The Sealed of Israel

1After this I saw four angelsa standing at the four corners of the earth, restraining the four winds of the earthb so that no wind could blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. 2Then I saw another angel, who had the seal of the living Godc rise up from the east.d He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were empowerede to harm the earth and the sea: 3“Don’t harm the earth or the sea or the treesf until we seal the •slaves of our God on their foreheads.g” 4And I heard the number of those who were sealed:

144,000 sealed from every tribe of the Israelites:h

5 12,000 sealed from the tribe of Judah,

12,000i from the tribe of Reuben,

12,000 from the tribe of Gad,

6 12,000 from the tribe of Asher,

12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali,

12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh,

7 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon,

12,000 from the tribe of Levi,

12,000 from the tribe of Issachar,

8 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun,

12,000 from the tribe of Joseph,

12,000 sealed from the tribe of Benjamin.

A Multitude from the Great Tribulation

9After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language,j which no one could number,k standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were robed in white with palm branches in their hands.l 10And they cried out in a loud voice:

Salvation belongs to our God,m

who is seated on the throne,

and to the Lamb!

11All the angels stood around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures, and they fell facedown before the throne and worshiped God, 12saying:

•Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom

and thanksgiving and honor

and power and strength

be to our God forever and ever.n Amen.

13Then one of the elders asked me, “Who are these people robed in white, and where did they come from? ”

14I said to him, “Sir,o you know.”

Then he told me:

These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation.p

They washed their robes and made them whiteq

in the blood of the Lamb.

15For this reason they are before the throne of God,

and they serve Him day and nightr in His sanctuary.s

The One seated on the throne will sheltert them:u

16They will no longer hunger;

they will no longer thirst;

the sun will no longer strike them,

nor will any heat.v

17For the Lamb who is at the center of the throne

will shepherd them;w

He will guide them to springs of living waters,x

and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.y