the twenty-four elders fall down before the one seated on the throne and worship the one who lives for ever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne and say,
‘Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, all you Judeans who live in the land of Egypt: “I have sworn by my great name, says the Lord, that my name will never again be invoked by anyone of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, ‘As the Lord God lives.’
Say to them, “This is what the Lord God says: On the day I chose Israel, I swore an oath , to the descendants of Jacob’s house and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt. I swore to them, saying, ‘I am the Lord your God.’
On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most beautiful of all lands.
Since I will cut off both the righteous and the wicked, my sword will therefore come out of its sheath against all humanity from the south to the north.
Then I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the water of the river. He raised both his hands , towards heaven and swore by him who lives eternally that it would be for a time, times, and half a time. When the power of the holy people is shattered, all these things will be completed.