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.

They ¹  cried out with a loud voice, ²  “How long, ³  Sovereign Master, ⁴  holy and true, before you judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood?”

And those who live on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate, even sending gifts to each other, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

So ¹  that huge dragon – the ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world – was thrown down to the earth, and his angels along with him.

Therefore you heavens rejoice, and all who reside in them! But ¹  woe to the earth and the sea because the devil has come down to you! He ²  is filled with terrible anger, for he knows that he only has a little time!”

Now ¹  the beast that I saw was like a leopard, but its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The ²  dragon gave the beast ³  his power, his throne, and great authority to rule. ⁴ 

One of the beast’s ¹  heads appeared to have been killed, ²  but the lethal wound had been healed. ³  And the whole world followed ⁴  the beast in amazement;

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.

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

But ¹  the angel said to me, “Why are you astounded? I will interpret ²  for you the mystery of the woman and of the beast with the seven heads and ten horns that carries her.

Blessed and holy is the one who takes part ¹  in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, ²  but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

The beast you saw was, and is not, but is about to come up from the abyss ¹  and then go to destruction. The ²  inhabitants of the earth – all those whose names have not been written in the book of life since the foundation of the world – will be astounded when they see that ³  the beast was, and is not, but is to come.

Then ¹  I looked, and I heard an ²  eagle ³  flying directly overhead, ⁴  proclaiming with a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe to those who live on the earth because of the remaining sounds of the trumpets of the three angels who are about to blow them!” ⁵ 

But ¹  the woman was given the two wings of a giant eagle so that she could fly out into the wilderness, ²  to the place God ³  prepared for her, where she is taken care of – away from the presence of the serpent – for a time, times, and half a time. ⁴ 

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

Even the light from a lamp will never shine in you again! The voices of the bridegroom and his bride will never be heard in you again. For your merchants were the tycoons of the world, because all the nations ¹  were deceived by your magic spells! ² 

The angel ¹  then ²  threw him into the abyss and locked ³  and sealed it so that he could not deceive the nations until the one thousand years were finished. (After these things he must be released for a brief period of time.)