1I watched as the Lamb broke open the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice that sounded like thunder, ‘Come!’2I looked, and there in front of me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow in his hands. He was given a crown. He rode out like a hero on his way to victory.3The Lamb broke open the second seal. Then I heard the second living creature say, ‘Come!’4Another horse came out. It was red like fire. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth. He was given power to make people kill each other. He was given a large sword.5The Lamb broke open the third seal. Then I heard the third living creature say, ‘Come!’ I looked, and there in front of me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand.6Next, I heard what sounded like a voice coming from among the four living creatures. It said, ‘A kilogram of wheat for a day’s pay. And 3 kilograms of barley for a day’s pay. And leave the olive oil and the wine alone!’7The Lamb broke open the fourth seal. Then I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, ‘Come!’8I looked, and there in front of me was a pale horse! Its rider’s name was Death. Following close behind him was Hell. They were given power over a quarter of the earth. They were given power to kill people by swords. They could also use hunger, disease and the earth’s wild animals to kill.9The Lamb broke open the fifth seal. I saw souls under the altar. They were the souls of people who had been killed. They had been killed because of God’s word and their faithful witness.10They called out in a loud voice. ‘How long, Lord and King, holy and true?’ they asked. ‘How long will you wait to judge those who live on the earth? How long will it be until you pay them back for killing us?’11Then each of them was given a white robe. ‘Wait a little longer,’ they were told. ‘There are still more of your believing brothers and sisters who will be killed. They will be killed just as you were.’12I watched as the Lamb broke open the sixth seal. There was a powerful earthquake. The sun turned black like the clothes people wear when they’re sad. Those clothes are made out of goat’s hair. The whole moon turned as red as blood.13The stars in the sky fell to earth. They dropped like figs from a tree shaken by a strong wind.14The sky rolled back like a scroll. Every mountain and island was moved out of its place.15Everyone hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. This included the kings of the earth, the princes and the generals. It included rich people and powerful people. It also included everyone else, both slaves and people who were free.16They called out to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us! Hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne! Hide us from the anger of the Lamb!17The great day of their anger has come. Who can live through it?’
Revelation 6
English Standard Version
The Seven Seals
1Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” (Re 4:7; Re 5:1; Re 5:5; Re 14:2; Re 19:6; Re 22:20)2And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer. (Ps 45:4; Hab 3:8; Zec 6:3; Zec 6:11; Zec 9:13; Re 3:21; Re 14:14; Re 19:11; Re 19:19; Re 19:21)3When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” (Re 4:7)4And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword. (Zec 1:8; Zec 6:2; Mt 10:34; Mt 24:6)5When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. (Zec 6:2; Re 6:3)6And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, “A quart[1] of wheat for a denarius,[2] and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!” (Eze 4:10; Eze 5:10; Eze 5:16; Re 7:3; Re 9:4)7When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” (Re 6:3)8And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth. (Le 26:22; De 32:24; Eze 14:21; Zec 6:3)9When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. (Re 1:2; Re 1:9; Re 14:18; Re 16:7; Re 20:4)10They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (Ps 79:10; Ps 94:3; Ps 119:84; Zec 1:12; Lu 18:7; Re 3:7; Re 3:10; Re 11:18; Re 19:2)11Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers[3] should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been. (Ge 15:16; Heb 11:40; Re 3:4; Re 7:9; Re 14:13)12When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, (Isa 50:3; Mt 24:29; Heb 12:26; Re 11:13; Re 16:18)13and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. (Isa 34:4; Re 8:10; Re 9:1)14The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. (Isa 54:10; Jer 4:24; Eze 38:20; Na 1:5; Re 6:13; Re 16:20; Re 20:11; Re 21:1)15Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave[4] and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, (Isa 2:19; Isa 2:21)16calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, (Ho 10:8; Lu 23:30; Re 4:2)17for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” (Ezr 9:15; Ps 76:7; Jer 30:7; Joe 2:11; Joe 2:31; Mal 3:2; Lu 21:36)