Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. I saw seven angels standing before God, each holding one of the seven trumpets.

Another angel appeared at the altar, a golden censer in hand. The censer had been filled with incense to be offered along with the prayers of all saints on the golden altar before God's throne. As the smoke from the incense and the prayers of the saints rose up before God, the angel took the censer, scooped out some fire from the altar, and cast it onto the earth. The air was filled with the sound of voices, thunder, lightning, and a powerful earthquake.

The seven angels with their trumpets prepared to sound them. The first angel blew his trumpet, and hail mixed with fire and blood rained down on the earth, scorching one-third of all trees and burning every blade of green grass.

Next, the second angel sounded his trumpet, and a massive blazing mountain was hurled into the sea. One-third of its waters turned to blood, killing a third of all creatures that lived in it, and destroying many ships at sea.

The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star plummeted from heaven, burning like a blazing torch as it fell on one-third of the earth's rivers and freshwater springs. The name of this destructive star was Wormwood; its falling contaminated a third of all water sources, making them undrinkable and causing widespread death.

The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun, moon, and stars were struck by a mysterious power. I saw an angel flying through the heavens, shouting in a loud voice: "Woe to those living on earth, for the remaining three angels still have their trumpets to sound!"