And if those days had not been as short as they were no one would have been saved [i.e., from the devastating destruction]. But for the sake of the elect [i.e., God’s people], those days will be short.
Revelation 7:3 - An Understandable Version (2005 edition) saying, “Do not harm the land, or the ocean, or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God [with a mark] on their foreheads.” More versionsKing James Version (Oxford) 1769 saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. Amplified Bible - Classic Edition Saying, Harm neither the earth nor the sea nor the trees, until we have sealed the bond servants of our God upon their foreheads. [Ezek. 9:4.] American Standard Version (1901) saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we shall have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads. Common English Bible He said, “Don’t damage the earth, the sea, or the trees until we have put a seal on the foreheads of those who serve our God.” Catholic Public Domain Version saying: "Do no harm to the earth, nor to the sea, nor to the trees, until we seal the servants of our God on their foreheads." Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version Saying: Hurt not the earth, nor the sea, nor the trees, till we sign the servants of our God in their foreheads. |
And if those days had not been as short as they were no one would have been saved [i.e., from the devastating destruction]. But for the sake of the elect [i.e., God’s people], those days will be short.
And He will send out His angels [i.e., as messengers] with the sound of a great trumpet [See I Thess. 4:16] to gather His elect [i.e., God’s people] from all directions, [even] from throughout the whole world. [Note: See Mark 13:27, which suggests this thought by its use of ‘earth’ and ‘sky’]
If any person wants to serve me, he should become my follower; and wherever I am, my servant will be there also. If any person serves me, the Father will honor him.
The person who has accepted Jesus’ testimony has confirmed this [fact], that God is truthful.
But now, since you have been freed from [the practice of] sin and have become slaves to God, the benefits you receive are a holy life [here] and never ending life in the future.
And this second beast forced everyone to be branded with a mark on their right hand and on their forehead --- insignificant and important people, rich and poor people, and free people and slaves ---
so that no one would be able to buy or sell things without having the mark, either the name of the [first] beast or the number of his name.
And I looked, and there in front of me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him were one hundred and forty-four thousand persons, with the Lamb’s name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads.
Then a third angel followed them. He said in a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his statue, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand,
For His judgments are true and just; He has judged [i.e., condemned] the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality, and He has punished her for [shedding] the blood of His servants.”
Then I saw thrones, with individuals sitting on them who had been given [authority] to judge. And I [also] saw the souls of those who had been decapitated because they had testified about Jesus and [had proclaimed] the message of God. [They are] the ones who had refused to worship the beast or his statue, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And these ones lived again and ruled with Christ for a thousand years.
and they will see His face, and His name will be [written] on their foreheads.
And I heard what sounded like a voice coming from among the four living beings, saying, “A quart [measure] of wheat sells for a day’s pay [Note: This amount would be about $108 in 2005, based on one twelve-hour day of a farm laborer’s wages. See Matt. 20:2]; three quart measures of barley sell for a day’s pay; but do not damage the [olive] oil and wine [i.e., the orchards and vineyards].
After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth. They were holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind would blow on the earth, on the ocean or on any tree.
And I saw another angel coming up from the east; he held the seal of the living God. [Note: This “seal” was a mark of identification or ownership]. And he called out with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given [the power] to harm the land and the ocean,
And they were told not to harm the grass on earth, or any greenery, or any tree, but only those people who did not have God’s seal on their foreheads.