Of the Lamb and of the virgins that follow him. Of the judgments that
shall fall upon the wicked.
14:1. And I beheld: and lo a Lamb stood upon mount Sion, and with him
an hundred forty-four thousand, having his name and the name of his
Father written on their foreheads.
14:2. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the noise of many waters and
as the voice of great thunder. And the voice which I heard was as the
voice of harpers, harping on their harps.
14:3. And they sung as it were a new canticle, before the throne and
before the four living creatures and the ancients: and no man could say
the canticle, but those hundred forty-four thousand who were purchased
from the earth.
14:4. These are they who were not defiled with women: for they are
virgins. These follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were
purchased from among men, the firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.
14:5. And in their mouth there was found no lie: for they are without
spot before the throne of God.
14:6. And I saw another angel flying through the midst of heaven,
having the eternal gospel, to preach unto them that sit upon the earth
and over every nation and tribe and tongue and people:
14:7. Saying with a loud voice: Fear the Lord and give him honour,
because the hour of his judgment is come. And adore ye him that made
heaven and earth, the sea and the fountains of waters.
14:8. And another angel followed, saying: That great Babylon is fallen,
is fallen; which made all nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of
her fornication.
Babylon.... By Babylon may be very probably signified all the wicked
world in general, which God will punish, and destroy after the short
time of this mortal life: or it may signify every great city wherein
enormous sins and abominations are daily committed; and that when the
measure of its iniquities is full, the punishments due to its crimes
are poured on it. It may also be some city of the description in the
text, that will exist, and be destroyed, as here described, towards the
end of the world.
14:9. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice: If
any man shall adore the beast and his image and receive his character
in his forehead or in his hand,
14:10. He also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is
mingled with pure wine in the cup of his wrath: and shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone in the sight of the holy angels and in the
sight of the Lamb.
14:11. And the smoke of their torments, shall ascend up for ever and
ever: neither have they rest day nor night, who have adored the beast
and his image and whoever receiveth the character of his name.
14:12. Here is the patience of the saints, who keep the commandments of
God and the faith of Jesus.
14:13. And I heard a voice from heaven, saying to me: Write: Blessed
are the dead who die in the Lord. From henceforth now, saith the
Spirit, that they may rest from their labours. For their works follow
them.
Die in the Lord.... It is understood of the martyrs who die for the
Lord.
14:14. And I saw: and behold a white cloud and upon the cloud one
sitting like to the Son of man, having on his head a crown of gold and
in his hand a sharp sickle.
14:15. And another angel came out from the temple, crying with a loud
voice to him that sat upon the cloud: Thrust in thy sickle and reap,
because the hour is come to reap. For the harvest of the earth is ripe.
14:16. And he that sat on the cloud thrust his sickle into the earth:
and the earth was reaped.
14:17. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he
also having a sharp sickle.
14:18. And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over
fire. And he cried with a loud voice to him that had the sharp sickle,
saying: Thrust in thy sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the
vineyard of the earth, because the grapes thereof are ripe.
14:19. And the angel thrust in his sharp sickle into the earth and
gathered the vineyard of the earth and cast it into the great press of
the wrath of God:
14:20. And the press was trodden without the city, and blood came out
of the press, up to the horses’ bridles, for a thousand and six hundred
furlongs.