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He sees the servants of God sealed in their foreheads out of all nations and peoples, who, though they suffer trouble, yet the Lamb feeds them, and leads them to the fountains of living waters. God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.

And after that, I saw four angels stand on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth so that the winds would not blow on the land, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.  And I saw another angel ascend from the rising of the sun, who had the seal of the living God, and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels (to whom power was given to hurt the land and the sea), saying, Do not hurt the land, nor the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

And I heard the number of those who were sealed, and there were sealed 144,000 of all the tribes of the children of Israel. Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Asher were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Naphtali were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasseh were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Zebulun were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.

After this I looked, and lo, a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and people and tongues stood before the seat and before the Lamb, clothed with long white garments and palms in their hands, 10 and cried out with a loud voice, saying, Salvation be ascribed to him who sits upon the seat of our God and to the Lamb! 11 And all the angels stood round about the seat, and about the elders and the four living creatures, and fell before the seat on their faces and worshipped God, 12 saying, Amen! Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanks, and honour, and power, and might, be to our God forevermore. Amen.

13 And one of the elders spoke, saying to me, Who are these who are arrayed in long white garments, and where are they from? 14 And I said to him, Lord, you know. And he said to me, They are those who came out of great tribulation, and made their garments large, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore they are in the presence of the seat of God and serve him day and night in his temple. And he who sits in the seat will dwell among them. 16 They will hunger no more, neither thirst; nor will the sun light on them, nor any heat. 17 For the Lamb who is at the centre of the seat shall feed them, and shall lead them to fountains of living water, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

144,000 Sealed

After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners(A) of the earth, holding back the four winds(B) of the earth to prevent(C) any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal(D) of the living God.(E) He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea:(F) “Do not harm(G) the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads(H) of the servants of our God.” Then I heard the number(I) of those who were sealed: 144,000(J) from all the tribes of Israel.

From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed,

from the tribe of Reuben 12,000,

from the tribe of Gad 12,000,

from the tribe of Asher 12,000,

from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000,

from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,

from the tribe of Simeon 12,000,

from the tribe of Levi 12,000,

from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,

from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000,

from the tribe of Joseph 12,000,

from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.

The Great Multitude in White Robes

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language,(K) standing before the throne(L) and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes(M) and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,(N)
who sits on the throne,(O)
and to the Lamb.”

11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders(P) and the four living creatures.(Q) They fell down on their faces(R) before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:

“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”(S)

13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes(T)—who are they, and where did they come from?”

14 I answered, “Sir, you know.”

And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes(U) and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.(V) 15 Therefore,

“they are before the throne of God(W)
    and serve him(X) day and night in his temple;(Y)
and he who sits on the throne(Z)
    will shelter them with his presence.(AA)
16 ‘Never again will they hunger;
    never again will they thirst.(AB)
The sun will not beat down on them,’[a]
    nor any scorching heat.(AC)
17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne
    will be their shepherd;(AD)
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’[b](AE)
    ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’[c](AF)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 7:16 Isaiah 49:10
  2. Revelation 7:17 Isaiah 49:10
  3. Revelation 7:17 Isaiah 25:8