[1] After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth,
holding back the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow on earth
or sea or against any tree. [2] Then I saw another angel ascend from the
rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God, and he called with a
loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and
sea, [3] saying, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, till we
have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads." [4] And I heard
the number of the sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand sealed, out of
every tribe of the sons of Israel, [5] twelve thousand sealed out of the
tribe of Judah, twelve thousand of the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand of
the tribe of Gad, [6] twelve thousand of the tribe of Asher, twelve
thousand of the tribe of Naph'tali, twelve thousand of the tribe of
Manas'seh, [7] twelve thousand of the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand of
the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand of the tribe of Is'sachar, [8] twelve
thousand of the tribe of Zeb'ulun, twelve thousand of the tribe of Joseph,
twelve thousand sealed out of the tribe of Benjamin. [9] After this I
looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could number, from every
nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne
and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their
hands, [10] and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God
who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb!" [11] And all the angels stood
round the throne and round the elders and the four living creatures, and
they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, [12] saying,
"Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power
and might be to our God for ever and ever! Amen." [13] Then one of the
elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, clothed in white robes, and
whence have they come?" [14] I said to him, "Sir, you know." And he said to
me, "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 are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night
within his temple; and he who sits upon the throne will shelter them with
his presence. [16] They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; the
sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. [17] For the Lamb in the
midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to
springs of living water; and God will wipe away every tear from their
eyes."
