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The Lamb and the 144,000 on Mount Zion

14 Then I looked, and this is what I saw: the Lamb stood [firmly established] on Mount Zion, and with Him a hundred and forty-four thousand who had His name and His Father’s name inscribed on their foreheads [signifying God’s own possession].(A) And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of great waters and like the rumbling of mighty thunder; and the voice that I heard [seemed like music and] was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne [of God] and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased (ransomed, redeemed) from the earth.(B) These are the ones who have not been defiled [by relations] with women, for they are celibate. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased and redeemed from among men [of Israel] as the first fruits [sanctified and set apart for special service] for God and the Lamb.(C) No lie was found in their mouth, for they are blameless (spotless, untainted, beyond reproach).

The Angel with the Gospel

Then I saw another angel flying in midheaven, with an [a]eternal gospel to preach to the inhabitants of the earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people;(D) and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God [with awe and reverence], and give Him glory [and honor and praise in worship], because the hour of His judgment has come; [with all your heart] worship Him who created the heaven and the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

Doom for Proud Babylon

Then another angel, a second one, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who has made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her immorality [corrupting them with idolatry].”(E)

Doom for Worshipers of the Beast

Then another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “Whoever worships the beast and his image and receives the mark [of the beast] on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he too will [have to] drink of the wine of the wrath of God, [b]mixed undiluted into the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone (flaming sulfur) in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb (Christ).(F) 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day and night—those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”(G) 12 Here is [encouragement for] the steadfast endurance of the saints (God’s people), those who habitually keep God’s commandments and their faith in Jesus.

13 Then I heard [the distinct words of] a voice from heaven, saying, “Write, ‘[c]Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!’” “Yes, [blessed indeed],” says the Spirit, “so that they may rest and have relief from their labors, for their deeds do follow them.”

The Reapers

14 Again I looked, and this is what I saw: a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was One like the Son of Man, with a crown of gold on His head and a sharp sickle [of swift judgment] in His hand.(H) 15 And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to Him who was sitting upon the cloud, “Put in Your sickle and reap [at once], for the hour to reap [in judgment] has arrived, because the earth’s harvest is fully ripened.”(I) 16 So He who was sitting on the cloud cast His sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped (judged).

17 Then another angel came out of the temple (sanctuary) in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. 18 And another angel came from the altar, the one who has power over fire; and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Put in your sharp sickle and reap the clusters of grapes from the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe [for judgment].”(J) 19 So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and harvested the grapevine of the earth, and threw the grapes into the great wine press of the wrath and indignation of God [as judgment of the rebellious world].(K) 20 And the grapes in the wine press were trampled and crushed outside the city, and blood poured from the wine press, reaching up to the horses’ bridles, for a distance of [d]sixteen hundred stadia.(L)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 14:6 This term likely refers to the message of God’s impending righteous judgment and a final call to repentance and faith in the risen Lord.
  2. Revelation 14:10 In ancient times it was customary to mix wine with an equal or larger quantity of water to prevent intoxication at ordinary meals. Here, the mixing is ironic because the “wine of the wrath” is to be consumed at full strength.
  3. Revelation 14:13 This is the second of the seven promised blessings. See note 1:3.
  4. Revelation 14:20 About two hundred miles.

The Lamb and the 144,000

14 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb,(A) standing on Mount Zion,(B) and with him 144,000(C) who had his name and his Father’s name(D) written on their foreheads.(E) And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters(F) and like a loud peal of thunder.(G) The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps.(H) And they sang a new song(I) before the throne and before the four living creatures(J) and the elders.(K) No one could learn the song except the 144,000(L) who had been redeemed from the earth. These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins.(M) They follow the Lamb wherever he goes.(N) They were purchased from among mankind(O) and offered as firstfruits(P) to God and the Lamb. No lie was found in their mouths;(Q) they are blameless.(R)

The Three Angels

Then I saw another angel flying in midair,(S) and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth(T)—to every nation, tribe, language and people.(U) He said in a loud voice, “Fear God(V) and give him glory,(W) because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made(X) the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”(Y)

A second angel followed and said, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’[a](Z) which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.”(AA)

A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast(AB) and its image(AC) and receives its mark on their forehead(AD) or on their hand, 10 they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury,(AE) which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath.(AF) They will be tormented with burning sulfur(AG) in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever.(AH) There will be no rest day or night(AI) for those who worship the beast and its image,(AJ) or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”(AK) 12 This calls for patient endurance(AL) on the part of the people of God(AM) who keep his commands(AN) and remain faithful to Jesus.

13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord(AO) from now on.”

“Yes,” says the Spirit,(AP) “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

Harvesting the Earth and Trampling the Winepress

14 I looked, and there before me was a white cloud,(AQ) and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man[b](AR) with a crown(AS) of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple(AT) and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle(AU) and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest(AV) of the earth is ripe.” 16 So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle.(AW) 18 Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar(AX) and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, “Take your sharp sickle(AY) and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.” 19 The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath.(AZ) 20 They were trampled in the winepress(BA) outside the city,(BB) and blood(BC) flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.[c]

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 14:8 Isaiah 21:9
  2. Revelation 14:14 See Daniel 7:13.
  3. Revelation 14:20 That is, about 180 miles or about 300 kilometers

14 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:

And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.

16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on 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, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.

19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.