Revelation 9

1 The fifth angel blew his trumpet. Then I saw [an evil angel. He was like] a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. He was given {[Someone] gave him} the key to the shaft [that descended] ([to] the underworld/[to] the deep dark pit). (Abyssos g12)

The fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from the sky which had fallen to the earth. The key to the pit of the abyss was given to him. (Abyssos g12)

2 When he opened that shaft, smoke arose from it like smoke from a huge burning furnace. The smoke prevented [anyone from seeing] the sky and the light of the sun. (Abyssos g12)

He opened the pit of the abyss, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke from a burning furnace. The sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke from the pit. (Abyssos g12)

3 Locusts came out of the smoke onto the earth. [They were given] {[God] gave them} power [to sting people], like scorpions [sting people].

Then out of the smoke came locusts on the earth, and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

4 [God] told the locusts that they should not harm grass, nor any plants, nor any tree. [God said that they should harm only] those people who did not have a mark on the forehead [to show that they belonged to God].

They were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those people who don’t have God’s seal on their foreheads.

5 [God] did not allow the locusts to kill those people. Instead, [he] allowed them to continue torturing people for five months. When they tortured people, the pain those people felt was like the pain a scorpion causes when it stings someone.

They were given power, not to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a person.

6 During the time [when the locusts torture rebellious people, the pain will be so bad that] people will want to find a way to die, but they will not be able to [PRS].

In those days people will seek death, and will in no way find it. They will desire to die, and death will flee from them.

7 The locusts looked like horses that are ready for battle. They had on their heads what looked like golden crowns. Their faces were like the faces of people.

The shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for war. On their heads were something like golden crowns, and their faces were like people’s faces.

8 They had [long] hair like the [long] hair of women. Their teeth were [strong], like lions’ teeth.

They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like those of lions.

9 They wore metal breastplates. [When they were flying], their wings made a noise like the roar when many horses [pull chariots as they are] rushing into battle.

They had breastplates like breastplates of iron. The sound of their wings was like the sound of many chariots and horses rushing to war.

10 They had tails like scorpions have. With their tails they stung [people] for five months.

They have tails like those of scorpions, with stingers. In their tails they have power to harm men for five months.

11 The king who ruled over them was the angel of the underworld. His name in the Hebrew language is Abaddon. In the Greek language it is Apollyon. [Both of] those names [mean ‘Destroyer’]. (Abyssos g12)

They have over them as king the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is “Abaddon”, but in Greek, he has the name “Apollyon”. (Abyssos g12)

12 That was the end of the first terrible event. [Be aware that] two tragic events are still to come.

The first woe is past. Behold, there are still two woes coming after this.

13 The sixth angel blew his trumpet. Then I heard a voice from the four corners of the golden altar that is in God’s presence.

The sixth angel sounded. I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God,

14 It was saying to the sixth angel, the one who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels whom [I] have bound at the great river Euphrates!”

saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Free the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates!”

15 The four angels were released, those who had been {[He] released the four angels, whom [God] had} kept ready for that [exact] hour of that day, of that month, of that year. They were released {[He] released them} in order that they might enable [their soldiers to] kill a third of the [rebellious] people.

The four angels were freed who had been prepared for that hour and day and month and year, so that they might kill one third of mankind.

16 The number of the soldiers riding on horses who did that was 200 million. I heard [someone say] how many there were.

The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million. I heard the number of them.

17 In the vision I saw what the horses and the [beings] that rode them looked like. They [wore] breastplates that were [red] like fire, [dusky blue] like smoke, and [yellow] like sulfur. The heads of the horses were like the heads of lions. From their mouths came fire, smoke, and [fumes of burning] sulfur.

Thus I saw the horses in the vision and those who sat on them, having breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the horses’ heads resembled lions’ heads. Out of their mouths proceed fire, smoke, and sulfur.

18 Those three things—the fire, the smoke, and the [burning] sulfur from [the horses’] mouths—killed a third of the [rebellious] people.

By these three plagues, one third of mankind was killed: by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur, which proceeded out of their mouths.

19 The horses had power with their mouths and with their tails. Their tails have heads like snakes by which they harm people.

For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails. For their tails are like serpents, and have heads; and with them they harm.

20 The rest of the [rebellious] people, those who were not killed by these plagues of [fire and smoke and burning sulfur], did not turn from their sinful behavior. [They did not stop worshipping] the idols that they had made with their own hands. They did not stop worshipping demons and idols [that were made] of gold, of silver, of bronze, of stone, and of wood, [even though they are idols] that can neither see nor hear nor walk.

The rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, didn’t repent of the works of their hands, that they wouldn’t worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood, which can’t see, hear, or walk.

21 They did not stop murdering people, or practicing sorcery, or acting in sexually immoral ways, or stealing [things].

They didn’t repent of their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immorality, or their thefts.