5

The Scroll and the Lamb

¹Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. ²And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” ³But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. ⁴I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. ⁵Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
⁶Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits⚓ of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. ⁸And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. ⁹And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
¹⁰You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign⚓ on the earth.”
¹¹Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. ¹²In a loud voice they were saying:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”
¹³Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,

¹⁴The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

5

書卷和羔羊

¹我看見坐在寶座那位的右手中有書卷，正反面都寫着字，用七個印密封着。 ²我又看見一位大力的天使大聲宣告說：「有誰配展開那書卷，揭開那七個印呢？」 ³在天上、地上、地底下，沒有人能展開、能閱覽那書卷。 ⁴因為沒有人配展開、閱覽那書卷，我就大哭。 ⁵長老中有一位對我說：「不要哭。看哪，猶大支派中的獅子，大衛的根，他已得勝，能展開那書卷，揭開那七個印。」
⁶我又看見寶座和四個活物，以及長老之中有羔羊站着，像是被殺的，有七個角七隻眼睛，就是上帝的七⚓靈，奉差遣往普天下去的。 ⁷這羔羊前來，從坐在寶座上那位的右手中拿了書卷。 ⁸他一拿了書卷，四活物和二十四位長老就俯伏在羔羊面前，各拿着琴和盛滿了香的金爐；這香就是眾聖徒的祈禱。 ⁹他們唱新歌，說：
「你配拿書卷，
配揭開它的七印；
因為你曾被殺，用自己的血
從各支派、各語言、各民族、各邦國中買了人來，使他們歸於上帝，
¹⁰又使他們成為國民和祭司，歸於我們的上帝；
他們將在地上執掌王權。」
¹¹我又觀看，我聽見寶座和活物及長老的周圍有許多天使的聲音；他們的數目有千千萬萬， ¹²大聲說：
「被殺的羔羊配得
權能、豐富、智慧、力量、
尊貴、榮耀、頌讚。」
¹³我又聽見在天上、地上、地底下、滄海裏和天地間一切所有被造之物，都說：
「願頌讚、尊貴、榮耀、權勢，
都歸給坐在寶座上的那位和羔羊，
直到永永遠遠！」
¹⁴四活物就說：「阿們！」眾長老也俯伏敬拜。