The Seventh Seal

8:1 When he (the Lamb) opened the seventh seal there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 8:2 I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 8:3 Another angel holding a golden censer (firepan) came and was stationed at the altar. A large amount of incense was given to him to offer up, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar that is before the throne. 8:4 The smoke coming from the incense, along with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. 8:5 The angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it on the earth, and there were sounds (or voices) of a storm, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.

8:6 Now the seven angels having the seven trumpets prepared to blow them.

8:7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and there was hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was thrown at the earth – a third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

8:8 Then the second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain of burning fire was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea became blood, 8:9 and a third of the creatures living in the sea died, and a third of the ships were completely destroyed.

8:10 Then the third angel blew his trumpet, and a huge star burning like a torch fell from the sky (heaven); it landed on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 8:11 (The name of the star is Wormwood) A third of the waters became terribly bitter, and many people died from these waters because they were poisoned.

8:12 Then the fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. And there was no light for a third of the day and for a third of the night likewise. 8:13 Then I looked, and I heard an eagle (or angel) flying directly overhead, proclaiming with a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe to those who live on the earth because of the remaining sounds of the trumpets of the three angels who are about to blow them!”