19
“Salvation and Glory and Power Belong to Our God!”
1 After these things I heard what sounded like the roar of a large crowd in heaven, shouting,
“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God!
2 True and just are his judgments!
For he has punished the notorious prostitute,
who corrupted the earth with her immorality;
he has avenged his servants
by punishing the prostitute who spilled their blood.”
3 Then they shouted a second time,
“Hallelujah!
The smoke from the flames that consume her
goes up forever into the ages of the ages!”
4 Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures threw themselves to the ground and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. “Amen! Hallelujah!” they declared.
5 Then there came from the throne a voice:
“Give praise to our God
all you his servants, who fear him,
both young and old!”
6 Then I heard what sounded like the shout of a huge crowd, loud and powerful like the roar of rushing waters or the rumbling of loud thunder, declaring,
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God, the Almighty,
has begun to reign!
7 Let us rejoice and sing for joy
and give glory to him!
For the time has come for the wedding celebration of the Lamb,
and his betrothed has made herself ready.
8 She has been given fine linen to wear, resplendent and clean.”
(The fine linen represents these: The righteous deeds of the Lord’s holy people.)
9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this down: Blessed are those who have to the wedding feast of the Lamb been summoned.” And he added, “These are the very words of God, completely reliable.”
10 At this I threw myself down at his feet to worship him, but he said, “No, don’t worship me! I am, like you, and like your brothers and sisters who are holding fast to the testimony about Jesus, a mere servant. God is the one you are to worship.” (The testimony about Jesus, you see, is the essence of prophetic inspiration.)
“Its Rider Was Called ‘Faithful’ and ‘True’ ”
11 Then I saw heaven standing open, and there was a white horse! Its rider was called “Faithful” and “True,” and it is in the cause of righteousness that he executes judgment and rides to battle.
12 His eyes were like a fiery flame, and on his head were many diadem crowns. He had a name inscribed that no one knew, except he himself.
13 He was wearing a cloak soaked with blood, and his title was “The Word of God.”
14 The armies that were in heaven, dressed in fine linen, white and clean, were following him on white horses.
15 Out of his mouth came a sharp sword, which he will use to strike down the nations. He will “shepherd them with an iron scepter,”+ and he will trample them in the winepress of the fierce wrath of God Almighty.
16 He bore on his cloak, on the part covering his thigh, this title: “King of kings and Lord of lords.”
17 Then I saw an angel standing on the sun, and he shouted a message to all the carrion birds that were flying high in the sky: “Come! Gather together for the bountiful feast that God is about to set before you!
18 Get ready to dine on the corpses of kings and military officers and soldiers, and of horses and their riders, and of people of all kinds—both free and slave, lowly and powerful!”
19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered for the battle against the one riding the horse and against his army.
20 The beast was captured, and along with it+ the false prophet, who had performed the miraculous signs on its behalf—signs by which he had deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who had worshiped its+ image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur,
21 and their armies were killed by the sword that came out of the mouth of the one riding the horse. And all the birds feasted on their dead bodies, eating as much as they wanted.