1Afterthis I saw1fourangelsstanding at the 2fourcorners of the earth, holdingback3the fourwinds of the earth, 4so that nowind would blow on the earthor on the seaor on anytree.
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And I sawanotherangelascending5from the rising of the sun, having the 6seal of 7the livingGod; and he cried out with a loudvoice to the 8fourangels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea,
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saying, "9Do not harm the earthor the seaor the treesuntil we have 10sealed the bond-servants of our God on their 11foreheads."
The 144,000
4 And I heard the 12number of those who were sealed, 13onehundred and forty-four*thousandsealed from everytribe of the sons of Israel:
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the tribe of Judah, twelvethousand were sealed, from the tribe of Reubentwelvethousand, from the tribe of Gadtwelvethousand,
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the tribe of Ashertwelvethousand, from the tribe of Naphtalitwelvethousand, from the tribe of Manassehtwelvethousand,
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the tribe of Simeontwelvethousand, from the tribe of Levitwelvethousand, from the tribe of Issachartwelvethousand,
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the tribe of Zebuluntwelvethousand, from the tribe of Josephtwelvethousand, from the tribe of Benjamin, twelvethousand were sealed.
A Multitude from the Tribulation
9Afterthesethings I looked, and behold, a greatmultitudewhichnoonecouldcount, from 14everynation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing15before the throne and 16before the Lamb, clothed in 17whiterobes, and 18palmbranches were in their hands;
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and they cry out with a loudvoice, saying, "19Salvation to our God20 who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."
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And all the angels were standing21around the throne and around 22the elders and the 23fourlivingcreatures; and they 24fell on their facesbefore the throne and worshipedGod,
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saying, "25Amen, 26blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our Godforever and ever. 27Amen."
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Thenone of the elders28answered, saying to me, "These who are clothed in the 29whiterobes, who are they, and where have they come from?"
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I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the 30greattribulation, and they have 31washed their robes and made them 32white in the 33blood of the Lamb.
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"For thisreason, they are 34before the throne of God; and they 35serve Him day and night in His 36temple; and 37He who sits on the throne will spread His 38tabernacleover them.
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"39They will hungernolonger, northirstanymore; nor will the sunbeatdown on them, noranyheat;
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for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their 40shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the 41water of life; and 42God will wipeeverytear from their eyes."