1Jeg så en mægtig engel komme ned fra Himlen. Han var omgivet af en sky og havde en regnbue omkring hovedet. Hans ansigt skinnede som solen, og hans ben lyste som to ildsøjler.2Han havde en lille, åben bogrulle i hånden, og han satte sin højre fod på havet og den venstre på landjorden.3Han udstødte et råb som en løves brøl, og de syv tordener svarede ham.4Da jeg skulle til at skrive ned, hvad de havde sagt, råbte en stemme fra Himlen: „Det, de syv tordener sagde, er hemmeligt. Skriv ikke noget om det!”5-6Den mægtige engel, som stod med det ene ben på havet og det andet på landjorden, løftede højre hånd mod himlen og svor ved ham, der lever i al evighed, og som skabte himlen og alt, hvad der findes i den, og jorden og alt, hvad den rummer, og havet og alt, hvad der er i det. „Nu er tiden udløbet!” råbte han.7„Når den syvende engel blæser i sin trompet, bliver den sidste del af Guds hemmelige plan ført ud i livet, den plan, som han har forkyndt for sine tjenere, profeterne.”8Så talte stemmen fra Himlen igen til mig: „Gå hen til den mægtige engel, der står på havet og landjorden, og tag imod den lille, åbne bogrulle, han har i hånden.”9Jeg gik hen til englen og bad ham om at give mig den lille bogrulle. „Ja, tag den og spis den,” sagde han. „Den vil smage som sød honning i din mund, men når du har spist den, vil den give dig store smerter i maven.”10Jeg tog så den lille bogrulle fra englens hånd og spiste den. Den var sød som honning i min mund, men den gav mig store smerter i maven.11Så sagde stemmen: „Der er stadig mere, du skal profetere om mange folkeslag, sproggrupper og magthavere.”
1Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. (Ez 1,28; Matt 17,2; Åb 1,15; Åb 1,16)2He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, (Åb 10,8)3and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. (Joel 3,16; Amos 1,2)4And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” (Dan 8,26; Dan 12,4; Dan 12,9; Åb 22,10)5And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven (1.Mos 14,22)6and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, (Åb 4,9; Åb 4,11)7but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets. (Amos 3,7; Åb 11,15)8Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”9So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” (Jer 15,16; Ez 2,8; Ez 3,1)10And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter.11And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.” (Ez 37,4)