14
“There Was the Lamb Standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000”
1 Then I looked, and there was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 people who had his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads.
2 And I heard a sound from heaven, booming like the roar of rushing waters+ and the rumbling of loud thunder.+ It sounded like+ harpists playing their harps.
3 They were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn+ the song, except for these:+ The 144,000 who had been purchased at a price from the land.+
4 These are the ones who did not defile themselves with women;+ they are, like virgins,+ pure.++ These are the ones who accompany the Lamb wherever he goes. These were purchased at a price from mankind as a firstfruits offering+ to God+ and to the Lamb.+
5 In their mouths was discovered no deceit;+ they are blameless.+
“This Calls for Patient Endurance on the Part of the Lord’s Holy People.\f*”
6 Then I saw another angel flying high in the sky, ready to proclaim+ the eternal gospel to the inhabitants of the land+ and to every nation and tribe and language and people.+
7 “Fear God and give him glory,” the angel shouted,+ “because the time+ has come for him+ to pour out judgment! ᵖYou must worship the one who made the sky+ and the land+ and the sea and the springs of water!”+
8 Then there appeared in the sky another angel,+ after the first angel had left.+ “Fallen!” this second angel declared. “Fallen is Babylon the Great, who made all the nations drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured out because of her immorality.”+
9 Then there appeared in the sky still another angel,+ after the second angel had left.+ This third angel shouted:+ “If anyone worships the beast and its+ image and receives the mark on his forehead or on his hand,
10 he, too, will himself+ drink the wine of God’s wrath, which has been poured undiluted into the cup of his anger, and will be tormented in+ fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.+
11 The smoke of the fire that torments them+ will rise forever into the very+ ages of the ages. Yes, there will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its+ name.”
12 This calls for patient endurance indeed+ on the part of the Lord’s holy people—those who obey God’s commandments and hold fast to their faith in Jesus.+
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this down: Blessed are those+ who die, from this time forward,+ in union with the Lord.”
“Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their toils,
+ for the record
+ of their deeds will most assuredly accompany them.”
+
14 Then I looked, and there was a white cloud, and on the cloud was seated one “like a son of man.”+ He had on his head a victor’s crown made of gold, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
15 Then there came out of the sanctuary another angel,+ shouting a message+ to the one who was seated on the cloud: “Swing ˢyour sickle+ and gather in the harvest! For the appointed time+ for reaping has come, and the harvest of the earth is ripe!”
16 At that, the one seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth’s harvest+ was reaped.
17 Then there came out of the sanctuary in heaven another angel,+ and he, too, had a sharp sickle.
18 Then there came from the area near the altar yet+ another angel, the one who was in charge of the fire, and he shouted a message+ to the angel+ holding the sharp sickle: “Swing your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the vineyard of the earth! For its grapes are now ripe.”
19 At that, the angel swung his sickle toward the earth and gathered the grapes from its vineyard,+ and he threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath.
20 The grapes were trampled in the winepress+ outside the city, and blood flowed out of the winepress as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of about two hundred miles.+