Then I saw, in the right hand of the one sitting on the throne, a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed shut with seven seals. And I saw a strong messenger calling out in a loud voice: “Who deserves to open the scroll and break its seals?” And nobody in the sky, or on the earth, or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look inside it. I cried and cried, because nobody was found who deserved to open the scroll or to look inside it.

Then one of the elders said to me: “Stop crying. Look — the Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has won. He can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Then I saw, standing in the middle of the throne and the four living creatures and the elders, a Lamb — looking as though its throat had been cut. It had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. It came and took the scroll out of the right hand of the one sitting on the throne.

When it took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down in front of the Lamb. Each of them had a harp, and gold bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. And they sang a new song:

“You deserve to take the scroll and to open its seals. Because you were slaughtered, and with your blood you bought people for God out of every tribe and language and people and nation. You made them a kingdom, priests serving our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many messengers around the throne and the creatures and the elders. There were thousands upon thousands of them, saying in a loud voice:

“The Lamb who was slaughtered deserves to receive the power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing.”

And I heard every created thing in the sky and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and everything in them, saying:

“To the one sitting on the throne, and to the Lamb, be the blessing and the honour and the glory and the might into the ages.”

And the four living creatures said, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and bowed.