I saw, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion and with him 144,000, who have his Name and his Father’s Name, written on their foreheads. 2I heard a sound from heaven, like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of a great thunder. The sound which I heard was like that of harpists playing on their harps. 3They sing a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4These are those who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were redeemed by ‘ISA1 from among men, the first fruits to God2 and to the Lamb. 5In their mouth was found no lie, for they are blameless.
6I saw an angel flying in mid heaven, having the eternal Injil3 to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation, tribe, language, and people. 7He said with a loud voice,
“Fear the Lord4, and give him glory; for the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and the springs of waters!”
8Another, a second angel, followed, saying,
“Babylon the great has fallen, which has made all the nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality.”
9Another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice,
“If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead, or on his hand, 10he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. 11The smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. They have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
12Here is the patience of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of ‘ISA.
13I heard a voice from heaven saying,
“Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'”
The Spirit5 says,
“Yes, now they may rest from their labours; for their works follow with them.”
14I looked, and behold, a white cloud; and on the cloud one sitting like the SON OF MAN6, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 15Another angel came out from the Temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud,
“Send forth your sickle, and reap; for the hour to reap has come; for the harvest of the earth is ripe!” 16He who sat on the cloud thrust his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.
17Another angel came out from the Temple which is in heaven. He also had a sharp sickle. 18Another angel came out from the altar, he who has power over fire, and he called with a great voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying,
“Send forth your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for the earth’s grapes are fully ripe!”
19The angel thrust his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vintage of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 20The winepress was trodden outside of the city, and blood came out from the winepress, even to the bridles of the horses, as far as 1,600 stadia7.
- 14:4 ‘ISA – The names ‘ISA (Arabic), ISHO (Syriac) and JESUS (Greek, IESOUS) are all derived from the Hebrew name YEHOSHUA, which means “YAHWEH saves.” (YAHWEH is God’s personal name revealed to Prophet Musa in the Taurat, Exodus 3:15 – God said moreover to Musa, “You shall tell Bani-Israel this, ‘YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Ibrahim, the God of Ishaq, and the God of Yaqub, has sent me to you.’ This is my Name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered to all generations.”) ↩︎
- 14:4 God, English translation of theos. It is the Greek equivalent of elohim and eloah (Hebrew) which are related to allah (Arabic) and alaha (Syriac), all of which translate as “God,” and refer to the one true God. ↩︎
- 14:6 Injil, this Arabic word is derived from Euangel (Greek) and means “good news” or “Gospel” (old English for ‘good news’). Depending on context, Injil can refer to,
1. the whole Christian New Testament containing 27 books,
2. the first 4 books of the New Testament, that is, the Injil according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, or,
3. the message or “good news” of forgiveness of sins through ‘ISA AL-MASIH, revealed in the holy Injil (or New Testament). ↩︎ - 14:7 Lord, translated from the Greek kurios. Depending on context, it can refer to: 1. God, 2. ’ISA AL-MASIH, 3. men in authority, such as kings, landlords, etc., 4. a respectful salutation meaning, “sir.” ↩︎
- 14:13 Spirit, or Holy Spirit, or Spirit of God; not an angel, created being, nor an impersonal force, but the uncreated, eternal Spirit of God himself. The Spirit was present and active at the creation of heaven and earth (see Genesis 1:2), and today lives inside of every follower of ‘ISA AL-MASIH, empowering them to live in a way pleasing to God. ↩︎
- 14:14 SON OF MAN, a title for the Messiah, ‘ISA AL-MASIH, derived from the prophecy of Daniel 7:13-14, “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like a SON OF MAN coming with the clouds of the sky, and he came to the ANCIENT OF DAYS, and they brought him near before him. There was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” The title SON OF MAN was Prophet ‘ISA Ibn Maryam’s most common way of referring to himself. ↩︎
- 14:20 1,600 stadia, that is, 296 kilometers or 184 miles. ↩︎