1After this, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds. This prevented any wind from blowing on the land, the sea, or any tree.
2Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, carrying the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given the power to harm the land and the sea,
3saying, "Do not harm the land, the sea, or the trees until we have put a mark on the foreheads of our God's servants."
4I heard the number of those who were marked: 144,000. They were marked from every tribe of the people of Israel:
5from the tribe of Judah, 12,000 were marked; from the tribe of Reuben, 12,000; from the tribe of Gad, 12,000;
6from the tribe of Asher, 12,000; from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000; from the tribe of Manasseh, 12,000;
7from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000; from the tribe of Levi, 12,000; from the tribe of Issachar, 12,000;
8from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000; from the tribe of Joseph, 12,000; and from the tribe of Benjamin, 12,000 were marked.
9After these things, I looked and saw a great crowd that no one could count. They were from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were dressed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands.
10They shouted in a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
11All the angels were standing around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures. They bowed down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
12saying, “Amen! Blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and strength belong to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
13One of the elders asked me, “Who are these people dressed in white robes, and where did they come from?”
14I answered him, “My lord, you know.” He told me, “These are the ones who have come out of the great suffering. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15That is why they are before God’s throne and serve him day and night in his temple. The one who sits on the throne will spread his covering over them.
16They will never be hungry or thirsty again. The sun will not beat down on them, nor will any heat.
17This is because the Lamb, who is in the center of the throne, will be their shepherd. He will lead them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”