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The Vision of the Scroll with Seven Seals

Then I saw in the right hand of the one who sits on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the outside, sealed with seven seals. I also saw a powerful angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” No one in heaven, on earth, or under the earth could open the scroll or look inside it. I began to cry bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or look inside it.

“Stop crying,” one of the elders told me. “Look! The Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered. He can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

The Vision of the Lamb Taking the Scroll

Then I saw a lamb standing in the middle of the throne, the four living creatures, and the elders. He looked[a] like he had been slaughtered. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who sits on the throne.

When the lamb had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders bowed down in front of him. Each held a harp and a gold bowl full of incense, the prayers of the saints. They sang a new song:

“You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals,
    because you were slaughtered.
With your blood you purchased us[b] for God
    from every tribe, language, people, and nation.
10 You made us[c] a kingdom and priests for our God,
    and they will reign on the earth.”

The Vision of the Song of the Lamb

11 Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels, the living creatures, and the elders surrounding the throne. They numbered 10,000’s times 10,000 and thousands times thousands. 12 They sang with a loud voice,

“Worthy is the lamb who was slaughtered
    to receive power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and praise!”

13 I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and on the sea, and everything that is in them, saying,

“To the one who sits on the throne and to the lamb
    be praise, honor, glory, and power forever and ever!”

14 Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!”, and the elders bowed down and worshipped.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 5:6 The Gk. lacks He looked
  2. Revelation 5:9 Some MSS lack us
  3. Revelation 5:10 Some MSS read them

The Scroll and the Lamb

Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne(A) a scroll with writing on both sides(B) and sealed(C) with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel(D) proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion(E) of the tribe of Judah,(F) the Root of David,(G) has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Then I saw a Lamb,(H) looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures(I) and the elders.(J) The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes,(K) which are the seven spirits[a](L) of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.(M) And when he had taken it, the four living creatures(N) and the twenty-four elders(O) fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp(P) and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers(Q) of God’s people. And they sang a new song, saying:(R)

“You are worthy(S) to take the scroll
    and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
    and with your blood(T) you purchased(U) for God
    persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.(V)
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests(W) to serve our God,
    and they will reign[b] on the earth.”(X)

11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand.(Y) They encircled the throne and the living creatures(Z) and the elders.(AA) 12 In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb,(AB) who was slain,(AC)
    to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
    and honor and glory and praise!”(AD)

13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth(AE) and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne(AF) and to the Lamb(AG)
    be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”(AH)

14 The four living creatures(AI) said, “Amen,”(AJ) and the elders(AK) fell down and worshiped.(AL)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 5:6 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
  2. Revelation 5:10 Some manuscripts they reign