The seals
1I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, ‘Come!’ 2I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.
3When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, ‘Come!’ 4Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.
5When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, ‘Come!’ I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, ‘A kilogram of wheat for a day’s wages,6:6 Greek a denarius and three kilograms of barley for a day’s wages,6:6 Greek a denarius and do not damage the oil and the wine!’
7When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, ‘Come!’ 8I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a quarter of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
9When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10They called out in a loud voice, ‘How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?’ 11Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,6:11 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 12:10; 19:10. were killed just as they had been.
12I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig-tree when shaken by a strong wind. 14The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.
15Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16They called to the mountains and the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us6:16 See Hosea 10:8. from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17For the great day of their6:17 Some manuscripts his wrath has come, and who can withstand it?’
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?”
