Then a vision came to me
I saw a door in heaven standing open
And the same voice
Which I had heard speaking to me before
Loud as the call of a trumpet, said to me
Come up to my side
And all at once I was in a trance
And saw where a throne stood in heaven
And one sat there enthroned.
He who sat there bore
The semblance of a jewel
Jasper or sardius
And there was a rainbow
About the throne
Like a vision of emerald.
Round it were twenty-four seats
And on these sat twenty-four elders
Clothed in white garments
With crowns of gold on their heads
Lightnings came out from the throne
And mutterings, and thunders
And before it burned seven lamps
Which are the seven spirits of God
Facing it was a whole sea of glass, like crystal
And in the midst, where the throne was
Round the throne itself, were four living figures
That had eyes everywhere to see
Before them and behind them.
The first figure was that of a lion
The second that of an ox
The third had a man’s look
And the fourth was that of an eagle in flight
Each of the four figures had six wings
With eyes everywhere looking outwards and inwards
Day and night they cried unceasingly
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God
And now I saw that he who sat on the throne
Carried in his right hand a scroll...

Then, in my vision
The Lamb broke open
One of the seven seals
And with that I heard one of the
Four living figures say, in a voice like thunder
Come and look
So I looked, and saw there a white horse
Whose rider carried a bow
A crown was given him
And he rode out victorious
And to win victory
And when he broke the second seal
I heard the second figure say
Come and look
And a second horse came out, fiery-red
Whose rider was empowered to
Take away all peace from the world
Bidding men slay one another
And a great sword was given to him.
And when he broke the third seal
I heard the third figure say
Come and look
So I looked, and saw there a black horse
Whose rider carried in his hand a pair of scales
I thought, too, I heard a voice
That came from where the living figures were
A silver piece, it said, for a quart of wheat
A silver piece for three quarts of barley
But do the wine and the oil no hurt
And when he broke the fourth seal
I heard the voice of the fourth living figure say
Come and look
So I looked, and saw there a cream-white horse
Its rider was called Death
And Hell went at his bridle-rein
He was allowed to have his way
With all the four quarters of the world
Killing men by the sword, by famine
By plague, and through wild beasts
That roam the earth
And when he broke the fifth seal
I saw there, beneath the altar
The souls of all who had been slain
For love of God’s word
And of the truth they held
Crying out with a loud voice
Sovereign Lord, the holy, the true
How long now before thou wilt sit in judgement
And exact vengeance for our blood
From all those who dwell on earth
Whereupon a white robe was given
To each of them, and they were bidden
To take their rest a little while longer
Until their number had been made up
By those others, their brethren and fellow servants
Who were to die as they had died
Then, in my vision, he broke the sixth seal
And with that there was a great earthquake
And the sun grew dark as sackcloth
And the whole moon blood-red
The stars of heaven fell to earth
Like unripe fruit shaken from a fig-tree
When a high wind rocks it
The sky folded up like a scroll
And disappeared
No mountain, no island
But was removed from its place
The kings of the world with their noblemen
And their captains, men of wealth and of strength
All alike, slaves and free men
Took shelter in caves and rock-fastnesses
Among the hills
Fall on us, they said to the hills
And the rocks, and hide us from
The presence of him who sits on the throne
And from the vengeance of the Lamb
Which of us can stand his ground
Now that the great day
The day of their vengeance, has come
Then he broke open the seventh seal; and
For about half an hour
There was silence in heaven