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1 After this, I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, restraining the four winds of the earth, so that no wind should blow over the earth, or over the sea, or against any tree. 2 And, in the east, I saw another angel, ascending, holding the seal of the living God; and he cried in a loud voice to the four angels, to whom there had been given power to harm the earth and the sea — 3 ‘Do not harm the earth, or the sea, or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.’ 4 I heard, too, the number of those who had been sealed. It was one hundred and forty-four thousand; and they were from every tribe of the Israelites.
5 From the tribe of Judah twelve thousand were sealed,
from the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Gad twelve thousand,
6 from the tribe of Asher twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Napthali twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand,
7 from the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Levi twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand,
8 from the tribe of Zebulon twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand were sealed.
9 After this, in my vision, I saw a vast throng which no one could number, of people from every nation and of all tribes, and peoples, and languages. They stood in front of the throne and in front of the Lamb, robed in white, holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they are crying in a loud voice —
‘Salvation be ascribed to our God who is seated on his throne and to the Lamb.’
11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and the elders and the four creatures, and they prostrated themselves on their faces in front of the throne and worshipped God, 12 saying —
‘Amen. Blessing and praise, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might be ascribed to our God for ever and ever. Amen.’
13 Then one of the elders turned to me and said ‘Who are these who are robed in white? And where did they come from?’
14 ‘My Lord,’ I answered, ‘it is you who know.’
‘These,’ he said, ‘are they who come through the Great Persecution; they washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 And therefore it is that they are before the throne of God, and are serving him day and night in his Temple; and he who is seated on the throne will shelter them. 16 Never again will they be hungry, never again will they be thirsty, nor will the sun smite them, nor any scorching heat; 17 for the Lamb that stands in the space before the throne will be their shepherd, and will lead them to life-giving springs of water; and God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.’