De første seks segl på bogrullen brydes til dom over jorden
1Da Lammet brød det første af de syv segl, hørte jeg et af de fire levende væsener råbe med tordenrøst: „Kom!” 2Derefter så jeg en hvid hest med en rytter, som holdt en bue i hånden. Rytteren fik udleveret en sejrskrans, og han red af sted fra sejr til sejr, for han var bestemt til at sejre.
3Da Lammet brød det andet segl, hørte jeg det andet levende væsen råbe: „Kom!” 4Og der kom en rød hest med en rytter, som fik udleveret et vældigt sværd. Han tog freden bort fra jorden, så folk begyndte at nedslagte hinanden.
5Da Lammet brød det tredje segl, hørte jeg det tredje levende væsen råbe: „Kom!” Og der kom en sort hest med en rytter, som holdt en skålvægt i hånden. 6Da hørte jeg en stemme inde fra de fire væsener, som råbte: „Et kilo hvede vil koste en dagløn, og tre kilo byg vil koste en dagløn. Men olivenolien og vinen må du ikke skade!”
7Da Lammet brød det fjerde segl, hørte jeg det fjerde levende væsen råbe: „Kom!” 8Og der kom en gustengul hest med en rytter, som hed „Døden”, og Dødsriget fulgte med ham. De fik lov til at dræbe en fjerdedel af jordens befolkning gennem krig og sult, sygdom og vilde dyr.
9Da Lammet brød det femte segl, så jeg neden for alteret i det himmelske tempel sjælene af dem, som var blevet slået ihjel, fordi de holdt fast ved Guds ord og ikke ville fornægte deres tro på ham. 10„Herre, du er den sande og hellige Gud,” råbte de. „Hvor længe vil det vare endnu, før du holder dom over dem, der bor på jorden, og hævner vores død?” 11Da fik de hver en lang, hvid klædning, og der blev sagt til dem, at de skulle vente et stykke tid endnu, indtil det fulde antal af deres medtjenere og medkristne, som skulle slås ihjel ligesom dem selv, var nået.
12Da Lammet brød det sjette segl, kom der et voldsomt jordskælv. Solen blev mørk som en sørgedragt, og månen blev rød som blod. 13Himlens stjerner faldt ned mod jorden, som frugterne falder fra et figentræ, der gennemrystes af en vældig storm. 14Himlen blev rullet sammen som en bogrulle, og alle bjerge og øer blev flyttet fra deres plads. 15Alle mennesker på jorden søgte at gemme sig i huler og bag klipper i bjergene, både konger og stormænd, hærførere og rigmænd, magthavere, slaver og almindelige borgere. 16De råbte til bjergene og klippestykkerne: „Styrt sammen over os!6,16 Jf. Hos. 10,8 og Luk. 23,30. Skjul os for Den Store Konge og Lammet! 17For hvem kan undgå straf på den store dommens dag, som nu er kommet?”
1And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. 2And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. 3And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. 4And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. 5And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. 6And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. 7And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. 9And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: 10And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. 12And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 13And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. 14And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
