The Angel and the Little Scroll
1Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was wearing a cloud like a robe. There was a rainbow above his head. His face was like the sun. His legs were like pillars of fire. 2He was holding a little scroll. It was lying open in his hand. The angel put his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. 3Then he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. 4When they had spoken, I was getting ready to write. But I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said. Do not write it down.”
5I had seen an angel standing on the sea and on the land. This angel raised his right hand to heaven. 6He made a promise in the name of the God who lives for ever and ever. This is the God who created the sky, earth and sea and all that is in them. The angel said, “There will be no more waiting! 7God’s plan will be carried out. This will happen when the seventh angel is ready to blow his trumpet. God told all this to the prophets who served him long ago.”
8Then the voice I had heard from heaven spoke to me again. It said, “The angel is standing on the sea and on the land. Go and take the scroll from him. It is lying open in his hand.”
9So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will become sour in your stomach. But ‘in your mouth it will taste as sweet as honey.’ ” (Ezekiel 3:3) 10I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. In my mouth it tasted as sweet as honey. But when I had eaten it, it became sour in my stomach. 11Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”
Le petit livre
1Ensuite je vis un autre ange puissant descendre du ciel, enveloppé d’une nuée. Un arc-en-ciel auréolait sa tête. Son visage rayonnait comme le soleil, et ses jambes ressemblaient à des colonnes de feu. 2Dans sa main, il tenait un petit livre ouvert. Il posa son pied droit sur la mer et le gauche sur la terre. 3Il se mit à crier d’une voix forte comme rugit un lion. Quand il eut crié, les sept tonnerres firent retentir leur voix.
4Quand ils eurent fini de parler, je me disposais à transcrire leur message, lorsqu’une voix venant du ciel me dit : Garde sous le sceau du secret les déclarations des sept tonnerres, ne les note pas.
5Alors, l’ange que j’avais vu debout sur la mer et sur la terre leva la main droite vers le ciel 6et jura solennellement10.6 Voir Dn 12.7. par celui qui vit éternellement, qui a créé le ciel et tout ce qui s’y trouve, la terre et tout ce qui s’y trouve, la mer et tout ce qui s’y trouve : Désormais, il n’y aura plus de délai ! 7Au jour où retentira la trompette du septième ange, tout le plan secret de Dieu s’accomplira, comme il l’a annoncé à ses serviteurs, ses prophètes.
8De nouveau, la voix que j’avais entendue venant du ciel m’adressa la parole : Va, me dit-elle, prends le livre ouvert dans la main de l’ange qui se tient debout sur la mer et sur la terre.
9Je m’approchai donc de l’ange, en le priant de me remettre le petit livre.
– Tiens, me dit-il, mange-le. Il te remplira l’estomac d’amertume, mais dans ta bouche, il sera doux comme du miel10.9 Voir Ez 3.3.! 10Je pris donc le petit livre de la main de l’ange et je le mangeai. Dans ma bouche, il fut doux comme du miel, mais, après l’avoir mangé, mon estomac fut rempli d’amertume. 11Alors on me dit : Tu dois encore prophétiser concernant beaucoup de peuples, de nations, de langues et de rois.
