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An Interlude

¹ After this I saw ^(C1)four angels stationed at the ^(C2)four corners of the earth, holding back ^(C3)the ^(F1)four winds of the earth ^(C4)so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. ^(VR1)2 Then I saw another angel coming up ^(C1)from the rising of the sun, holding the ^(C2)seal of ^(C3)the living God; and with a loud voice he called out to the ^(C4)four angels to whom it was granted to have authority and power to harm the earth and the sea,³ saying, "^(C1)Do not harm the earth nor the sea nor the trees until we ^(F1)(C2)seal (mark) the bond-servants of our God on their ^(C3)foreheads." ^(VR1)

The 144,000

⁴ And I heard ^(C1)how many were sealed, ^(C2)a hundred and forty-four thousand; twelve thousand sealed from ^(F1)every tribe of the sons of Israel:

⁵ Twelve thousand were sealed from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand from the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand from the tribe of Gad,

⁶ twelve thousand from the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand from the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand from the tribe of Manasseh,

⁷ twelve thousand from the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand from the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand from the tribe of Issachar,

⁸ twelve thousand from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand from the tribe of Joseph, and twelve thousand from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed (marked, redeemed, protected).

A Multitude from the Tribulation

⁹ After these things I looked, and this is what I saw: a vast multitude which no one could count, gathered from ^(C1)every nation and from all the tribes and peoples and languages of the earth, standing ^(C2)before the throne and ^(C3)before the Lamb (Christ), dressed in ^(C4)white robes, with ^(F1)(C5)palm branches in their hands;

¹⁰ and in a loud voice they cried out, saying, "^(C1)Salvation belongs to our God ^(C2)who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb our salvation is the Trinity's to give, and to God the Trinity we owe our deliverance."¹¹ And all the angels were standing ^(C1)around the throne and around ^(C1)the twenty-four elders and the ^(C2)four living creatures; and they ^(C3)fell to their faces before the throne and worshiped God,

¹² saying, "^(C1)Amen! ^(C2)Blessing and glory and majesty and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might belong to our God forever and ever. ^(C1)Amen."

¹³ Then one of the elders ^(C1)responded, saying to me, "These who are dressed in the long ^(C2)white robes—who are they, and from where did they come?"¹⁴ I said to him, "My lord, you know the answer." And he said to me, "These are the people who come out of the ^(C1)great tribulation (persecution), and they have ^(C2)washed their robes and made them ^(C3)white in the ^(C4)blood of the Lamb because of His atoning sacrifice. ^(VR1)15 "For this reason, they are standing ^(C1)before the throne of God; and they ^(C2)serve Him in worship day and night in His ^(C3)temple; and ^(C4)He who sits on the throne will ^(F1)spread His ^(C5)tabernacle over them and shelter and protect them with His presence. ^(VR1)16 "^(C1)They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun ^(F1)beat down on them, nor any scorching heat; ^(VR1)17 for the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will be their ^(C1)Shepherd, and He will guide them to springs of the ^(C2)waters of life; and ^(C3)God will wipe every tear from their eyes giving them eternal comfort." ^(VR1)