Part 61 (1/2)

(13)And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who brought forth the man-child. (14)And there were given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

(15)And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood.

(16)And the earth helped the woman; and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

(17)And the dragon was enraged at the woman; and he departed to make war with the rest of her seed, who keep the commandments of G.o.d, and have the testimony of Jesus.

XIII.

AND I stood [13:1a] upon the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads names of blasphemy[1:16b]; (2)(and the beast which I saw was like to a leopard, and his feet as of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion, and the dragon gave to him his power, and his throne, and great authority;) (3)and one of his heads as it were wounded unto death. And his deadly wound was healed; and all the world wondered after the beast. (4)And they wors.h.i.+ped the dragon, because he gave the authority to the beast; and they wors.h.i.+ped the beast, saying: Who is like to the beast, and who is able to make war with him?

(5)And there was given to him a mouth speaking great and blasphemous things; and power was given him to work forty-two months. (6)And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against G.o.d, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, those who tabernacle in heaven. (7)And it was given him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them; and power was given him over every tribe, and tongue, and nation. (8)And all who dwell upon the earth will wors.h.i.+p him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb which is slain, from the foundation of the world.

(9)If any one has an ear, let him hear.

(10)If any one is for captivity, he goes into captivity; if any to be killed with the sword, he must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

(11)And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon. (12)And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell therein to wors.h.i.+p the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. (13)And he does great signs, so that also he causes fire to come down out of heaven on the earth, in the sight of men; (14)and he leads astray those who dwell on the earth, because of the signs which it was given him to do in the presence of the beast; saying to those who dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which has the wound of the sword, and lived. (15)And it was given him to give breath[13:15] to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should also speak, and should cause that as many as wors.h.i.+p not the image of the beast should be killed. (16)And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, to receive a mark[13:16] on their right hand, or on their forehead; (17)and that no one should be able to buy or sell, save he that has the mark, the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

(18)Here is wisdom. Let him that has understanding count up the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred and sixty-six.

XIV.

AND I saw, and behold, the Lamb stood on the mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father written on their foreheads.

(2)And I heard a voice out of heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of loud thunder; the voice which I heard was as that of harpers, harping with their harps. (3)And they sing as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four animals and the elders; and no one was able to learn the song, except the hundred and forty-four thousand, who are redeemed from the earth. (4)These are they who were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they who follow the Lamb, whithersoever he goes. These were redeemed from men, a first-fruits to G.o.d and to the Lamb. (5)And in their mouth was found no falsehood; for they are blameless.

(6)And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having the everlasting gospel[14:6] to preach to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and tribe, and tongue, and people; (7)saying with a loud voice: Fear G.o.d, and give glory to him, because the hour of his judgment is come; and wors.h.i.+p him who made heaven and earth, and sea, and fountains of waters.

(8)And another, a second angel followed, saying: Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, because she has made all the nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

(9)And another, a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice: If any one wors.h.i.+ps the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead, or on his hand, (10)he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of G.o.d, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his wrath, and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. (11)And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, who wors.h.i.+p the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.

(12)Here is the patience of the saints, who keep the commandments of G.o.d, and the faith of Jesus.

(13)And I heard a voice out of heaven saying: Write, Happy are the dead who die in the Lord, henceforth; yea, says the Spirit, that they shall rest from their labors, for their works follow with them.

(14)And I saw, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sitting like to the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. (15)And another angel came forth out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud: Put forth thy sickle, and reap; because the time to reap is come; because the harvest of the earth is ripe. (16)And he who sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle upon the earth; and the earth was reaped.

(17)And another angel came forth out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. (18)And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire; and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying: Put forth thy sharp sickle, and gather the cl.u.s.ters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. (19)And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great wine-press of the wrath of G.o.d. (20)And the wine-press was trodden without the city, and blood came forth out of the wine-press, even to the bits of the horses, as far as a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

XV.

AND I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having seven plagues; which are the last, because in them is completed the wrath of G.o.d.

(2)And I saw as it were a sea of gla.s.s, mingled with fire; and those who had gained the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over the number of his name, standing by the sea of gla.s.s, having harps of G.o.d. (3)And they sing the song of Moses the servant of G.o.d, and the song of the Lamb, saying: Great and marvelous are thy works, Lord G.o.d the Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of the nations. (4)Who shall not fear, O Lord, and glorify thy name? Because thou alone art holy; because all the nations shall come and wors.h.i.+p before thee; because thy judgments are made manifest.