and are not, and hast found | These things saith he, that hath them liars: 3 And thou hast patience, and hast endured for my name, and hast not fainted. 4. But I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first charity. 5 Be mindful therefore from whence thou art fallen: and do penance, and do the first works. Or else I come to thee, and will move thy candlestick out of its place, except thou do pen ance. 6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaites, which I also hate. 7 He, that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches: To him, that overcometh, I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of my God. 8 And to the angel of the church of Smyrna write: These things saith the First and the Last, who was dead, and is alive: 9 I know thy tribulation and thy poverty, but thou art rich: and thou art blasphemed by them that say they are Jews and are not, but are the synagogue of satan. 10 Fear note of those things which thou shalt suffer. Behold, the devil will cast some of you into prison that you may be tried and you shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death: and I will give thee the crown of life. 11 He, that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches: He that shall overcome, shall not be hurt by the second death. 12 And to the angel of the church of Pergamus write: the sharp two-edged sword: 13 I know where thou dwellest, where the seat of satan is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith. Even in those days when Antipas was my faithful witness, who was slain among you, where satan dwelleth. 14 But I have against thee a few things: because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat, and to commit fornication: 15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaites. 16 In like manner do penance: or else I will come to thee quickly, and will fight against thee with the sword of my mouth. 17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches: To him, that overcometh, I will give the hidden manna, and will give him a white counter, and in the counter a new name written, which no man knoweth, but he that receiveth it. 18 And to the angel of the church of Thyatira write: These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like to a flame of fire, and his feet are like to fine brass. 19 I know thy works, and thy faith, and thy charity, and thy ministry, and thy patience, and thy last works which are more than the former. 20 But I have against thee a few things: because thou sufferest the woman Jezabel, who a Num. 24. 3, and 25, 2 calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants, to commit fornication, and to eat of things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her a time that she might do penance, and she will not repent of her fornica tion. 22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed and they that commit adultery with her shall be in very great tribulation, except they do penance from their deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with death, and all the churches. shall know that I am he that searcheth the reins and hearts, and I will give to every one of you according to your works. But to you I say, 24 And to the rest who are at Thyatira: Whosoever have not this doctrine, and who have not known the depths of satan, as they say, I will not put upon you any other burthen, 25 Yet that, which you have, hold fast till I come. 26 And he that shall overcome and keep my works unto the end, I will give him power over the nations. 27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron, and as the vessel of a potter they shall be broken, 28 As I also have received of a 1 Kings 16. 7. Ps. 7. 10. Jer. 11. 20. and 17. 10. and 20. 12. my Father: and I will give him the morning-star. 29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. CHAP. III. Directions what to write to Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. ND to the angel of the church A of Sardis write: These things saith he, that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars: I know thy works, that thou hast the name of being alive: and thou art dead.. 2 Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain, which are ready to die. For I find not thy works full before my God. 3 Have in mind therefore in what manner thou hast received and heard: and observe, and do penance. If then thou shalt not watch; I will come to thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know at what hour I will come to thee. 4 But thou hast a few names. in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments: and they shall walk with me in white, because they are worthy. 5 He that shall overcome, shall thus be clothed in white. garments, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 6 He, that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. 7 And to the angel of the church of Philadelphia, write: CHAP.II. Ver. 26. Power over the nations. This shews, that the saints who are with Christ our Lord in hea-These things saith the holy one ven, receive power from him to pre- and the true one, he that hath side over nations and provinces, as the key of David; he that open patrons; and shall come with him at the end of the world to execute his will against those who have not kept his commandments. b1 Thes. 5. 2. 2 Pet. 3. 10. Infra, 16. 15.- Isaias 22. 22. Job 12, 14. eth, and no man shutteth; shutteth, and no man openeth: 8 I know thy works. Behold, I have given before thee a door opened which no man can shut: because thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. 9 Behold I will bring of the synagogue of satan, who say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie. Behold, I will make them to come and adore before thy feet. And they shall know, that I have loved thee. 10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon the whole world to try them that dwell upon the earth, 11 Behold, I come quickly hold fast that which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 12 He that shall overcome, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God: and he shall go out no more: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and my new name. 13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. 14 And to the angel of the church of Laodicea write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, a John 14. 6. CHAP. III. Ver. 14. The Amen, that is, the true one, the Truth itself; the Word and Son of God.-Ibid. The beginning, apxn, i. e. the principle, the source, and the efficient cause of the whole creation who is the beginning of the creation of God: 15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold, nor hot. I would thou wert cold, or hot, 16 But because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold, nor hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest: I am rich, and made wealthy, and have need of nothing; and knowest not, that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold fire-tried, that thou mayest be made rich: and mayest be clothed in white garments, and that the shame of thy nakedness may not appear: and anoint thy eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19Such as I love, I rebuke and chastise. Be zealous therefore and do penance. 20 Behold, I stand at the gate, and knock. If any man shall hear my voice, and open to me the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 To him that shall overcome, I will give to sit with me in my throne: as I also have overcome, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22 He, that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. CHAP. IV. The vision of the throne of God, the twenty-four ancients, and the four living creatures. AFTER these things I looked, and behold a door was opened in heaven, and the first Prov. 3 12. Heb. 12. 6. voice which I heard, as it were, of a trumpet speaking with me, said: Come up hither, and I will shew thee the things which must be done hereafter. 2 And immediately I was in the spirit: and behold there was a throne set in heaven, and upon the throne one sitting. 3 And he that sat, was-to-the sight like the jasper and the sardine-stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. 4 And round about the throne were four-and-twenty seats: and upon the seats, four-andtwenty ancients sitting, clothed in white garments, and on their heads were crowns of gold. 5 And from the throne proceeded lightnings and voices and thunders: and there were seven lamps burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. 6 And in the sight of the throne was as it were a sea of glass like to crystal: and in the midst of the throne and round about the throne were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind. 7 And the first living creature" was like a lion: and the second living creature like a calf: and the third living creature having the face, as it were, of a man: and the fourth living creature was like an eagle flying 8 And the four living creatures had each of them six wings and round about and within they are full of eyes. And they rested not day and night, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, who a Isuina 6. 3. was, and who is, and who is to come. 9 And when those living creatures gave glory and honour and benediction to him, that sitteth on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever: 10 The four-and-twenty ancients fell down before him that sitteth on the throne, and adored him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: II Thou art worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory, and honour, and power: because thou hast created all things, and for thy will they were, and have been created. CHAP. V. The book sealed with seven seals is opened by the Lamb, who thereupon receives adoration and praise from all. AND I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne, a book, written within and without, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice: Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? 3 And no man was able, neither in heaven, nor on earth, nor under the earth, to open the book, nor to look on it. 4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open the book, nor to see it. 5 And one of the ancients said to me: Weep not; behold the lion of the tribe of Juda, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. 6 And I saw and behold in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the ancients, a Lamb standing as it were slain, having seven horns and seven eyes: which are the seven Spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth. 7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat on the throne. 8 And when he had opened the book, the four living creatures, and the four-and-twenty ancients fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints: 9 And they sung a new canticle, saying: Thou art worthy, O Lord, to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: because thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God, in thy blood, out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation. 10 And hast made us to our God a kingdom and priests, and we shall reign on the earth. AND I saw that the Lamb had opened one of the seven. seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures, as it were the voice of thunder, saying: Come, and see. 2 And I saw and behold a white horse, and he that sat on him had a bow, and there was a crown given him, and he went forth conquering that he might conquer. 3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature, saying: Come, and see. 11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the living creatures and the ancients: and the number of them was a thou-horse sands of thousands, 12 Saying, with a loud voice: The Lamb that was slain, is worthy to receive power, and divinity, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and benediction. 13 And every creature, which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that a Dan. 7. 10. CHAP. V. Ver. 8. The prayers of saints. Here we see that the saints in heaven offer up to Christ the prayers of the faithfu. upon earth. 4 And there went out another 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. 5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature, saying: Come, CHAP. VI. Ver. 2. White horse, He that sitteth on the white horse is Christ, going forth to subdue the world by his gospel. The other horses that follow represent the judgments and punishment, that were to fall on the enemies of Christ and his church: the red horse signifies war; the black horse fainine; and the pale horse (which has death for its rider) plagues or pestilence. |
