Worship in front of God's throne

The 144,000 are marked for God

1-2After this I saw four angels. Each one was standing on one of the earth's four corners. The angels held back the four winds, so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. These angels had also been given the power to harm the earth and the sea. Then I saw another angel come up from where the sun rises in the east, and he was ready to put the mark of the living God on people. He shouted to the four angels,7.1: Jr 49.36; Dn 7.2; Zec 6.5. 3“Don't harm the earth or the sea or any tree! Wait until I have marked the foreheads of the servants of our God.”7.3: Ez 9.4,6.

4Then I heard how many people had been marked on the forehead. There were one hundred and forty-four thousand, and they came from every tribe of Israel:

512,000 from Judah,

12,000 from Reuben,

12,000 from Gad,

612,000 from Asher,

12,000 from Naphtali,

12,000 from Manasseh,

712,000 from Simeon,

12,000 from Levi,

12,000 from Issachar,

812,000 from Zebulun,

12,000 from Joseph, and

12,000 from Benjamin.

People from every nation

9After this, I saw a large crowd with more people than could be counted. They were from every race, tribe, nation, and language, and they stood before the throne and before the Lamb. They wore white robes and held palm branches in their hands, 10as they shouted,

“Our God, who sits

upon the throne,

has the power

to save his people,

and so does the Lamb.”

11The angels who stood around the throne knelt in front of it with their faces to the ground. The elders and the four living creatures knelt there with them. Then they all worshipped God 12and said,

“Amen! Praise, glory, wisdom,

thanks, honour, power,

and strength belong to our God

for ever and ever! Amen!”

13One of the elders asked me, “Do you know who these people are that are dressed in white robes? Do you know where they come from?”

14“Sir,” I answered, “you must know.”7.14: Dn 12.1; Mt 24.21; Mk 13.19.

Then he told me:

“These are the ones

who have gone through

the great suffering.

They have washed their robes

in the blood of the Lamb

and have made them white.

15And so they stand

before the throne of God

and worship him in his temple

day and night.

The one who sits on the throne

will spread his tent

over them.

16They will never hunger7.16: Is 49.10.

or thirst again,

and they won't be troubled

by the sun

or any scorching heat.

17The Lamb in the centre7.17: a Ps 23.1; Ez 34.23; b Ps 23.2; Is 49.10; c Is 25.8.

of the throne

will be their shepherd.

He will lead them to streams

of life-giving water,

and God will wipe all tears

from their eyes.”