Bog će sačuvati svoj narod
1Ugledam zatim četiri anđela kako stoje na četirima krajevima zemlje zadržavajući četiri vjetra da ne zapušu ni zemljom, ni morem, ni kojim drvetom. 2Ugledam zatim još jednog anđela kako dolazi s istoka noseći pečat živoga Boga. On glasno dovikne četvorici anđela koji su dobili vlast da naude zemlji i moru: 3“Čekajte! Ne udite ni zemlji, ni moru, ni drveću dok ne stavimo pečat na čelo slugama našega Boga!”
4Čuo sam koliko ih je opečaćeno: sto četrdeset četiri tisuće iz svih dvanaest izraelskih plemena:
5iz Judina plemena dvanaest tisuća,
iz Rubenova plemena dvanaest tisuća,
iz Gadova plemena dvanaest tisuća,
6iz Ašerova plemena dvanaest tisuća,
iz Naftalijeva plemena dvanaest tisuća,
iz Manašeova plemena dvanaest tisuća,
7iz Šimunova plemena dvanaest tisuća,
iz Levijeva plemena dvanaest tisuća,
iz Jisakarova plemena dvanaest tisuća,
8iz Zebulonova plemena dvanaest tisuća,
iz Josipova plemena dvanaest tisuća
i iz Benjaminova dvanaest tisuća.
Slavljenje golemog mnoštva
9Ugledam zatim veliko, neizbrojivo mnoštvo iz svakoga naroda i plemena, puka i jezika, kako stoji ispred prijestolja i ispred Jaganjca u bijelim haljinama, s palmama u rukama. 10Glasno viču: “Spasenje je djelo našega Boga, koji sjedi na prijestolju, i Jaganjca!”
11Svi anđeli koji su stajali oko prijestolja, starješina i četiriju bića padnu ničice pred prijestoljem, licem prema zemlji, 12te se poklone Bogu govoreći:
“Amen! Blagoslov i slava,
i mudrost,
i hvala i čast,
i moć i sila
pripadaju našemu Bogu
u vijeke vjekova. Amen.”
13Jedan od starješina me upita: “Znaš li tko su ti odjeveni u bijele haljine i odakle dolaze?”
14“Ne znam, gospodine”, odgovorim. “Ti znaš.”
“To su oni koji dolaze iz velike nevolje. Oprali su svoje haljine u Jaganjčevoj krvi i ubijelili ih. 15Zato stoje pred Božjim prijestoljem i danonoćno mu služe u hramu. Onaj koji sjedi na prijestolju živjet će s njima i zakriliti ih. 16Nikad više neće biti gladni ni žedni, neće ih više moriti sunce ni žega. 17Jer Jaganjac koji stoji ispred prijestolja bit će im Pastir. Vodit će ih na izvore vode života. Bog će otrti svaku suzu s njihovih očiju.”
144,000 People Are Marked With the Seal of the Living God
1After this I saw four angels. They were standing at the four corners of the earth. They were holding back the four winds of the earth. This kept the winds from blowing on the land or the sea or on any tree. 2Then I saw another angel coming up from the east. He brought the official seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels. They had been allowed to harm the land and the sea. 3“Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees,” he said. “Wait until we mark with this seal the foreheads of those who serve our God.” 4Then I heard how many people were marked with the seal. There were 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.
5From the tribe of Judah, 12,000 were marked with the seal.
From the tribe of Reuben, 12,000.
From the tribe of Gad, 12,000.
6From the tribe of Asher, 12,000.
From the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000.
From the tribe of Manasseh, 12,000.
7From the tribe of Simeon, 12,000.
From the tribe of Levi, 12,000.
From the tribe of Issachar, 12,000.
8From the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000.
From the tribe of Joseph, 12,000.
From the tribe of Benjamin, 12,000.
The Huge Crowd Wearing White Robes
9After this I looked, and there in front of me was a huge crowd of people. They stood in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb. There were so many that no one could count them. They came from every nation, tribe and people. That’s true no matter what language they spoke. They were wearing white robes. In their hands they were holding palm branches. 10They cried out in a loud voice,
“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne.
Salvation also belongs to the Lamb.”
11All the angels were standing around the throne. They were standing around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces in front of the throne and worshiped God. 12They said,
“Amen!
May praise and glory
and wisdom be given to our God for ever and ever.
Give him thanks and honor and power and strength.
Amen!”
13Then one of the elders spoke to me. “Who are these people dressed in white robes?” he asked. “Where did they come from?”
14I answered, “Sir, you know.”
He said, “They are the ones who have come out of the time of terrible suffering. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15So
“they are in front of the throne of God.
They serve him day and night in his temple.
The one who sits on the throne
will be with them to keep them safe.
16‘Never again will they be hungry.
Never again will they be thirsty.
The sun will not beat down on them.’ (Isaiah 49:10)
The heat of the desert will not harm them.
17The Lamb, who is at the center of the area around the throne,
will be their shepherd.
‘He will lead them to springs of living water.’ (Isaiah 49:10)
‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’ ” (Isaiah 25:8)
