Papyrus 47

Date: Second half of the Third Century A.D.

Discovered: Either in the Fayum of Egypt or in the ruins of a church or mon Aphroditus

Location: Dublin, Ireland: Chester Beatty Collection

Contents: Revelation 9:10-11:3; 11:5-16:15; 16:17-17:2

 

Revelation 9

¹⁰ They have tails like those of scorpions, and stings. In their tails they have power to harm men for five months. ¹¹ They have over them as king the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is “Abaddon”, but and[1] in Greek, he has the name “Apollyon”. ¹² The first woe is past. Behold, there are still two woes coming after this.

¹³ The sixth angel sounded. I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God, ¹⁴ saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Free the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates!”

¹⁵ The four angels were freed who had been prepared for that hour and day and month and year, so that they might kill one third of mankind. ¹⁶ The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million. I heard the number of them. ¹⁷ Thus I saw the horses in the vision, and those who sat on them, having breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the horses’ heads resembled lions’ heads. Out of their mouths proceed fire, smoke, and sulfur. ¹⁸ By these the three plagues were one third of mankind killed: by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur, which proceeded out of their the mouths. ¹⁹ For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails. For their tails are like serpents, and have heads, and with them they harm. ²⁰ The rest of mankind, who were not killed with these plagues, didn’t repent of the works of their hands, that they wouldn’t worship demons, and the idols of gold, and of silver, and of brass, and of stone, and of wood; which can’t see, hear, or walk. ²¹ They didn’t repent of their murders, their sorceries, their sexual immorality, or their thefts.

 

Revelation 10

I saw a another mighty angel coming down out of the sky, clothed with a cloud. A rainbow was on his head. His face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. ² He had in his hand a little open book. He set his right foot on the sea, and his left on the land. ³ He cried with a loud voice, as a lion roars. When he cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices. ⁴ I heard when the seven thunders sounded, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from the sky saying, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders said, and don’t write them.”

⁵ The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to the sky, ⁶ and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there will no longer be delay, ⁷ but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as he declared to his servants, and the prophets. ⁸ The voice which I heard from heaven, again speaking with me, said, “Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.”

⁹ I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book.

He said to me, “Take it, and eat it. It will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.”

¹⁰ I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth. When I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. ¹¹ They told me, “You must prophesy again over many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”

 

Revelation 11

A reed like a rod was given to me. Someone said, “Rise, and measure God’s temple, and the altar, and those who worship in it. ² Leave out the court which is outside of the temple, and don’t measure it, for it has been given to the nations. They will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months. ³ I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

[..]

⁵ If anyone desires to harm them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies. If anyone desires to harm them, he must be killed in this way. ⁶ These have the power to shut up the sky, that it may not rain during the days of their prophecy. They have power over the waters, to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire. ⁷ When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them. ⁸ Their dead bodies will be in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. ⁹ From among the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations, people will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not allow their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. ¹⁰ Those who dwell on the earth rejoice over them, and they will be glad. They will give send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. ¹¹ After the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered into them, and they stood on their feet. Great fear fell on those who saw them. ¹² I heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” They went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies saw them. ¹³ In that day hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified, and gave glory to the God of heaven. ¹⁴ The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe comes quickly.

¹⁵ The seventh angel sounded, and great voices in heaven followed, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ. He will reign forever and ever!”

¹⁶ The twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God’s throne, fell on their faces and worshiped God, ¹⁷ saying: “We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who was; and because you have taken your great power and reigned. ¹⁸ The nations were angry, and your wrath came, as did the time for the dead to be judged, and to give your bondservants the prophets, their reward, as well as to the saints, and those who fear your name, to the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”

¹⁹ God’s temple that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant was seen in his temple. Lightnings, sounds, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail followed.

 

Revelation 12

A great sign was seen in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. ² She was with child and.[2] She cried out in pain, laboring to give birth. ³ Another sign was seen in heaven. Behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven crowns. ⁴ His tail drew one third of the stars of the sky, and threw them to the earth. The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child. ⁵ She gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. Her child was caught up to God, and to his throne. ⁶ The woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that there they may nourish her one thousand two hundred sixty days.

⁷ There was war in the sky. Michael and his angels made war on the dragon. The dragon and his angels made war. ⁸ They didn’t prevail. No place was found for them any more in heaven. ⁹ The great dragon was thrown down, the old serpent, he who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his the angels with him were thrown down with him. ¹⁰ I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, the power, and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority salvation of his Christ has come; for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night. ¹¹ They overcame him because of the Lamb’s blood, and because of the word of their testimony. They didn’t love their life, even to death. ¹² Therefore rejoice, heavens, and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and to the sea, because the devil has gone down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has but a short time.”

¹³ When the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he went to persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child. ¹⁴ Two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, so that she might be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. ¹⁵ The serpent spewed water out of his mouth after the woman like a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream. ¹⁶ The earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon spewed out of his mouth. ¹⁷ The dragon grew angry with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep God’s commandments and hold Jesus’ testimony.

 

Revelation 13

Then I stood on the sand of the sea. I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads. On his horns were ten crowns, and on his heads, a blasphemous names name. ² The beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. ³ One of his heads looked like it had been wounded fatally. His fatal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled at the beast. ⁴ They worshiped the dragon, because he gave his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast?[3] Who is able to make war with him?” ⁵ A mouth speaking great things and blasphemy was given to him. Authority to make war for forty-two months was given to him. ⁶ He opened his mouth for blasphemy to blaspheme against God, to blaspheme his name, and his dwelling, those who dwell in heaven. ⁷ It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him. ⁸ All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has names have not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed. ⁹ If anyone has an ear, let him hear. ¹⁰ If anyone is to go into captivity, he will go into captivity. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, he must be killed. Here is the endurance and the faith of the saints.

¹¹ I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon. ¹² He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. He makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. ¹³ He performs great signs, even making fire come down out of the sky to the earth in the sight of people. ¹⁴ He deceives my own the people who dwell on the earth because of the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast, saying to those who dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast who had the sword wound and lived. ¹⁵ It was given to him to give breath to it, to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause as many as wouldn’t worship the image of the beast to be killed. ¹⁶ He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, to be given marks on their right hands, or on their foreheads; ¹⁷ and that no one would be able to buy or to sell, unless he has that mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. ¹⁸ Here is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number It is six hundred sixty-six.

 

Revelation 14

I saw, and behold, the a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a number,[4] one hundred forty-four thousand, having his name, and the name of his Father, written on their foreheads. ² I heard a sound from heaven, like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of a great thunder. The sound which I heard was like that the sound of harpists playing on their harps. ³ They sing a new song before the throne, and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the one hundred forty-four thousand, those who had been redeemed out of the earth. ⁴ These are those who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are those who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed by Jesus from among men, the first fruits to God and to the Lamb. ⁵ In their mouth was found no lie, for they are blameless.

⁶ I saw an angel flying in mid heaven, having an eternal Good News to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation, tribe, language, and people. ⁷ He said with a loud voice, “Fear the Lord God[5], and give him glory; for the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and the springs of waters!”

⁸ Another, a second angel, followed, saying, “Babylon the great has fallen, fallen[6], which has made all the nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality.”

⁹ Another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead, or on his hand, ¹⁰ he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger. He will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. ¹¹ The smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. They have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name. ¹² Here is the perseverance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

¹³ I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write, ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them.”

¹⁴ I looked, and saw a white cloud, and on the cloud one sitting like a son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. ¹⁵ Another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Send your sickle, and reap; for the hour to reap has come; for the harvest of the earth is ripe!” ¹⁶ He who sat on the cloud thrust his sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.

¹⁷ Another angel came out of the his temple which is in heaven. He also had a sharp sickle. ¹⁸ Another angel came out[7] from the altar, he who has power over fire, and he called with a great voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Send your sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for the earth’s grapes are fully ripe!” ¹⁹ The angel thrust his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vintage of the earth, and threw it into the great wine press of the wrath of God. ²⁰ The wine press was trodden outside of the city, and blood came out of the wine press, even to the bridles of the horses, as far as one thousand six hundred stadia.

 

Revelation 15

I saw another great and marvelous sign in the sky: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them God’s wrath is finished. ² I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who overcame the beast, his image, and the number of his name, standing on the sea[8] of glass, having harps of God. ³ They sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,

“Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God, the Almighty!
    Righteous and true are your ways, you King of the nations ages[9].
⁴ Who wouldn’t fear you, Lord,
    and glorify your name?
For you only are holy.
    For all the nations will come and worship before you.
    For your righteous acts have been revealed.”

⁵ After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened. ⁶ The seven angels who had the seven plagues came out, clothed with pure, bright linen, and wearing golden sashes around their breasts.

⁷ One of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. ⁸ The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power. No one was able to enter into the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels would be finished.

                                                                                        

Revelation 16

I heard a loud voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God on the earth!”

² The first went, and poured out his bowl into the earth, and it became a harmful and evil sore on the people who had the mark of the beast, and who worshiped his image.

³ The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man. Every living thing in the sea died.

⁴ The third poured out his bowl into onto the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. ⁵ I heard the angel of the waters saying, “You are righteous, who are and who were, O Holy One, because you have judged these things. ⁶ For they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink. They deserve this.” ⁷ I heard the altar saying, “Yes, Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are your judgments.”

⁸ The fourth poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was given to him to scorch men with fire. ⁹ People were scorched with great heat, and people blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues. They didn’t repent and give him glory.

¹⁰ The fifth poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was darkened. They gnawed their tongues because of the pain, ¹¹ and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores. They still didn’t repent of their works.

¹² The sixth poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates. Its water was dried up, that the way might be prepared for the kings that come from the sunrise. ¹³ I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, something like frogs; ¹⁴ for they are spirits of demons, performing signs; which go out to the kings of the whole inhabited earth, to gather them together for the war of that great day of God, the Almighty.

¹⁵ “Behold, I come like a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his clothes, so that he doesn’t walk naked, and they see his shame.” ¹⁶ He gathered them together into the place which is called in Hebrew, “Megiddo”.

¹⁷ The seventh poured out his bowl into the air. A loud voice came out of the temple of heaven,[10] from the throne, saying, “It is done!” ¹⁸ There were lightnings, sounds, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake, such as has not happened since there were men on the earth, so great an earthquake, and so mighty. ¹⁹ The great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered in the sight of God, to give to her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. ²⁰ Every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. ²¹ Great hailstones, about the weight of a talent, came down out of the sky on people. People blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, for this plague is exceedingly severe.

 

Revelation 17

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here. I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters, ² with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality. Those who dwell in the earth were made drunken with the wine of her sexual immorality.”