Revelation 14

1 I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a number, one hundred forty-four thousand, having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads.

But then I saw the [one who is like a] lamb standing on Zion Hill [in Jerusalem]. With him were 144,000 [people]. His name and his Father’s name had been written {[He] had written his name and his Father’s name} on their foreheads.

2 I 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.

I heard a sound from heaven, which was as [loud] [SIM] as the sound of a huge waterfall (OR, a great/wide [river of rushing] water) and which was [also as loud as] [SIM] mighty thunder. The sound that I heard was like [the sound that] people make when they are playing their harps.

3 They sing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the one hundred forty-four thousand, those who had been redeemed out of the earth.

The 144,000 people were singing a new song [while they stood] in front of the throne, in front of the four living [creatures], and in front of the elders. Only the 144,000 [people], the ones who have been {whom [the one who is like a lamb] has} redeemed/bought from among the people on the earth, could learn that song. No one else could learn the song [that they sang].

4 These are those who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed by Jesus from among men, the first fruits to God and to the Lamb.

Those 144,000 are the people who are [spiritually] pure, [like] virgins [are morally pure]. They have not (defiled themselves/made themselves impure) [MET] [by worshipping any false god]. They are the ones who accompany Jesus, the [one who is like a] lamb, wherever he goes. They [represent all those whom he has] redeemed/bought for God from among the people [of earth, in order that he might offer] them to God and to [himself].

5 In their mouth was found no lie, for they are blameless.

[Those people] never lie when they speak [MTY], and they never act immorally.

6 I saw an angel flying in mid heaven, having an eternal Good News to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. (aiōnios g166)

I saw another angel that was flying between the sky and heaven. He was bringing [God’s] eternal good message [to earth], in order that he might proclaim it to people who live on the earth. He will proclaim it to every nation, [to every] tribe, [to speakers of every] language [MTY], and [to every] people-[group]. (aiōnios g166)

7 He said with a loud voice, “Fear the Lord, 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!”

He said in a loud voice, “Revere God and honor him, because it is now time for him to judge [people]! Worship [God, because he is] the one who created the heaven, the earth, the ocean, and the springs of water.”

8 Another, 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.”

A second angel came after him saying, “The very evil [cities] (OR, [city]) [represented by] Babylon are completely destroyed! [God] has punished [their people because] they [have persuaded people of] all the nations [to forsake God, just like a prostitute] [MET] persuades [men] to drink [strong] wine and [as a result] commit sexual immorality.”

9 Another 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,

A third angel came next, saying in a loud voice, “If people worship the beast and its image and [allow] its mark to be put {its [agent to] put its mark} on their foreheads or on their hands,

10 he 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.

God will be angry with them and punish them very severely [MET]. They will be tormented {[God] will torment them} in burning sulfur in the presence of his holy angels and in the presence of the [one who is like a] lamb.

11 The 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. (aiōn g165)

The smoke [from the fire] that torments them will rise forever. [They will] be tormented {[God will] torment them} continually, day and night. [That is what will happen to] the people who worship the beast and its image and who allow its name to be marked on them {allow [its agent] to mark them with its name}.” (aiōn g165)

12 Here is the perseverance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”

So God’s people, those who obey what God commands and who trust in Jesus, must faithfully continue [obeying and trusting him].

13 I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their works follow with them.”

I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write [this: God will] now [abundantly] bless the people who have a close relationship with the Lord [Jesus] for the rest of [their lives].” [God’s] Spirit says, “Yes, [after they die], they will no longer have to work hard. Instead, they will rest, and [the record of the good deeds] [MTY] that they have done will go with them (OR, [God] will [reward them] for the good deeds that they have done).”

14 I looked, and saw a white cloud, and on the cloud one sitting like a son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.

Then I was surprised to see a white cloud, and on the cloud [someone] was sitting who looked like the one who came from heaven. He [was wearing] a golden crown on his head. In his hand [he held] a sharp sickle.

15 Another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Send your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come; for the harvest of the earth is ripe!”

Another angel came out of the temple [in heaven]. In a loud voice, [speaking figuratively about gathering people for God to judge them], he said to the one who was sitting on the cloud, “The time has come to reap [the grain on the earth], so with your sickle [reap] the [grain], because the grain on the earth is ripe.”

16 He who sat on the cloud thrust his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.

The one who was sitting on the cloud forcefully gathered together [all the people] on earth, [as] [MET] [a farmer] reaps grain with his sickle.

17 Another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven. He also had a sharp sickle.

Another angel came out of the sanctuary in heaven. He also held a sharp sickle.

18 Another 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 your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for the earth’s grapes are fully ripe!”

From the altar came another angel. He is the one who takes care of the fire [of the altar. Also speaking figuratively about gathering the wicked people for God to judge and punish them], he said in a loud voice to the angel who held the sharp sickle, “With your sharp sickle cut off the clusters of grapes in the vineyards on the earth! Then gather the clusters of grapes together, because its grapes are ripe!”

19 The angel thrust his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vintage of the earth and threw it into the great wine press of the wrath of God.

So, [just like a man would] cut off with his sickle the clusters of grapes in his vineyard [MET], an angel forcefully [gathered the wicked people] on the earth. Then he threw them into the huge place where God will angrily punish them.

20 The wine press was trodden outside of the city, and blood came out of the wine press, up to the bridles of the horses, as far as one thousand six hundred stadia.

[The wicked people] were trampled on {[God’s agent] trod on [the wicked people]} [in] the winepress outside the city. The blood that came out from the winepress flowed [in a stream so deep that it reached] to the bridles of the horses, [and extended] (180 miles/300 kilometers).