The Bible, Douay-Rheims Part 814

6:3. And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying: Come and see.

6:4. And there went out another horse that was red. And to him that sat thereon, it was given that he should take peace from the earth: and that they should kill one another. And a great sword was given to him.

6:5. And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying: Come and see. And behold a black horse. And he that sat on him had a pair of scales in his hand.

6:6. And I heard, as it were a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying: Two pounds of wheat for a penny, and thrice two pounds of barley for a penny: and see thou hurt not the wine and the oil.

6:7. And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying: Come and see.

6:8. And behold a pale horse: and he that sat upon him, his name was Death. And h.e.l.l followed him. And power was given to him over the four parts of the earth, to kill with sword, with famine and with death and with the beasts of the earth.

6:9. And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of G.o.d and for the testimony which they held.

Under the altar... Christ, as man, is this altar, under which the souls of the martyrs live in heaven, as their bodies are here deposited under our altars.

6:10. And they cried with a loud voice, saying: How long, O Lord (Holy and True), dost thou not judge and revenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

Revenge our blood... They ask not this out of hatred to their enemies, but out of zeal for the glory of G.o.d, and a desire that the Lord would accelerate the general judgment, and the complete beat.i.tude of all his elect.

6:11. And white robes were given to every one of them one; And it was said to them that they should rest for a little time till their fellow servants and their brethren, who are to be slain even as they, should be filled up.

6:12. And I saw, when he had opened the sixth seal: and behold there was a great earthquake. And the sun became black as sackcloth of hair: and the whole moon became as blood.

6:13. And the stars from heaven fell upon the earth, as the fig tree casteth its green figs when it is shaken by a great wind.

6:14. And the heaven departed as a book folded up. And every mountain, and the islands, were moved out of their places.

6:15. And the kings of the earth and the princes and tribunes and the rich and the strong and every bondman and every freeman hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of mountains:

6:16. And they say to the mountains and the rocks: Fall upon us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth upon the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb.

6:17. For the great day of their wrath is come. And who shall be able to stand?

Apocalypse Chapter 7

The number of them that were marked with the seal of the living G.o.d and clothed in white robes.

7:1. After these things, I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that they should not blow upon the earth nor upon the sea nor on any tree.

7:2. And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the sign of the living G.o.d. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

7:3. Saying: Hurt not the earth nor the sea nor the trees, till we sign the servants of our G.o.d in their foreheads.

7:4. And I heard the number of them that were signed. An hundred forty- four thousand were signed, of every tribe of the children of Israel.

7:5. Of the tribe of Juda, twelve thousand signed: Of the tribe of Ruben, twelve thousand signed: Of the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand signed:

7:6. Of the tribe of Aser, twelve thousand signed: Of the tribe of Nephthali, twelve thousand signed: Of the tribe of Mana.s.ses, twelve thousand signed:

7:7. Of the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand signed: Of the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand signed: Of the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand signed:

7:8. Of the tribe of Zabulon, twelve thousand signed: Of the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand signed: Of the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand signed.

7:9. After this, I saw a great mult.i.tude, which no man could number, of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and in sight of the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.

7:10. And they cried with a loud voice, saying: Salvation to our G.o.d, who sitteth upon the throne and to the Lamb.

7:11. And all the angels stood round about the throne and the ancients and the four living creatures. And they fell down before the throne upon their faces and adored G.o.d,

7:12. Saying: Amen. Benediction and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving, honour and power and strength, to our G.o.d, for ever and ever. Amen.

7:13. And one of the ancients answered and said to me: These that are clothed in white robes, who are they? And whence came they?

7:14. And I said to him: My Lord, thou knowest. And he said to me: These are they who are come out of great tribulation and have washed their robes and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

7:15. Therefore, they are before the throne of G.o.d: and they serve him day and night in his temple. And he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell over them.

7:16. They shall no more hunger nor thirst: neither shall the sun fall on them, nor any heat.

7:17. For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall rule them and shall lead them to the fountains of the waters of life: and G.o.d shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

Apocalypse Chapter 8

The seventh seal is opened. The angels with the seven trumpets.

8:1. And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven, as it were for half an hour.

8:2. And I saw seven angels standing in the presence of G.o.d: and there were given to them seven trumpets.

8:3. And another angel came and stood before the altar, having a golden censer: and there was given to him much incense, that he should offer of the prayers of all saints, upon the golden altar which is before the throne of G.o.d.

8:4. And the smoke of the incense of the prayers of the saints ascended up before G.o.d from the hand of the angel.

8:5. And the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar and cast it on the earth: and there were thunders and voices and lightnings and a great earthquake.

8:6. And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound the trumpet.

8:7. And the first angel sounded the trumpet: and there followed hail and fire, mingled with blood: and it was cast on the earth. And the third part of the earth was burnt up: and the third part of the trees was burnt up: and all green gra.s.s was burnt up.

8:8. And the second angel sounded the trumpet: and, as it were, a great mountain, burning with fire, was cast into the sea. And the third part of the sea became blood.

8:9. And the third part of those creatures died which had life in the sea: and the third part of the s.h.i.+ps was destroyed.

8:10. And the third angel sounded the trumpet: and a great star fell from heaven, burning as it were a torch. And it fell on the third part of the rivers and upon the fountains of waters:

8:11. And the name of the star is called Wormwood. And the third part of the waters became wormwood. And many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

8:12. And the fourth angel sounded the trumpet: and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars, so that the third part of them was darkened. And the day did not s.h.i.+ne for a third part of it: and the night in like manner.