After this
I saw
afour
angels
standing
at the bfour
corners
of the earth
, holding
back
cthe four
winds
of the earth
, dso
that no
wind
would blow
on the earth
or
on the sea
or
on any
tree
.
And I saw another
angel
ascending
afrom the rising
of the sun
, having
the bseal
of cthe living
God
; and he cried
out with a loud
voice
to the dfour
angels
to whom
it was granted
to harm
the earth
and the sea
,
saying, " aDo not harm
the earth
or
the sea
or
the trees
until
we have bsealed
the bond-servants
of our God
on their cforeheads
."
And I heard the anumber
of those
who were sealed
, bone
hundred
and forty-four
thousand
sealed
from every
tribe
of the sons
of Israel
:
from the tribe of Judah
, twelve
thousand
were sealed
, from the tribe
of Reuben
twelve
thousand
, from the tribe
of Gad
twelve
thousand
,
from the tribe of Asher
twelve
thousand
, from the tribe
of Naphtali
twelve
thousand
, from the tribe
of Manasseh
twelve
thousand
,
from the tribe of Simeon
twelve
thousand
, from the tribe
of Levi
twelve
thousand
, from the tribe
of Issachar
twelve
thousand
,
from the tribe of Zebulun
twelve
thousand
, from the tribe
of Joseph
twelve
thousand
, from the tribe
of Benjamin
, twelve
thousand
were sealed
.
After these
things
I looked
, and behold
, a great
multitude
which
no
one
could
count
, from aevery
nation
and all tribes
and peoples
and tongues
, standing
bbefore
the throne
and cbefore
the Lamb
, clothed
in dwhite
robes
, and epalm
branches
were in their hands
;
and they cry out with a loud
voice
, saying
,
" aSalvation to our God
bwho sits
on the throne
, and to the Lamb
."
And all the angels
were standing
aaround
the throne
and around athe elders
and the bfour
living
creatures
; and they cfell
on their faces
before
the throne
and worshiped
God
,
" aAmen, bblessing
and glory
and wisdom
and thanksgiving
and honor
and power
and might
, be to our God
forever
and ever
. aAmen
."
Then one
of the elders
aanswered
, saying
to me, "These
who are clothed
in the bwhite
robes
, who
are they, and where
have they come
from?"
I 1said to him, "My lord
, you know
." And he said
to me, "These
are the ones who come
out of the agreat
tribulation
, and they have bwashed
their robes
and made
them cwhite
in the dblood
of the Lamb
.
"For this reason
, they are abefore
the throne
of God
; and they bserve
Him day
and night
in His 1 ctemple
; and dHe who sits
on the throne
will spread
His etabernacle
over
them.
" aThey will hunger no
longer
, nor
thirst
anymore
; nor
will the sun
1beat
down
on them, nor
any
heat
;
for the Lamb in the center
of the throne
will be their ashepherd
, and will guide
them to springs
of the 1 bwater
of life
; and cGod
will wipe
every
tear
from their eyes
."