whithersoever he goeth. These ven, saying to me: Write: Blesswere purchased from among men, ed are the dead who die in the the first-fruits to God and to the Lord. From henceforth now, saith Lamb: the Spirit, that they may rest from 5 And in their mouth there was their labours: for their works folfound no lie for they are without low them. spot before the throne of God: 14 And I saw, and behold a 6 And I saw another angel fly-white cloud: and upon the cloud ing through the midst of heaven, one sitting like to the Son of man, having the eternal gospel, to preach having on his head a crown of gold, unto them that sit upon the earth, and in his hand a sharp sickle. and over every nation, and tribe, and tongue, and people: 7 Saying with a loud voice: Fear the Lord, and give him honour, because the hour of his judgment is come and adore ye him, that made heaven and earth, the sea and the fountains of waters. 8 And another angel followed, saying: That great Babylon is fallen, is fallen: which made all nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. 15 And another angel came out from the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat upon the cloud: Thrust in thy sickle, and reap, because the hour is come to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 16 And he that sat on the cloud, thrust his sickle into the earth, and the earth was reaped. 17 And another angel came 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 voice 9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice: If any man shall adore the beast and his image, and receive his charac-to him that had the sharp sickle, ter in his forehead, or in his hand; saying: Thrust in thy sharp sickle, 10 He also shall drink of the and gather the clusters of the vinewine of the wrath of God, which is yard of the earth because the mingled with pure wine in the cup grapes thereof are ripe. of his wrath, and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb. 19 And the angel thrust in his sharp sickle into the earth, and gathered the vineyard of the earth, and cast it into the great press of 11 And the smoke of their tor-the wrath of God: ments shall ascend up for ever and ever: neither have they rest day nor night, who have adored the beast, and his image, and whosoever receiveth the character of his name. 12 Here is the patience of the saints, who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of 20 And the press was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the press, up to the horses' bridles, for a thousand and six hundred furlongs. CHAP. XV. They that have overcome the beast glorify God. AND 1 saw another sign in heaven great and wonderful: se13 And I heard a voice from hea-Iven angels having the seven last Ver. 8. Babylon. It is probable that here, by the great Babylon, is meant the city of the devil, that is, the universal society of the wicked; as Jerusalem is taken for the city and church of God. Ver. 13. Die in the Lord. It is understood of the martyrs, who die for the Lord. plagues. For in them is filled up of the beast: and upon them that the wrath of God. adored the image thereof. 2 And I saw as it were a sea of 3 And the second angel poured glass mingled with fire, and them out his vial upon the sea, and there that had overcome the beast and came blood as it were of a dead his image and the number of his man and every living soul died name, standing on the sea of glass, in the sea. having the harps of God: 4 And the third poured out his 3 And singing the canticle of Mo-vial upon the rivers and the founses the servant of God, and the tains of waters and there was canticle of the Lamb, saying: Great made blood. and wonderful are thy works, O Lord God Almighty: just and true are thy ways, O king of ages. 4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and magnify thy name? For thou only art holy: for all nations shall come, and shall adore in thy sight, because thy judgments are manifest. 5 And after these things I looked, and behold the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: 6 And the seven angels came out of the temple having the seven plagues, clothed with clean and white linen, and girt about the breasts with golden girdles. 7 And one of the four living creatures, gave to the seven angels seven golden vials, full of the wrath of God who liveth for ever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the majesty of God, and from his power: and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. CHAP. XVI. The seven vials are poured out. AND I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels: Go, and pour out the seven vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters, saying: Thou art just, O Lord, who art, and who wast, the holy one, because thou hast judged these things: 6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; fo they are worthy. 7 And I heard another, from the altar saying: Yea, O Lord God Almighty, true and just are thy judgments. 8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun, and it was given unto him to afflict men with heat and fire: 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who hath power over these plagues, neither did they penance to give him glory. 10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast : and his kingdom became dark, and they gnawed their tongues for pain: 11 And they blasphemed the God of heaven, because of their pains and wounds, and did not penance from their works. 12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon that great river Euphrates; and dried up the water thereof, that a way might be prepared for the kings from the rising of the sun. 13 And I saw from the mouth of 2 And the first went, and poured the dragon, and from the mouth of out his vial upon the earth, and the beast, and from the mouth of there fell a sore and grievous wound the false prophet, three unclean upon men, who had the character spirits like frogs 14 For they are the spirits of deworking signs, and they go forth to the kings of the whole earth to gather them to battle against the great day of the Almighty God. 15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. 16 And he shall gather them together into a place, which in Hebrew is called Armagedon. demnation of the great harlot, who sitteth upon many waters, 2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication: and they who inhabit the earth, have been made drunk with the wine of her whoredom. 3 And he took me away in spirit into the desert. And I saw a woman sitting upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 And the woman was clothed round about with purple and scarlet, and gilt with gold, and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand, full of the abomination and filthiness of her fornication. 17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial upon the air, and there came a great voice out of the temple from the throne, saying: It is done. 18 And there were lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and there was a great earthquake, such an one as never had been since men were 5 And on her forehead a name was upon the earth, such an earthquake, written: A mystery: Babylon the great, the mother of the fornica 19 And the great city was divi-tions and the abominations of the did into three parts: and the cities of the gentiles fell. And great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the indignation of his wrath. so great. 20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And great hail like a talent came down from heaven upon men: and men blasphemed God for the plague of the hail; because it was exceeding great. CHAP. XVII. earth. 6 And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of JESUS. And I wondered, when I had seen her, with great admiration. 7 And the angel said to me: Why dost thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast which carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. 8 The beast, which thou sawest, was and is not, and shall come up The description of the great harlot. out of the bottomless pit, and go ND there came one of the se-into destruction: and the inhabiseven (whose names vials, and spoke with me, saying are not written in the book of life Come, I will shew thee the con- from the foundation of the world) Ver. 5. A mystery. That is, a secret, because what follows of the name and title of the great harlot is to be taken in a mystical sense Ver. 5. Babylon. Either the city of the devil in general, or, if this place be to be under stood of any particular city, pagan Rome, which then, and for 300 years, persecuted the church; and was the principal seat both of empire and idolatry. Ver. 8. The beast which thou sawest. This beast which supports Babylon, may signify the power of the devil which was and is not, being much abridged by the coming of Christ, but shall again exert itself under Antichrist. The seven heads of this beast are seven moun tains or empires, instruments of his tyranny; of which five were then fallen, as above: Ch. xiii. 6. 1. The beast itself is said to be the eighth, and of the seven; because they all so under the devil, and by his instigation, so that his power is in them all, yet so as to make ap, as it were, an eighth empire, distinct from them all snall wonder, seeing the beast that| was and is not. CHAP. XVIII. 9 And here is the understanding AND after these things I saw that hath wisdom. The seven heads, another angel come down from are seven mountains, upon which heaven, having great power and the woman sitteth, and they are the earth was enlightened with his seven kings: glory. 10 Five are fallen, one is, and the other is not yet come and when he is come, he must remain a short time. 11 And the beast which was, and is not: the same also is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into destruction. 12 And the ten horns which thou sawest, are ten kings, who have not yet received kingdom, but shall receive power as kings one hour after the beast. 13 These have one design and their strength and power they shall deliver to the beast. 2 And he cried out with a strong voice, saying: Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen: and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every unclean spirit, and the hold of every unclean and hateful bird. 3 Because all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication: and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her: and the merchants of the earth have been made rich by the power of her delicacies. 4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying: Go out from her, my people that you be not parta14 These shall fight with the kers of her sins, and that you reLamb, and the Lamb shall over-ceive not of her plagues. come them, because he is Lord of 5 For her sins have reached unto lords, and King of kings, and they heaven, and the Lord hath rememthat are with him are called, and bered her iniquities. elect, and faithful. 15 And he said to me: The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and nations, and tongues. 6 Render to her as she also hath rendered to you and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup, wherein she hath mingled, mingle ye double unto her. 16 And the ten horns, which 7 As much as she hath glorified thou sawest in the beast: these herself, and lived in delicacies, so shall hate the harlot, and shall make much torment and sorrow give ye her desolate and naked, and shall to her: because she saith in her eat her flesh, and shall burn her heart; I sit a queen, and am no with fire. widow, and sorrow I shall not see. 17 For God hath given into 8 Therefore shall her plagues their hearts, to do that which plea-come in one day, death, and mournseth him that they give their king-ing, and famine, and she shall be dom to the beast till the words of burnt with the fire; because God God be fulfilled. is strong who shall judge her. 18 And the woman which thou sawest, is the great city which hath kingdom over the kings of the earth. 9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication, and lived in delicacies with her, Ver. 12. Ten kings. Ten lesser kingdoms, enemies also of the church of Christ: which nevertheless shall be made instruments of the justice of God for the punishment of Babylon. Some understand this of the Goths, Vandals, Hunns, and other barbarous nations, that de stroyed the empire of Rome shall weep, and bewail themselves that great city, wherein all were over her, when they shall see the made rich, that had ships at sea, smoke of her burning; by reason of her prices: for in one hour she is made desolate. 10 Standing afar off for fear of her torments, saying: Alas! alas! that great city Babylon, that mighty city for in one hour is thy judg ment come. 11 And the merchants of the 21 And a mighty angel took up earth shall weep, and mourn over a stone as it were a great millher: for no man shall buy their stone, and cast it into the sea, saymerchandise any more. ing: With such violence as this 12 Merchandise of gold and sil-shall Babylon that great city be ver and precious stones and of thrown down, and shall be found pearls and fine linen and purple, no more at all. and silk, and scarlet, and all thyme- 22 And the voice of harpers, and wood, and all manner of vessels of of musicians, and of them that play ivory, and all manner of vessels of on the pipe and on the trumpet, precious stone, and of brass, and of shall no more be heard at all in iron, and of marble. thee and no craftsman of any art 13 And cinnamon, and odours, whatsoever shall be found any more and ointment, and frankincense,and at all in thee: and the sound of the wine, and oil, and fine flour, and mill shall be heard no more at all wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and in thee: horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. 14 And the fruits of the desire of thy soul are departed from thee, and all fat and goodly things are perished from thee, and they shall find them no more at all. 15 The merchants of these things, who were made rich, shall stand afar off from her for fear of her torments, weeping and mourning, 16 And saying: Alas! alas! that great city, which was clothed with fine linen and purple, and scarlet, and was gilt with gold and precious stones and pearls. 17 For in one hour are so great riches come to nought: and every ship-master, and all that sail into the lake, and mariners, and as many as work in the sea, stood afar off, 23 And the light of the lamp shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth, for all nations have been deceived by thy enchantments. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. CHAP. XIX. Christ's victory over the beast. At were the voice of much FTER these things I heard as people in heaven saying: Alleluia. Salvation, and glory, and power is to our God. 2 For true and just are his judgments, who hath judged the great harlot, which corrupted the earth 18 And cried, seeing the place of with her fornication, and hath reher burning, saying: What city is venged the blood of his servants, like to this great city? at her hands. 19 And they cast dust upon their 3 And again they said: Alleluia. heads, and cried, weeping and And her smoke ascendeth for ever mourning, saying: Alas! alas! and ever. |