He<n id="1" /> opened the shaft of the abyss and smoke rose out of it<n id="2" /> like smoke from a giant furnace. The<n id="3" /> sun and the air were darkened with smoke from the shaft.

They<n id="1" /> were told<n id="2" /> not to damage the grass of the earth, or any green plant or tree, but only those people<n id="3" /> who did not have the seal of God on their<n id="4" /> forehead.

But in the days<n id="1" /> when the seventh angel is about to blow his trumpet, the mystery of God is completed,<n id="2" /> just as he has<n id="3" /> proclaimed to his servants<n id="4" /> the prophets.&#8221;

So<n id="1" /> I took the little scroll from the angel&#8217;s hand and ate it, and it did taste<n id="2" /> as sweet as honey in my mouth, but<n id="3" /> when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.

When<n id="1" /> they have completed their testimony, the beast that comes up from the abyss will make war on them and conquer<n id="2" /> them and kill them.

<p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> the temple of God in heaven was opened and the ark of his covenant was visible within his temple. And there were flashes of lightning, roaring,<n id="2" /> crashes of thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.<n id="3" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and with the moon under her feet, and on her head was a crown of twelve stars.<n id="2" />

<p class="poetry">But<n id="1" /> they overcame himp> <p class="poetry">by the blood of the Lambp> <p class="poetry">and by the word of their testimony,p> <p class="poetry">and they did not love their lives<n id="2" /> so much that they were afraid to die.p>

and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No<n id="1" /> one was able to learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth.p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> I saw another<n id="2" /> angel flying directly overhead,<n id="3" /> and he had<n id="4" /> an eternal gospel to proclaim<n id="5" /> to those who live<n id="6" /> on the earth &#8211; to every nation, tribe,<n id="7" /> language, and people.

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>

that person<n id="1" /> will also drink of the wine of God&#8217;s anger<n id="2" /> that has been mixed undiluted in the cup of his wrath, and he will be tortured with fire and sulfur<n id="3" /> in front of the holy angels and in front of the Lamb.

<p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> I looked, and a white cloud appeared,<n id="2" /> and seated <i>on the cloud was one like a son of man!i><n id="3" /> He had<n id="4" /> a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.

So<n id="1" /> the angel swung his sickle over the earth and gathered the grapes from the vineyard<n id="2" /> of the earth and tossed them into the great<n id="3" /> winepress of the wrath of God.

Then<n id="1" /> there were flashes of lightning, roaring,<n id="2" /> and crashes of thunder, and there was a tremendous earthquake &#8211; an earthquake unequaled since humanity<n id="3" /> has been on the earth, so tremendous was that earthquake.

Now<n id="1" /> the woman was dressed in purple and scarlet clothing,<n id="2" /> and adorned with gold,<n id="3" /> precious stones, and pearls. She held<n id="4" /> in her hand a golden cup filled with detestable things and unclean things from her sexual immorality.<n id="5" />

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.

<p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to do battle with the one who rode the horse and with his army.

They<n id="1" /> went up<n id="2" /> on the broad plain of the earth<n id="3" /> and encircled<n id="4" /> the camp<n id="5" /> of the saints and the beloved city, but<n id="6" /> fire came down from heaven and devoured them completely.<n id="7" />