The Message Bible MSG
English Standard Version ESV
1 I saw another powerful Angel coming down out of Heaven wrapped in a cloud. There was a rainbow over his head, his face was sun-radiant, his legs pillars of fire.
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Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire.
2 He had a small book open in his hand. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left foot on land,
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He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land,
3 then called out thunderously, a lion roar. When he called out, the Seven Thunders called back.
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and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded.
4 When the Seven Thunders spoke, I started to write it all down, but a voice out of Heaven stopped me, saying, "Seal with silence the Seven Thunders; don't write a word."
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And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down."
5 Then the Angel I saw astride sea and land lifted his right hand to Heaven
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And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven
6 and swore by the One Living Forever and Ever, who created Heaven and everything in it, earth and everything in it, sea and everything in it, that time was up -
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and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay,
7 that when the seventh Angel blew his trumpet, which he was about to do, the Mystery of God, all the plans he had revealed to his servants, the prophets, would be completed.
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but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.
8 The voice out of Heaven spoke to me again: "Go, take the book held open in the hand of the Angel astride sea and earth."
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Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, "Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land."
9 I went up to the Angel and said, "Give me the little book." He said, "Take it, then eat it. It will taste sweet like honey, but turn sour in your stomach."
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So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, "Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey."
10 I took the little book from the Angel's hand and it was sweet honey in my mouth, but when I swallowed, my stomach curdled.
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And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter.
11 Then I was told, "You must go back and prophesy again over many peoples and nations and languages and kings."
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And I was told, "You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings."
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.