Revelation
Revelation 7
Four Winds Held Back
1 After this I saw four messengers standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, so that no wind might blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. 2 And I saw another messenger coming up from the rising of the sun, having a seal of the living God, and he cried out with a loud voice to the four messengers to whom it was given to harm the earth and the sea, 3 saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the slaves of our God on their foreheads.”
A Hundred and Forty-Four Thousand
4 And I heard the number of those sealed: a hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel — 5 out of the tribe of Judah twelve thousand sealed, out of the tribe of Reuben twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Gad twelve thousand, 6 out of the tribe of Asher twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Naphtali twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Manasseh twelve thousand, 7 out of the tribe of Simeon twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Levi twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Issachar twelve thousand, 8 out of the tribe of Zebulun twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Joseph twelve thousand, out of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thousand sealed.
A Crowd No One Could Number
9 After these things I saw, and look — a great crowd, which no one was able to number, out of every nation and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches in their hands; 10 and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Rescue belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb.” 11 And all the messengers had taken their stand around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell before the throne on their faces and bowed down to God, 12 saying:
13 And one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These, clothed in the white robes — who are they, and where did they come from?” 14 And I have said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great affliction, and they washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Because of this they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his sanctuary; and the one seated on the throne will spread his tent over them.