II Chronicles 1

Solomon Requests Wisdom

1 NowSolomon the son of David was strengthened in his kingdom, andtheLordhis Godwaswith him andexalted him exceedingly.

2 And Solomon spoke to all Israel, tothe captains of thousands and of hundreds, to the judges, and to every leader in all Israel, the heads of the fathers’houses.

3 Then Solomon, and all the assembly with him, went to the high place thatwasatGibeon; for the tabernacle of meeting with God was there, which Moses the servant of theLordhadmade in the wilderness.

4 But David had brought up the ark of God from Kirjath Jearim totheplaceDavid had prepared for it, for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem.

5 Nowthe bronze altar thatBezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, had made, he put before the tabernacle of theLord; Solomon and the assembly sought Himthere.

6 And Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before theLord, whichwasat the tabernacle of meeting, andoffered a thousand burnt offerings on it.

7 On that night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, “Ask! What shall I give you?”

8 And Solomon said to God: “You have shown greatmercy to David my father, and have made meking in his place.

9 Now, OLordGod, let Your promise to David my father be established,for You have made me king over a people like thedust of the earth in multitude.

10 Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I maygo out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?”

11 Then God said to Solomon: “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life—but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king—

12 wisdom and knowledgearegranted to you; and I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such asnone of the kings have had whowerebefore you, nor shall any after you have the like.”

Solomon’s Military and Economic Power

13 So Solomon came to Jerusalem from the high place thatwasat Gibeon, from before the tabernacle of meeting, and reigned over Israel.

14 And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen; he had one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem.

15 Also the king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars as abundant as the sycamores whicharein the lowland.

16 And Solomon had horses imported from Egypt and Keveh; the king’s merchants bought them in Keveh at thecurrentprice.

17 They also acquired and imported from Egypt a chariot for six hundredshekelsof silver, and a horse for one hundred and fifty; thus, through their agents, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.

Revelation 1

Introduction and Benediction

1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ,which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. AndHe sent and signifieditby His angel to His servant John,

2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all thingsthat he saw.

3 Blessedishe who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; forthe timeisnear.

Greeting the Seven Churches

4 John, to the seven churches which are in Asia:

# Grace to you and peace from Himwho is andwho was and who is to come,and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,

5 and from Jesus Christ,the faithfulwitness, thefirstborn from the dead, andthe ruler over the kings of the earth.

# To Himwho loved usand washed us from our sins in His own blood,

6 and hasmade us kings and priests to His God and Father,to Himbeglory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

7 Behold, He is coming withclouds, and every eye will see Him, eventhey who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,theBeginning andtheEnd,”says the Lord,“who is and who was and who is to come, theAlmighty.”

Vision of the Son of Man

9 I, John, both your brother andcompanion in the tribulation andkingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

10 I was in the Spirit onthe Lord’s Day, and I heard behind mea loud voice, as of a trumpet,

11 saying,“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,”and,“What you see, write in a book and senditto the seven churcheswhich are in Asia:to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”

12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turnedI saw seven golden lampstands,

13 and in the midst of the seven lampstandsOnelike the Son of Man,clothed with a garment down to the feet andgirded about the chest with a golden band.

14 His head andhairwerewhite like wool, as white as snow, andHis eyes like a flame of fire;

15 His feetwerelike fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, andHis voice as the sound of many waters;

16 He had in His right hand seven stars,out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword,and His countenancewaslike the sun shining in its strength.

17 Andwhen I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. ButHe laid His right hand on me, saying to me,“Do not be afraid;I am the First and the Last.

18 IamHe who lives, and was dead, and behold,I am alive forevermore. Amen. AndI have the keys ofHades and of Death.

19 Writethe things which you haveseen,and the things which are,and the things which will take place after this.

20 Themystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars aretheangels of the seven churches, andthe seven lampstandswhich you saware the seven churches.

Revelation 2

The Loveless Church

1 “To theangel of the church of Ephesus write,

# ‘These things saysHe who holds the seven stars in His right hand,who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:

2 “I know your works, your labor, yourpatience, and that you cannotbear those who are evil. Andyou have tested thosewho say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;

3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and havenot become weary.

4 Nevertheless I havethisagainst you, that you have left your first love.

5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works,or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.

6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will giveto eat fromthe tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’

The Persecuted Church

8 “And to theangel of the church in Smyrna write,

# ‘These things saysthe First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:

9 “I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you arerich); andI knowthe blasphemy ofthose who say they are Jews and are not,butareasynagogue of Satan.

10 Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throwsomeof you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days.Be faithful until death, and I will give youthe crown of life.

11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt bythe second death.” ’

The Compromising Church

12 “And to theangel of the church in Pergamos write,

# ‘These things saysHe who has the sharp two-edged sword:

13 “I know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan’s throneis.And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days in which AntipaswasMy faithful martyr, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

14 But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine ofBalaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel,to eat things sacrificed to idols,and to commit sexual immorality.

15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans,which thing I hate.

16 Repent, or else I will come to you quickly andwill fight against them with the sword of My mouth.

17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hiddenmanna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stonea new name written which no one knows except him who receivesit.” ’

The Corrupt Church

18 “And to theangel of the church in Thyatira write,

# ‘These things says the Son of God,who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass:

19 “I know your works, love,service, faith,and yourpatience; andasfor your works, the lastaremore than the first.

20 Nevertheless I havea few things against you, because you allowthat womanJezebel, who calls herself a prophetess,to teach and seduceMy servantsto commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.

21 And I gave her timetorepent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.

22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent oftheirdeeds.

23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He whosearchesthe minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.

24 “Now to you I say,andto the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known thedepths of Satan, as they say,Iwillput on you no other burden.

25 But hold fastwhat you have till I come.

26 And he who overcomes, and keepsMy works until the end,to him I will give power over the nations—

27 ‘Heshall rule them with a rod of iron;

They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—

as I also have received from My Father;

28 and I will give himthe morning star.

29 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

Revelation 3

The Dead Church

1 “And to theangel of the church in Sardis write,

# ‘These things says He whohas the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect beforeGod.

3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast andrepent.Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon youas a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

4 Youhavea few nameseven in Sardis who have notdefiled their garments; and they shall walk with Mein white, for they are worthy.

5 He who overcomesshall be clothed in white garments, and I will notblot out his name from theBook of Life; butI will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

6 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

The Faithful Church

7 “And to theangel of the church in Philadelphia write,

# ‘These things saysHe who is holy,He who is true,“He who has the key of David,He who opens and no one shuts, andshuts and no one opens”:

8 “I know your works. See, I have set before youan open door,and no one can shut it;for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

9 Indeed I will makethoseof the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeedI will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.

10 Because you have keptMy command to persevere,I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come uponthe whole world, to test those who dwellon the earth.

11 Behold,I am coming quickly!Hold fast what you have, that no one may takeyour crown.

12 He who overcomes, I will make hima pillar in the temple of My God, and he shallgo out no more.I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, theNew Jerusalem, whichcomes down out of heaven from My God.AndI will write on himMy new name.

13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

The Lukewarm Church

14 “And to theangel of the churchof the Laodiceanswrite,

# ‘These things says the Amen,the Faithful and True Witness,the Beginning of the creation of God:

15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.

16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neithercold nor hot,I will vomit you out of My mouth.

17 Because you say,‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—

18 I counsel youto buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; andwhite garments, that you may be clothed,thatthe shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

19 As many as I love, I rebuke andchasten.Therefore bezealous and repent.

20 Behold,I stand at the door and knock.If anyone hears My voice and opens the door,I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

21 To him who overcomesI will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’ ”

Revelation 4

The Throne Room of Heaven

1 After these things I looked, and behold, a doorstandingopen in heaven. And the first voice which I heardwaslike atrumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”

2 ImmediatelyI was in the Spirit; and behold,a throne set in heaven, andOnesat on the throne.

3 And He who sat there waslike a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance;andtherewasa rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.

4 Around the throneweretwenty-four thrones, and on the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting,clothed in white robes; and they had crowns of gold on their heads.

5 And from the throne proceededlightnings, thunderings, and voices.Seven lamps of firewereburning before the throne, which arethe seven Spirits of God.

6 Before the thronetherewasa sea of glass, like crystal.And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne,werefour living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.

7 The first living creaturewaslike a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creaturewaslike a flying eagle.

8 Thefour living creatures, each havingsix wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:

# “Holy, holy, holy,

# Lord God Almighty,

# Who was and is and is to come!”

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne,who lives forever and ever,

10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:

11 “Youare worthy, O Lord,

To receive glory and honor and power;

# For You created all things,

# And byYour will they exist and were created.”

Revelation 5

The Lamb Takes the Scroll

1 And I saw in the righthandof Him who sat on the thronea scroll written inside and on the back,sealed with seven seals.

2 Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice,“Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?”

3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.

4 So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.

5 But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold,the Lion of the tribe ofJudah,the Root of David, hasprevailed to open the scrolland to loose its seven seals.”

6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stooda Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns andseven eyes, which arethe seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right handof Him who sat on the throne.

Worthy Is the Lamb

8 Now when He had taken the scroll,the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are theprayers of the saints.

9 Andthey sang a new song, saying:

# “You are worthy to take the scroll,

And to open its seals;

For You were slain,

# Andhave redeemed us to Godby Your blood

Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

10 And have made uskings andpriests to our God;

And we shall reign on the earth.”

11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,

12 saying with a loud voice:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain

To receive power and riches and wisdom,

And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

13 Andevery creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:

# “Blessing and honor and glory and power

# Beto Himwho sits on the throne,

And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

14 Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.

Revelation 6

First Seal: The Conqueror

1 NowI saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heardone of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.”

2 And I looked, and behold,a white horse.He who sat on it had a bow;and a crown was given to him, and he went outconquering and to conquer.

Second Seal: Conflict on Earth

3 When He opened the second seal,I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.”

4 Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it totake peace from the earth, and thatpeopleshould kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.

Third Seal: Scarcity on Earth

5 When He opened the third seal,I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold,a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair ofscales in his hand.

6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; anddo not harm the oil and the wine.”

Fourth Seal: Widespread Death on Earth

7 When He opened the fourth seal,I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.”

8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth,to kill with sword, with hunger, with death,and by the beasts of the earth.

Fifth Seal: The Cry of the Martyrs

9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw underthe altarthe souls of those who had been slainfor the word of God and forthe testimony which they held.

10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying,“How long, O Lord,holy and true,until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

11 Then awhite robe was given to each of them; and it was said to themthat they should rest a little while longer, until boththenumberoftheir fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as theywere,was completed.

Sixth Seal: Cosmic Disturbances

12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal,and behold, there was a great earthquake; andthe sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.

13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.

14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, andevery mountain and island was moved out of its place.

15 And thekings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man,hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,

16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him whosits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!

17 For the great day of His wrath has come,and who is able to stand?”

Revelation 7

The Sealed of Israel

1 After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth,holding the four winds of the earth,that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.

2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea,

3 saying,“Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our Godon their foreheads.”

4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed.One hundredandforty-four thousandof all the tribes of the children of Israelweresealed:

5 of the tribe of Judah twelve thousandweresealed;

of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousandweresealed;

of the tribe of Gad twelve thousandweresealed;

6 of the tribe of Asher twelve thousandweresealed;

of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousandweresealed;

of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousandweresealed;

7 of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousandweresealed;

of the tribe of Levi twelve thousandweresealed;

of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousandweresealed;

8 of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousandweresealed;

of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousandweresealed;

of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousandweresealed.

A Multitude from the Great Tribulation

9 After these things I looked, and behold,a great multitude which no one could number,of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb,clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying,“Salvationbelongsto our Godwho sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

11 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne andworshiped God,

12 saying:

“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,

Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,

Beto our God forever and ever.

Amen.”

13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed inwhite robes, and where did they come from?”

14 And I said to him, “Sir, you know.”

# So he said to me,“These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, andwashed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne willdwell among them.

16 They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore;the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat;

17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the thronewill shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters.And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Revelation 8

Seventh Seal: Prelude to the Seven Trumpets

1 WhenHe opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God,and to them were given seven trumpets.

3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offeritwiththe prayers of all the saints uponthe golden altar which was before the throne.

4 Andthe smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.

5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threwitto the earth. Andthere were noises, thunderings,lightnings,and an earthquake.

6 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

First Trumpet: Vegetation Struck

7 The first angel sounded:And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrownto the earth. And a thirdof the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.

Second Trumpet: The Seas Struck

8 Then the second angel sounded:Andsomethinglike a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea,and a third of the seabecame blood.

9 And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

Third Trumpet: The Waters Struck

10 Then the third angel sounded:And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch,and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water.

11 The name of the star is Wormwood.A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.

Fourth Trumpet: The Heavens Struck

12 Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night.

13 And I looked,and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice,“Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”

Revelation 9

Fifth Trumpet: The Locusts from the Bottomless Pit

1 Then the fifth angel sounded:And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key tothe bottomless pit.

2 And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So thesun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit.

3 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power,as the scorpions of the earth have power.

4 They were commandednot to harmthe grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not havethe seal of God on their foreheads.

5 And they were not givenauthorityto kill them,but to torment themforfive months. Their tormentwaslike the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man.

6 In those daysmen will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them.

7 The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle.On their heads were crowns of something like gold,and their faceswerelike the faces of men.

8 They had hair like women’s hair, andtheir teeth were like lions’teeth.

9 And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wingswaslike the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle.

10 They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their powerwasto hurt men five months.

11 And they had as king over themthe angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in HebrewisAbaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon.

12 One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.

Sixth Trumpet: The Angels from the Euphrates

13 Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of thegolden altar which is before God,

14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are boundat the great river Euphrates.”

15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill athird of mankind.

16 Nowthe number of the armyof the horsemenwastwo hundred million;I heard the number of them.

17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow;and the heads of the horseswerelike the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone.

18 By these threeplaguesa third of mankind was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths.

19 For their power is in their mouth and in their tails;for their tailsarelike serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm.

20 But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues,did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worshipdemons,and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk.

21 And they did not repent of their murdersor their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.