Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Proverbs 18





Proverbs 18 (New International Version)

Proverbs 18

1 An unfriendly man pursues selfish ends; he defies all sound judgment.

2 A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.

3 When wickedness comes, so does contempt, and with shame comes disgrace.

4 The words of a man's mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.

5 It is not good to be partial to the wicked or to deprive the innocent of justice.

6 A fool's lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating.

7 A fool's mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul.

8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts.

9 One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.

10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.

11 The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it an unscalable wall.

12 Before his downfall a man's heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.

13 He who answers before listening— that is his folly and his shame.

14 A man's spirit sustains him in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?

15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out.

16 A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great.

17 The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him.

18 Casting the lot settles disputes and keeps strong opponents apart.

19 An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city, and disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.

20 From the fruit of his mouth a man's stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.

21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

22 He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.

23 A poor man pleads for mercy, but a rich man answers harshly.

24 A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

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Revelation 9

Revelation 9 (New International Version, ©2010)


Revelation 9

1 The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. 2 When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. 3 And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. 4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes. 6 During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.

7 The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. 8 Their hair was like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth. 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. 10 They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months. 11 They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).

12 The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.

13 The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God. 14 It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates." 15 And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number.

17 The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur. 18 A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths. 19 The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.

20 The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. 21 Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.
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Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Apr 12: China, People’s Republic, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (Nei Mongol), Jiangsu Province | Operation World

Apr 12: China, People’s Republic, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (Nei Mongol), Jiangsu Province | Operation World
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Apr 12: China, People’s Republic, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (Nei Mongol), Jiangsu Province | Operation World

Apr 12: China, People’s Republic, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (Nei Mongol), Jiangsu Province | Operation World
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ACTS 27:1;28:15 Voyage to Rome

ACTS 27 NLT
1 When the time came, we set sail for Italy. Paul and several other prisoners were placed in the custody of a Roman officer named Julius, a captain of the Imperial Regiment. 
2 Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was also with us. We left on a ship whose home port was Adramyttium on the northwest coast of the province of Asia; it was scheduled to make several stops at ports along the coast of the province. 
3 The next day when we docked at Sidon, Julius was very kind to Paul and let him go ashore to visit with friends so they could provide for his needs. 
4 Putting out to sea from there, we encountered strong headwinds that made it difficult to keep the ship on course, so we sailed north of Cyprus between the island and the mainland.
5 Keeping to the open sea, we passed along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, landing at Myra, in the province of Lycia. 
6 There the commanding officer found an Egyptian ship from Alexandria that was bound for Italy, and he put us on board. 
7 We had several days of slow sailing, and after great difficulty we finally neared Cnidus. But the wind was against us, so we sailed across to Crete and along the sheltered coast of the island, past the cape of Salmone. 
8 We struggled along the coast with great difficulty and finally arrived at Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea. 
9 We had lost a lot of time. The weather was becoming dangerous for sea travel because it was so late in the fall, and Paul spoke to the ship’s officers about it. 
10 “Men,” he said, “I believe there is trouble ahead if we go on—shipwreck, loss of cargo, and danger to our lives as well.” 
11 But the officer in charge of the prisoners listened more to the ship’s captain and the owner than to Paul. 
12 And since Fair Havens was an exposed harbor—a poor place to spend the winter—most of the crew wanted to go on to Phoenix, farther up the coast of Crete, and spend the winter there. Phoenix was a good harbor with only a southwest and northwest exposure. 
13 When a light wind began blowing from the south, the sailors thought they could make it. So they pulled up anchor and sailed close to the shore of Crete. 
14 But the weather changed abruptly, and a wind of typhoon strength (called a “northeaster”) burst across the island and blew us out to sea. 
15 The sailors couldn’t turn the ship into the wind, so they gave up and let it run before the gale. 
16 We sailed along the sheltered side of a small island named Cauda, where with great difficulty we hoisted aboard the lifeboat being towed behind us. 
17 Then the sailors bound ropes around the hull of the ship to strengthen it. They were afraid of being driven across to the sandbars of Syrtis off the African coast, so they lowered the sea anchor to slow the ship and were driven before the wind. 
18 The next day, as gale-force winds continued to batter the ship, the crew began throwing the cargo overboard. 
19 The following day they even took some of the ship’s gear and threw it overboard. 
20 The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone. 
21 No one had eaten for a long time. Finally, Paul called the crew together and said, “Men, you should have listened to me in the first place and not left Crete. You would have avoided all this damage and loss. 
22 But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. 
23 For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, 
24 and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’ 
25 So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. 
26 But we will be shipwrecked on an island.” 
27 About midnight on the fourteenth night of the storm, as we were being driven across the Sea of Adria, the sailors sensed land was near. 
28 They dropped a weighted line and found that the water was 120 feet deep. But a little later they measured again and found it was only 90 feet deep. 
29 At this rate they were afraid we would soon be driven against the rocks along the shore, so they threw out four anchors from the back of the ship and prayed for daylight. 
30 Then the sailors tried to abandon the ship; they lowered the lifeboat as though they were going to put out anchors from the front of the ship. 
31 But Paul said to the commanding officer and the soldiers, “You will all die unless the sailors stay aboard.” 
32 So the soldiers cut the ropes to the lifeboat and let it drift away. 
33 Just as day was dawning, Paul urged everyone to eat. “You have been so worried that you haven’t touched food for two weeks,” he said. 
34“Please eat something now for your own good. For not a hair of your heads will perish.” 
35 Then he took some bread, gave thanks to God before them all, and broke off a piece and ate it. 
36 Then everyone was encouraged and began to eat— 
37 all 276 of us who were on board. 
38 After eating, the crew lightened the ship further by throwing the cargo of wheat overboard. 
39When morning dawned, they didn’t recognize the coastline, but they saw a bay with a beach and wondered if they could get to shore by running the ship aground. 
40 So they cut off the anchors and left them in the sea. Then they lowered the rudders, raised the foresail, and headed toward shore. 
41 But they hit a shoal and ran the ship aground too soon. The bow of the ship stuck fast, while the stern was repeatedly smashed by the force of the waves and began to break apart. 
42 The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners to make sure they didn’t swim ashore and escape. 
43 But the commanding officer wanted to spare Paul, so he didn’t let them carry out their plan. Then he ordered all who could swim to jump overboard first and make for land. 
44The others held on to planks or debris from the broken ship. So everyone escaped safely to shore.

ACTS 28 NLT
1 Once we were safe on shore, we learned that we were on the island of Malta. 
2 The people of the island were very kind to us. It was cold and rainy, so they built a fire on the shore to welcome us. 
3 As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand. 
4 The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other, “A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live.” 
5 But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed. 
6 The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw that he wasn’t harmed, they changed their minds and decided he was a god. 
7 Near the shore where we landed was an estate belonging to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us and treated us kindly for three days. 
8 As it happened, Publius’s father was ill with fever and dysentery. Paul went in and prayed for him, and laying his hands on him, he healed him. 
9 Then all the other sick people on the island came and were healed. 
10 As a result we were showered with honors, and when the time came to sail, people supplied us with everything we would need for the trip. 
11 It was three months after the shipwreck that we set sail on another ship that had wintered at the island—an Alexandrian ship with the twin gods as its figurehead. 
12 Our first stop was Syracuse, where we stayed three days. 
13 From there we sailed across to Rhegium. A day later a south wind began blowing, so the following day we sailed up the coast to Puteoli. 
14 There we found some believers, who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. 

15 The brothers and sisters in Rome had heard we were coming, and they came to meet us at the Forum on the Appian Way. Others joined us at The Three Taverns. When Paul saw them, he was encouraged and thanked God. 
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Proverbs 17





Proverbs 17 (New International Version)

Proverbs 17

1 Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, [a] with strife.

2 A wise servant will rule over a disgraceful son, and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.

3 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the heart.

4 A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar pays attention to a malicious tongue.

5 He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.

6 Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.

7 Arrogant [b] lips are unsuited to a fool— how much worse lying lips to a ruler!

8 A bribe is a charm to the one who gives it; wherever he turns, he succeeds.

9 He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

10 A rebuke impresses a man of discernment more than a hundred lashes a fool.

11 An evil man is bent only on rebellion; a merciless official will be sent against him.

12 Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.

13 If a man pays back evil for good, evil will never leave his house.

14 Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.

15 Acquitting the guilty and condemning the innocent— the LORD detests them both.

16 Of what use is money in the hand of a fool, since he has no desire to get wisdom?

17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

18 A man lacking in judgment strikes hands in pledge and puts up security for his neighbor.

19 He who loves a quarrel loves sin; he who builds a high gate invites destruction.

20 A man of perverse heart does not prosper; he whose tongue is deceitful falls into trouble.

21 To have a fool for a son brings grief; there is no joy for the father of a fool.

22 A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

23 A wicked man accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the course of justice.

24 A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth.

25 A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the one who bore him.

26 It is not good to punish an innocent man, or to flog officials for their integrity.

27 A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered.

28 Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.
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Revelation 8





Revelation 8 (New International Version, ©2010)

Revelation 8

The Seventh Seal and the Golden Censer

1 When he 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 seven trumpets were given to them.

3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God's people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God's people, went up before God from the angel's hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

The Trumpets

6 Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.
7 The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

8 The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, 9 a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

10 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water— 11 the name of the star is Wormwood.[a] A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.

12 The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, 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 turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.

13 As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in midair call out in a loud voice: "Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!"
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Monday, April 11, 2016

Apr 11: China, People’s Republic, Hubei Province, Hunan Province | Operation World

Apr 11: China, People’s Republic, Hubei Province, Hunan Province | Operation World
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ACTS 25 and 26 ~ Trial before Festus (25:1-12) and Hearing before Festus and Agrippa (25:13;26:32

ACTS 25 NLT
1 Three days after Festus arrived in Caesarea to take over his new responsibilities, he left for Jerusalem, 
2 where the leading priests and other Jewish leaders met with him and made their accusations against Paul. 
3 They asked Festus as a favor to transfer Paul to Jerusalem (planning to ambush and kill him on the way). 
4 But Festus replied that Paul was at Caesarea and he himself would be returning there soon. 
5 So he said, “Those of you in authority can return with me. If Paul has done anything wrong, you can make your accusations.” 
6 About eight or ten days later Festus returned to Caesarea, and on the following day he took his seat in court and ordered that Paul be brought in. 
7 When Paul arrived, the Jewish leaders from Jerusalem gathered around and made many serious accusations they couldn’t prove. 
8 Paul denied the charges. “I am not guilty of any crime against the Jewish laws or the Temple or the Roman government,” he said. 
9Then Festus, wanting to please the Jews, asked him, “Are you willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there?” 
10 But Paul replied, “No! This is the official Roman court, so I ought to be tried right here. You know very well I am not guilty of harming the Jews. 
11 If I have done something worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die. But if I am innocent, no one has a right to turn me over to these men to kill me. I appeal to Caesar!” 
12 Festus conferred with his advisers and then replied, “Very well! You have appealed to Caesar, and to Caesar you will go!” 
13 A few days later King Agrippa arrived with his sister, Bernice, to pay their respects to Festus. 
14 During their stay of several days, Festus discussed Paul’s case with the king. “There is a prisoner here,” he told him, “whose case was left for me by Felix. 
15 When I was in Jerusalem, the leading priests and Jewish elders pressed charges against him and asked me to condemn him. 
16 I pointed out to them that Roman law does not convict people without a trial. They must be given an opportunity to confront their accusers and defend themselves. 
17 “When his accusers came here for the trial, I didn’t delay. I called the case the very next day and ordered Paul brought in. 
18 But the accusations made against him weren’t any of the crimes I expected. 
19 Instead, it was something about their religion and a dead man named Jesus, who Paul insists is alive. 
20 I was at a loss to know how to investigate these things, so I asked him whether he would be willing to stand trial on these charges in Jerusalem. 
21 But Paul appealed to have his case decided by the emperor. So I ordered that he be held in custody until I could arrange to send him to Caesar.” 
22 “I’d like to hear the man myself,” Agrippa said. And Festus replied, “You will—tomorrow!” 
23 So the next day Agrippa and Bernice arrived at the auditorium with great pomp, accompanied by military officers and prominent men of the city. Festus ordered that Paul be brought in. 
24 Then Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are here, this is the man whose death is demanded by all the Jews, both here and in Jerusalem. 
25 But in my opinion he has done nothing deserving death. However, since he appealed his case to the emperor, I have decided to send him to Rome. 
26 “But what shall I write the emperor? For there is no clear charge against him. So I have brought him before all of you, and especially you, King Agrippa, so that after we examine him, I might have something to write. 
27 For it makes no sense to send a prisoner to the emperor without specifying the charges against him!”

ACTS 26
1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak in your defense.” So Paul, gesturing with his hand, started his defense: 
2 “I am fortunate, King Agrippa, that you are the one hearing my defense today against all these accusations made by the Jewish leaders, 
3 for I know you are an expert on all Jewish customs and controversies. Now please listen to me patiently! 
4 “As the Jewish leaders are well aware, I was given a thorough Jewish training from my earliest childhood among my own people and in Jerusalem. 
5 If they would admit it, they know that I have been a member of the Pharisees, the strictest sect of our religion. 
6 Now I am on trial because of my hope in the fulfillment of God’s promise made to our ancestors. 
7 In fact, that is why the twelve tribes of Israel zealously worship God night and day, and they share the same hope I have. Yet, Your Majesty, they accuse me for having this hope! 
8 Why does it seem incredible to any of you that God can raise the dead? 
9 “I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus the Nazarene. 
10 Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many believers there to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death.
11 Many times I had them punished in the synagogues to get them to curse Jesus. I was so violently opposed to them that I even chased them down in foreign cities. 
12 “One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests. 
13 About noon, Your Majesty, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. 
14 We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will. ’ 
15 “‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked. “And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. 
16 Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. Tell people that you have seen me, and tell them what I will show you in the future. 
17 And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles 
18 to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’ 
19 “And so, King Agrippa, I obeyed that vision from heaven. 
20 I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do. 
21 Some Jews arrested me in the Temple for preaching this, and they tried to kill me. 
22 But God has protected me right up to this present time so I can testify to everyone, from the least to the greatest. I teach nothing except what the prophets and Moses said would happen— 
23 that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, and in this way announce God’s light to Jews and Gentiles alike.” 
24 Suddenly, Festus shouted, “Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!” 
25 But Paul replied, “I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. What I am saying is the sober truth. 
26 And King Agrippa knows about these things. I speak boldly, for I am sure these events are all familiar to him, for they were not done in a corner! 
27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do—” 
28Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?” 
29 Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.” 
30 Then the king, the governor, Bernice, and all the others stood and left. 
31 As they went out, they talked it over and agreed, “This man hasn’t done anything to deserve death or imprisonment.” 

32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “He could have been set free if he hadn’t appealed to Caesar.”
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Proverbs 16





Proverbs 16 (New International Version)

Proverbs 16

1 To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue.

2 All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the LORD.

3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

4 The LORD works out everything for his own ends— even the wicked for a day of disaster.

5 The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.

6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the LORD a man avoids evil.

7 When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.

8 Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice.

9 In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

10 The lips of a king speak as an oracle, and his mouth should not betray justice.

11 Honest scales and balances are from the LORD; all the weights in the bag are of his making.

12 Kings detest wrongdoing, for a throne is established through righteousness.

13 Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth.

14 A king's wrath is a messenger of death, but a wise man will appease it.

15 When a king's face brightens, it means life; his favor is like a rain cloud in spring.

16 How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!

17 The highway of the upright avoids evil; he who guards his way guards his life.

18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

19 Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.

20 Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD.

21 The wise in heart are called discerning, and pleasant words promote instruction. [a]

22 Understanding is a fountain of life to those who have it, but folly brings punishment to fools.

23 A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction. [b]

24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

26 The laborer's appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on.

27 A scoundrel plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.

28 A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.

29 A violent man entices his neighbor and leads him down a path that is not good.

30 He who winks with his eye is plotting perversity; he who purses his lips is bent on evil.

31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.

32 Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.

33 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
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Revelation 7





Revelation 7 (New International Version, ©2010)

Revelation 7

144,000 Sealed

1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3 "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God." 4 Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.
5 From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000,

6 from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,

7 from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,

8 from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.

The Great Multitude in White Robes

9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:
"Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb."

11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying: "Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!"

13 Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?"

14 I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed 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 will shelter them with his presence.
16 'Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,'[a] nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd;
'he will lead them to springs of living water.'[b] 'And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.'[c]"
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