New Revised Standard NRS
Common English Bible CEB
1 And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit;
1
Then the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the abyss.
2 he opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft.
2
He opened the shaft of the abyss; and smoke rose up from the shaft, like smoke from a huge furnace. The sun and air were darkened by the smoke from the shaft.
3 Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given authority like the authority of scorpions of the earth.
3
Then locusts came forth from the smoke and onto the earth. They were given power like the power that scorpions have on the earth.
4 They were told not to damage the grass of the earth or any green growth or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
4
They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree. They could only hurt the people who didn't have the seal of God on their foreheads.
5 They were allowed to torture them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torture was like the torture of a scorpion when it stings someone.
5
The locusts weren't allowed to kill them, but only to make them suffer for five months—and the suffering they inflict is like that of a scorpion when it strikes a person.
6 And in those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will flee from them.
6
In those days people will seek death, but they won't find it. They will want to die, but death will run away from them.
7 In appearance the locusts were like horses equipped for battle. On their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces,
7
The locusts looked like horses ready for battle. On their heads were what seemed to be gold crowns. Their faces were like human faces,
8 their hair like women's hair, and their teeth like lions' teeth;
8
their hair was like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth.
9 they had scales like iron breastplates, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle.
9
In front they had what seemed to be iron armor upon their chests, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of many chariots and horses racing into battle.
10 They have tails like scorpions, with stingers, and in their tails is their power to harm people for five months.
10
They also have tails with stingers, just like scorpions; and in their tails is their power to hurt people for five months.
11 They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.
11
Their king is an angel from the abyss, whose Hebrew name is Abaddon, and whose Greek name is Apollyon.
12 The first woe has passed. There are still two woes to come.
12
The first horror has passed. Look! Two horrors are still coming after this.
13 Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God,
13
Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the gold altar that is before God.
14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates."
14
It said to the sixth angel, who had the trumpet, "Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates."
15 So the four angels were released, who had been held ready for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, to kill a third of humankind.
15
Then the four angels who had been made ready for that hour, day, month, and year were released to kill a third of humankind.
16 The number of the troops of cavalry was two hundred million; I heard their number.
16
The number of cavalry troops was two hundred million. I heard their number.
17 And this was how I saw the horses in my vision: the riders wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur; the heads of the horses were like lions' heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths.
17
And this is the way I saw the horses and their riders in the vision: they had breastplates that were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The horses' heads were like lions' heads, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and sulfur.
18 By these three plagues a third of humankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths.
18
By these three plagues a third of humankind was killed: by the fire, smoke, and sulfur coming out of their mouths.
19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they inflict harm.
19
The horses' power is in their mouths and their tails, for their tails are like snakes with heads that inflict injuries.
20 The rest of humankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands or give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk.
20
The rest of humankind, who weren't killed by these plagues, didn't change their hearts and lives and turn from their handiwork. They didn't stop worshipping demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood—idols that can't see or hear or walk.
21 And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their fornication or their thefts.
21
They didn't turn away from their murders, their spells and drugs, their sexual immorality, or their stealing.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible