Revelation 7

An Interlude

1After this I saw 1four angels standing at the 2four corners of the earth, holding back 3the four winds of the earth 4so that no wind would blow on the earth, or on the sea, or on any tree. 2And I saw another angel ascending 5from the rising of the sun, holding the 6seal of 7the living God; and he called out with a loud voice to the 8four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, 3saying, “9Do not harm the earth, or the sea, or the trees until we have 10sealed the bond-servants of our God on their 11foreheads.”

The 144,000

4And I heard the 12number of those who were sealed: 13144,000, sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel: 5from the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, 6from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, from the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand, 7from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand, 8from 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

9After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from 14every nation and all the tribes, peoples, and languages, standing 15before the throne and 16before the Lamb, clothed in 17white robes, and 18palm branches were in their hands; 10and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “19Salvation belongs to our God 20who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” 11And all the angels were standing 21around the throne and around 22the elders and the 23four living creatures; and they 24fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12saying, “25Amen, 26blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might belong to our God forever and ever. 27Amen.”

13Then one of the elders 28responded, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the 29white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?” 14I 30said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the 31great tribulation, and they have 32washed their robes and made them 33white in the 34blood of the Lamb. 15For this reason they are 35before the throne of God, and they 36serve Him day and night in His 3738temple; and 39He who sits on the throne will spread His 40tabernacle over them. 1641They will no longer hunger nor thirst, nor will the sun 42beat down on them, nor any scorching heat; 17for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their 43shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the 4445water of life; and 46God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”