Chapter 14

1Then I looked, and there was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion. With him were 144,000 people. His name and his Father’s name were written on their foreheads.

2I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and the crash of loud thunder. The sound I heard was also like harpists playing their harps.

3They were singing what sounded like a new song before the throne, the four living creatures, and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been bought from the earth.

4These are the ones who did not make themselves impure through sexual relations with women, for they are virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were bought from among humanity as the first part of the harvest offered to God and the Lamb.

5No lie was found in anything they said. They are without fault.

6Then I saw another angel flying high overhead. He had everlasting good news to announce to everyone living on earth—to every nation, tribe, language group, and people.

7He called out loudly, “Fear God and honor him, because the time has come for him to judge. Worship the one who made heaven, earth, the sea, and the springs of water.”

8A second angel followed and said, “Great Babylon has fallen! It has fallen! She made every nation drink the wine of her passionate sexual immorality.”

9A third angel followed the first two and called out loudly, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on the forehead or the hand,

10that person will also drink the wine of God’s fury, poured full strength into the cup of his anger. That person will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb.

11The angel continued, “The smoke from their torment rises forever and ever. Those who worship the beast and its image, or receive the mark bearing its name, have no rest day or night.”

12This calls for endurance from God’s holy people, who obey God’s commands and remain faithful to Jesus.

13Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: From now on, those who die united with the Lord are truly fortunate.” God’s Spirit says, “Yes. They will rest from their hard work, because the results of what they have done go with them.”

14Then I looked, and there was a white cloud. Someone who looked human was sitting on the cloud. He wore a gold crown on his head and held a sharp sickle, a curved harvesting blade, in his hand.

15Another angel came out of the temple and called loudly to the one sitting on the cloud, “Swing your sickle and harvest, because the time to harvest has come. The earth’s crop is fully ripe.”

16The one sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

17Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven. He also held a sharp sickle.

18Then another angel, the one from the altar who had authority over fire, called loudly to the angel holding the sharp sickle: “Swing your sharp sickle and harvest the clusters from the earth’s grapevine, because its grapes are ripe.”

19The angel swung his sickle over the earth and harvested the grapes from its vine. He threw them into the great winepress of God’s fury.

20The grapes in the winepress were trampled outside the city. Blood flowed out of the winepress, rising as high as horses’ bridles and extending for 1,600 stadia—about 185 miles, or 300 kilometers.