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation. They<n id="4" /> have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb!

These two have the power<n id="1" /> to close up the sky so that it does not rain during the time<n id="2" /> they are prophesying. They<n id="3" /> have power<n id="4" /> to turn the waters to blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague whenever they want.

<t /><p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It<n id="2" /> had ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns were ten diadem crowns,<n id="3" /> and on its heads a blasphemous name.<n id="4" />

And they threw dust on their heads and were shouting with weeping and mourning,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Woe, Woe, O great city &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">in which all those who had ships on the sea got rich from her wealth &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">because in a single hour she has been destroyed!&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<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;

<p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge.<n id="2" /> I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. These<n id="3" /> had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. They<n id="4" /> came to life<n id="5" /> and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.