God's New Bible

The Revelation of St. John the Divine

Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic

- Chapter 8 -

1
When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
2
And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and they were given seven trumpets.
3
Then another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne.
4
And the smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, rose up before God from the hand of the angel.
5
Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it to the earth; and there were peals of thunder, and rumblings, and flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.

The First Four Trumpets

6
And the seven angels with the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.
7
Then the first angel sounded his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, along with a third of the trees and all the green grass.
8
Then the second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned to blood,
9
a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
10
Then the third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star burning like a torch fell from heaven and landed on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water.
11
The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter like wormwood oil,(a) and many people died from the bitter waters.
12
Then the fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun and moon and stars were struck. A third of the stars were darkened, a third of the day was without light, and a third of the night as well.
13
And as I observed, I heard an eagle flying overhead, calling in a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the remaining three angels!”

Footnotes

(a)8:11 Literally became wormwood
1
When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
2
I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
3
Another angel came and stood over the altar, having a golden censer. Much incense was given to him, that he should add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne.
4
The smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.
5
The angel took the censer, and he filled it with the fire of the altar, then threw it on the earth. Thunders, sounds, lightnings, and an earthquake followed.

The First Four Trumpets

6
The seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.
7
The first sounded, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. One third of the earth was burned up,(a) and one third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.
8
The second angel sounded, and something like a great burning mountain was thrown into the sea. One third of the sea became blood,
9
and one third of the living creatures which were in the sea died. One third of the ships were destroyed.
10
The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from the sky, burning like a torch, and it fell on one third of the rivers, and on the springs of water.
11
The name of the star isWormwood.” One third of the waters became wormwood. Many people died from the waters, because they were made bitter.
12
The fourth angel sounded, and one third of the sun was struck, and one third of the moon, and one third of the stars, so that one third of them would be darkened; and the day wouldn’t shine for one third of it, and the night in the same way.
13
I saw, and I heard an eagle,(b) flying in mid heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the other blasts of the trumpets of the three angels, who are yet to sound!”

Footnotes

(a)8:7 TR omits “One third of the earth was burned up”
(b)8:13 TR reads “angel” instead of “eagle”