² “Take a scroll^(A) and write on it all the words^(B) I have spoken to you concerning Israel, Judah and all the other nations from the time I began speaking to you in the reign of Josiah^(C) till now.

3 And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.”

The Scroll and the Lamb

5 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. ² And I saw a mighty angel^(D) proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” ³ But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. ⁴ I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. ⁵ 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.”

⁸ Then the voice that I had heard from heaven^(A) spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll^(B) that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”

⁹ So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’^[a]”^{(C) 10} I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth,^(D) but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. ¹¹ Then I was told, “You must prophesy^(E) again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”^(F)