Scrutatio

Venerdi, 26 aprile 2024 - San Marcellino ( Letture di oggi)

Revelation 11


font

1Then I was given a long cane like a measuring rod, and I was told, 'Get up and measure God'ssanctuary, and the altar, and the people who worship there;2but exclude the outer court and do not measure it, because it has been handed over to gentiles -- theywil trample on the holy city for forty-two months.3But I shall send my two witnesses to prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, wearing sackcloth.4These are the two olive trees and the two lamps in attendance on the Lord of the world.5Fire comes from their mouths and consumes their enemies if anyone tries to harm them; and anyonewho tries to harm them will certainly be kil ed in this way.6They have the power to lock up the sky so that it does not rain as long as they are prophesying; theyhave the power to turn water into blood and strike the whole world with any plague as often as they like.7When they have completed their witnessing, the beast that comes out of the Abyss is going to makewar on them and overcome them and kil them.8Their corpses lie in the main street of the great city known by the symbolic names Sodom and Egypt,in which their Lord was crucified.9People of every race, tribe, language and nation stare at their corpses, for three-and-a-half days, notletting them be buried,10and the people of the world are glad about it and celebrate the event by giving presents to eachother, because these two prophets have been a plague to the people of the world.'11After the three-and-a-half days, God breathed life into them and they stood up on their feet, andeverybody who saw it happen was terrified;12then I heard a loud voice from heaven say to them, 'Come up here,' and while their enemies werewatching, they went up to heaven in a cloud.13Immediately, there was a violent earthquake, and a tenth of the city col apsed; seven thousandpersons were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors, overcome with fear, could only praise the God ofheaven.14That was the second of the disasters; the third is to come quickly after it.15Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and voices could be heard shouting in heaven, calling,'The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ, and he wil reign for ever andever.'16The twenty-four elders, enthroned in the presence of God, prostrated themselves and touched theground with their foreheads worshipping God17with these words, 'We give thanks to you, Almighty Lord God, He who is, He who was, for assumingyour great power and beginning your reign.18The nations were in uproar and now the time has come for your retribution, and for the dead to bejudged, and for your servants the prophets, for the saints and for those who fear your name, smal and greatalike, to be rewarded. The time has come to destroy those who are destroying the earth.'19Then the sanctuary of God in heaven opened, and the ark of the covenant could be seen inside it.Then came flashes of lightning, peals of thunder and an earthquake and violent hail.