Rev 14 | HCSB | STEP | Then I looked , and there on Mount Zion stood the Lamb , and with Him were 144, 000 who had His name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads .

Revelation of John 14

The Lamb and the 144,000

1 Then I looked, and there on Mount ^{▼▼Zion: Originally a term for the fortified section of Jerusalem and then, by extension, used for the temple and the city of Jerusalem both in the present time and in the future}Zion stood the Lamb, and with Him were 144,000 who had His name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads. ^b 2 I heard a sound ^{▼▼Or voice} from heaven like the sound of cascading waters ^d and like the rumbling of loud thunder. The sound I heard was also like harpists playing on their harps. ^e 3 They sang ^{▼▼Other mss add as it were} a new song ^g before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders, ^h but no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been ^{▼▼redemption/redeemed: The deliverance from bondage by a payment or ransom (Mk 10:45; 1Pe 1:18-19)}redeemed ^{▼▼Or purchased} from the earth. 4 These are the ones not defiled with women, for they have kept their virginity. ^k These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They were redeemed ^{▼▼Other mss add by Jesus
,} ^{▼▼Or purchased} from the human race as the ^{▼▼firstfruits: The agricultural products harvested first and given to God as an offering; also the first of more products to come}firstfruits ^o for God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless. ^p

The Proclamation of Three Angels

6 Then I saw another angel flying high overhead, ^q having the eternal gospel to announce to the inhabitants of the earth – to every nation, tribe, language, and people. ^r 7 He spoke with a loud voice: “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

8 A second angel ^{▼▼Lit Another angel, a second} followed, saying: “It has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen, ^{▼▼Other mss omit the second has fallen} who made all nations drink the wine of her sexual immorality, ^{▼▼Or wine of her passionate immorality} which brings wrath.” ^v

9 And a third angel ^{▼▼Lit Another angel, a third} followed them and spoke with a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he will also drink the wine of God’s wrath, which is mixed full strength in the cup of His anger. ^x He will be tormented with fire and sulfur ^y in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb, 11 and the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever. ^z There is no rest ^{▼▼Lit They have no rest} day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or anyone who receives the mark of his name. 12 This demands the perseverance ^{▼▼Lit Here is the perseverance} of the ^{▼▼saint(s)/sanctification/sanctify/sanctified: The work of the Holy Spirit that separates believers in Jesus from the world; at the time of saving faith in Jesus, the believer is made a saint; therefore, all believers are saints. The believer participates with the Spirit in a process of transformation that continues until glorification. The goal of sanctification is progressive conformity to the image of Jesus Christ.}saints, ^ad who keep God’s commands and their faith in Jesus.” ^{▼▼Or and faith in Jesus, or and faithfulness to Jesus}

13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write: The dead who die in the Lord from now on are blessed.” ^af“Yes,” says the Spirit, “let them rest from their labors, for their works follow them!”

Reaping the Earth’s Harvest

14 Then I looked, and there was a white cloud, and One like the Son of Man ^{▼▼Or like a son of man
,} ^ah was seated on the cloud, with a gold crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand. 15 Another angel came out of the sanctuary, crying out in a loud voice to the One who was seated on the cloud, “Use your sickle and reap, for the time to reap has come, since the harvest of the earth is ripe.” ^ai 16 So the One seated on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

17 Then another angel who also had a sharp sickle came out of the sanctuary in heaven. 18 Yet another angel, who had authority over fire, came from the altar, and he called with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, “Use your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from earth’s vineyard, because its grapes have ripened.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle toward earth and gathered the grapes from earth’s vineyard, and he threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. ^aj 20 Then the press was trampled outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press up to the horses’ bridles for about 180 miles. ^{▼▼Lit 1,600 stadia
,} ^al