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An Interlude

¹ After this I saw ^(C1)four angels standing at the ^(C2)four corners of the earth, holding back ^(C3)the four winds of the earth ^(C4)so that no wind would blow on the earth, or on the sea, or on any tree.² And I saw another angel ascending ^(C1)from the rising of the sun, holding the ^(C2)seal of ^(C3)the living God; and he called out with a loud voice to the ^(C4)four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea,³ saying, "^(C1)Do not harm the earth, or the sea, or the trees until we have ^(C2)sealed the bond-servants of our God on their ^(C3)foreheads."

The 144,000

⁴ And I heard the ^(C1)number of those who were sealed: ^(C2)144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:⁵ from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand,⁶ from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand,⁷ from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand,⁸ from the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, and from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.

A Multitude from the Tribulation

⁹ After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from ^(C1)every nation and all the tribes, peoples, and languages, standing ^(C2)before the throne and ^(C3)before the Lamb, clothed in ^(C4)white robes, and ^(C5)palm branches were in their hands;¹⁰ and they ^(*)cried out with a loud voice, saying, "^(C1)Salvation belongs to our God ^(C2)who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."¹¹ And all the angels were standing ^(C1)around the throne and around ^(C1)the elders and the ^(C2)four living creatures; and they ^(C3)fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,¹² saying, "^(C1)Amen, ^(C2)blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, 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 clothed in the ^(C2)white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?"¹⁴ I ^(F1)said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the ^(C1)great tribulation, and they have ^(C2)washed their robes and made them ^(C3)white in the ^(C4)blood of the Lamb.¹⁵ "For this reason they are ^(C1)before the throne of God, and they ^(C2)serve Him day and night in His ^(F1)(C3)temple; and ^(C4)He who sits on the throne will spread His ^(C5)tabernacle over them.¹⁶ "^(C1)They will no longer hunger nor thirst, nor will the sun ^(F1)beat down on them, nor any scorching heat;¹⁷ for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their ^(C1)shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the ^(F1)(C2)water of life; and ^(C3)God will wipe every tear from their eyes."