6
“The Lamb Broke Open the First of the Seven Seals”
1 As I watched, the Lamb broke open the first of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a thunderous voice,+ “Come!”
2 I looked, and there before me was a white horse,+ whose rider+ was holding a bow.+ The rider+ was given a victor’s crown,+ and he rode out as a victorious conqueror bent on further conquest.
3 When the Lamb+ broke open the second seal, I heard the second+ living creature say, “Come!”
4 At that, another horse, fiery red in color, came out. Its rider was assigned to remove peace from the earth and make people+ slay+ one another. He was given a mighty sword.
5 When the Lamb+ broke open the third seal, I heard the third+ living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse, from the hand of whose rider was hanging a pair of scales.+
6 Then I heard what sounded like a human voice speak from the area in the middle of the four living creatures.+ “A whole day’s wages for only a quart of wheat flour, and the same for a mere three quarts of barley flour,”+ the voice said. “ˢYou are not to damage, however,+ the olive trees and the vineyards.”+
7 When the Lamb+ broke open the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth+ living creature say, “Come!”
8 I looked, and there before me was a pale green horse. Its rider’s name was Death, and Sheol+ was accompanying him. They were given power over one-fourth of the earth, to kill its inhabitants+ by the sword and by famine and by plague+ and by wild animals.+
9 When the Lamb+ broke open the fifth seal, I saw at the base of the altar+ the souls of those who had been killed because of the word of God and the testimony to which they had held fast.+
10 They cried out, “How long will it be,+ Sovereign Lord, holy and true, before you vindicate+ and avenge us by punishing those on the earth who spilled our blood?+”
11 Each of them was given a long white robe, and they were told to rest+ a little while longer, until the full number of their fellow servants and brothers who were destined to suffer a martyr’s death, just as they themselves had suffered one, had been reached.+
12 As I watched, the Lamb+ broke open the sixth seal, and there was a violent earthquake.+ The sun became as black as sackcloth made of goat’s hair, the whole moon turned blood-red,
13 and the stars of heaven+ fell to the earth, like unripe figs being flung from the tree+ when it is shaken by a fierce wind.++
14 The sky+ was split apart, each side+ rolling back like a scroll,+ and every mountain and island was moved from its place.+
15 The kings of the earth and the high officials and the military officers and the rich and the powerful and everyone else, slave and free,+ hid themselves in the caves and among the mountain crags.++
16 “Please protect us!”+ they called out to the mountains and to the crags. “Hide us from the judgment+ of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!
17 For the Great Day of their wrath is here, and who can endure+ it?”