The Four Horsemen
1Then I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say, in a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2I looked, and there was a white horse. Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest. 3When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4Then another horse came out, fiery red. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another, and he was given a great sword. 5When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there was a black horse. Its rider held a pair of scales in his hand. 6And I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius — but do not harm the oil and the wine.” 7When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” 8I looked, and there was a pale green horse. Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given authority over a quarter of the earth, to kill by sword, by famine, by plague, and by the wild animals of the earth.
The Fifth and Sixth Seals
9When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the word of God and the testimony they had upheld. 10They cried out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge those who dwell on the earth and avenge our blood?” 11Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to rest a little longer, until the number would be complete of their fellow servants and brothers and sisters who were to be killed just as they had been. 12I watched as he opened the sixth seal, and a great earthquake struck. The sun turned black as sackcloth of hair, and the whole moon turned red as blood. 13The stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its unripe figs when shaken by a strong wind. 14The sky vanished, rolled up like a scroll, and every mountain and island was moved from its place. 15Then the kings of the earth, the nobles, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16They said to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”
