First Seal: The Conqueror

Now (A)I saw when the Lamb opened one of the [a]seals; and I heard (B)one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” And I looked, and behold, (C)a white horse. (D)He who sat on it had a bow; (E)and a crown was given to him, and he went out (F)conquering and to conquer.

Second Seal: Conflict on Earth

When He opened the second seal, (G)I heard the second living creature saying, “Come [b]and see.” (H)Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to (I)take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.

Third Seal: Scarcity on Earth

When He opened the third seal, (J)I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, (K)a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of (L)scales[c] in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A [d]quart of wheat for a [e]denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and (M)do not harm the oil and the wine.”

Fourth Seal: Widespread Death on Earth

When He opened the fourth seal, (N)I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” (O)So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And [f]power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, (P)to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, (Q)and by the beasts of the earth.

Fifth Seal: The Cry of the Martyrs

When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under (R)the altar (S)the souls of those who had been slain (T)for the word of God and for (U)the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, (V)“How long, O Lord, (W)holy and true, (X)until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then a (Y)white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them (Z)that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

Sixth Seal: Cosmic Disturbances

12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, (AA)and [g]behold, there was a great earthquake; and (AB)the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the [h]moon became like blood. 13 (AC)And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 14 (AD)Then the sky [i]receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and (AE)every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 15 And the (AF)kings of the earth, the great men, [j]the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, (AG)hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 (AH)and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who (AI)sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, (AJ)and who is able to stand?”

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 6:1 NU, M seven seals
  2. Revelation 6:3 NU, M omit and see
  3. Revelation 6:5 balances
  4. Revelation 6:6 Gr. choinix, about 1 quart
  5. Revelation 6:6 About 1 day’s wage for a worker
  6. Revelation 6:8 authority
  7. Revelation 6:12 NU, M omit behold
  8. Revelation 6:12 NU, M whole moon
  9. Revelation 6:14 Or split apart
  10. Revelation 6:15 NU, M the commanders, the rich men,

The Seals

I watched as the Lamb(A) opened the first of the seven seals.(B) Then I heard one of the four living creatures(C) say in a voice like thunder,(D) “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a white horse!(E) Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown,(F) and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.(G)

When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature(H) say, “Come!” Then another horse came out, a fiery red one.(I) Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth(J) and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.

When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature(K) say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse!(L) Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures,(M) saying, “Two pounds[a] of wheat for a day’s wages,[b] and six pounds[c] of barley for a day’s wages,[d](N) and do not damage(O) the oil and the wine!”

When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature(P) say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse!(Q) Its rider was named Death, and Hades(R) was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.(S)

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under(T) the altar(U) the souls of those who had been slain(V) because of the word of God(W) and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long,(X) Sovereign Lord,(Y) holy and true,(Z) until you judge the inhabitants of the earth(AA) and avenge our blood?”(AB) 11 Then each of them was given a white robe,(AC) and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,[e] were killed just as they had been.(AD)

12 I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake.(AE) The sun turned black(AF) like sackcloth(AG) made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and the stars in the sky fell to earth,(AH) as figs drop from a fig tree(AI) when shaken by a strong wind. 14 The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up,(AJ) and every mountain and island was removed from its place.(AK)

15 Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free,(AL) hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains.(AM) 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us(AN) and hide us[f] from the face of him who sits on the throne(AO) and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day(AP) of their[g] wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”(AQ)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 6:6 Or about 1 kilogram
  2. Revelation 6:6 Greek a denarius
  3. Revelation 6:6 Or about 3 kilograms
  4. Revelation 6:6 Greek a denarius
  5. Revelation 6:11 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 12:10; 19:10.
  6. Revelation 6:16 See Hosea 10:8.
  7. Revelation 6:17 Some manuscripts his