4 St. John weeping, because no man could open the book sealed with seven seals: 6 the Lamb that was slain, opened it: which being done, 9 the four beasts and four and twenty seniors, with an innumerable multitude of Angels and all creatures, did glorify him exceedingly.4 S. Iohn vveeping, because no man could open the booke sealed vvith seuen seales: 6 the Lambe that vvas slaine, opened it: vvhich being done, 9 the foure beastes and foure and tventie seniors, vvith an innumerable multitude of Angels & al creatures, did glorifie him exceedingly.✦
And I saw in the right hand of him that sat upon the throne, a book written within and without, sealed with seven seals.AND I savv in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne, a booke vvritten vvithin and vvithout, sealed vvith seuen seales.✦Et vidi in dextera sedentis supra thronum, librum scriptum intus et foris, signatum sigillis septem.
2And I saw a strong Angel, preaching with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?And I savv a strong Angel, preaching vvith a loude voice, Vvho is vvorthie to opē the booke, & to loose the seales thereof?✦Et vidi angelum fortem, prædicantem voce magna : Quis est dignus aperire librum, et solvere signacula ejus ?
3And no man was able neither in heaven nor in earth, nor under the earth, to open the book, nor look on it.And no man vvas able neither in heauen nor in earth, nor vnder the earth, to open the booke, nor looke on it.✦Et nemo poterat neque in cælo, neque in terra, neque subtus terram aperire librum, neque respicere illum.
4And I wept much because no man was found worthy to open the book, nor to see it.And I vvept much because no man vvas found vvorthie to open the booke, nor to see it.Et ego flebam multum, quoniam nemo dignus inventus est aperire librum, nec videre eum.
5And one of the seniores: elderly men; elders, ancients of the heavenly court said to me, Weep not: behold the lion of the tribe of Juda, the root of David, hath vicit: gained, as a prize; prevailed, conquered, to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.And one of the seniors said to me, Vveepe not: behold c the * lion of the tribe of Iuda, the roote of Dauid, hath vvonne, to open the booke, and to loose the seuen seales thereof.✦Et unus de senioribus dixit mihi : Ne fleveris : ecce vicit leo de tribu Juda, radix David, aperire librum, et solvere septem signacula ejus.
6And I saw, and behold in the midst of the throne and of the four animalia: wild animals; living creatures and in the midst of the seniors, a Lamb standing as it were slain, having seven horns and seven eyes: which are the seven spirits of God, sent into all the earth.b And I savv, and behold in the middes of the throne and of the foure beastes and in the middes of the seniors, a Lambe standing as it vvere slaine, hauing seuen hornes & seuen eies: vvhich are the seuen spirites of God, sent into al the earth.✦Et vidi : et ecce in medio throni et quatuor animalium, et in medio seniorum, Agnum stantem tamquam occisum, habentem cornua septem, et oculos septem : qui sunt septem spiritus Dei, missi in omnem terram.
7And he came, and received the book out of the right hand of him that sat in the throne.And he came, and receiued the booke out of the right hand of him that sate in the throne.✦Et venit : et accepit de dextera sedentis in throno librum.
8And when he had opened the book, the four beasts and the four and twenty seniors fell before the Lamb, having every one harps, and golden phialas: small tubes or bottles; broad shallow bowls full of odoramentorum: smells, often unpleasant; sweet perfumes, incense, which are the prayers of saints:And vvhen he had opened the booke, the foure beastes and the foure and tventie seniors fel before the Lambe, hauing euery one harpes, and golden vials ful of odours, vvhich are the praiers of sainctes:¶✦Et cum aperuisset librum, quatuor animalia, et viginti quatuor seniores ceciderunt coram Agno, habentes singuli citharas, et phialas aureas plenas odoramentorum, quæ sunt orationes sanctorum :
9and they sang a new canticle, saying, Thou art worthy O Lord to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: because thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God in thy blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,and they sang a nevv canticle, saying, Thou art vvorthie o Lord to take the booke, and to open the seales thereof: because thou vvast slaine, and hast redeemed vs to God in thy bloud out of euery tribe and tonge and people and nation,✦et cantabant canticum novum, dicentes : Dignus es, Domine, accipere librum, et aperire signacula ejus : quoniam occisus es, et redemisti nos Deo in sanguine tuo ex omni tribu, et lingua, et populo, et natione :
10and hast made us to our God a kingdom and priests, and we shall reign upon the earth.and * hast made vs to our God a kingdom and priestes, and vve shal reigne vpon the earth.¶✦et fecisti nos Deo nostro regnum, et sacerdotes : et regnabimus super terram.
11And I looked, and heard the voice of many Angels round about the throne, and of the beasts and of the seniors: and the number of them was thousands of thousands,And I looked, and heard the voice of many Angels round about the throne, and of the beastes and of the seniors: and the number of them vvas * thousandes of thousandes,✦Et vidi, et audivi vocem angelorum multorum in circuitu throni, et animalium, et seniorum : et erat numerus eorum millia millium,
12saying with a loud voice, The Lamb that was slain, is worthy to receive power, and divinity, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and benediction.saying vvith a loud voice, The Lambe that vvas slaine, is vvorthie to receiue povver, and diuinitie, and vvisedom, and strength, and honour, and glorie, and benediction.✦dicentium voce magna : Dignus est Agnus, qui occisus est, accipere virtutem, et divinitatem, et sapientiam, et fortitudinem, et honorem, et gloriam, et benedictionem.
13And every creature that is in heaven, and upon the earth, and under the earth, and that are in the sea, and that are therein: all did I hear saying, To him that sitteth in the throne, and to the Lamb, benediction and honour and glory and power for ever and ever.And euery creature that is in heauen, and vpon the earth, and vnder the earth, and that are in the sea, and that are therein : al did I heare saying, * To him that sitteth in the throne, & to the Lambe, benediction and honour and glorie and povver for euer and euer.¶✦Et omnem creaturam, quæ in cælo est, et super terram, et sub terra, et quæ sunt in mari, et quæ in eo : omnes audivi dicentes : Sedenti in throno, et Agno, benedictio et honor, et gloria, et potestas in sæcula sæculorum.
14And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty seniors fell on their faces: and adored him that liveth for ever and ever.And the foure beastes said, Amen. And the foure and tventie seniors fel on their faces : and adored him that liueth for euer and euer.Et quatuor animalia dicebant : Amen. Et viginti quatuor seniores ceciderunt in facies suas : et adoraverunt viventem in sæcula sæculorum.
Annotationsfrom the original 1582 Rheims New Testament
8The prayers of Saints. Hereby it is plain that the Saints in heaven offer up the prayers of faithful and holy persons in earth (called here Saints, and in Scripture often) unto Christ. And among so many divine and unsearchable mysteries set down without exposition, it pleased God yet, that the Apostle himself should open this one point unto us, that these odours be the laudes and prayers of the faithful, ascending and offered up to God as incense, by the Saints in heaven, that so the Protestants may have no excuse of their error, That the Saints have no knowledge of our affairs or desires.The praiers of Saincts. Hereby it is plaine that the Saincts in heauen offer vp the praiers of faithful and holy persons in earth (called here Saincts, and in Scripture often) vnto Christ. And among so many diuine & vnsearcheable mysteries set dovvne vvithout exposition, it pleased God yet, that the Apostle him self should open this one point vnto vs, that these odours be the laudes and praiers of the faithful, ascending and offered vp to God as incense, by the Saincts in heauen, that so the Protestants may haue no excuse of their errour, That the Saincts haue no knovvledge of our affaires or desires.
10A kingdom and priests. To serve God and subdue vices and sins, is to reign or to be a king spiritually. likewise to offer unto him the sacrifices of good works, is to be a priest after a sort: though neither the one nor the other in proper speech. See the Annotation before Chap. 1. v. 6.A kingdom and priests. To serue God and subdue vices and sinnes, is to reigne or to be a king spiritually. likevvise to offer vnto him the sacrifices of good vvorkes, is to be a priest after a sort: though neither the one nor the other in proper speache. See the Annotation before Chap. 1. v. 6.
13Every creature. He meaneth the creatures in heaven, as Angels and Saints, the holy persons in earth, and those that were in Limbo, or be in Purgatory (for of the damned in hell he can not speak in this case:) lastly, of the peoples in Islands (here called the sea) which the Prophets use often to name severally, when they foretell the spreading of Christ's glory through the world, as Isaias c. 49. Hear ye Islands and you people afar off. &c.Euery creature. He meaneth the creatures in heauen, as Angels and Saincts, the holy persons in earth, and those that vvere in Limbo, or be in Purgatorie (for of the damned in hel he can not speake in this case:) lastly, of the peoples in Ilands (here called the sea) vvhich the Prophets vse often to name seuerally, vvhen they foretel the spreading of Christs glorie through the vvorld, as Esa. c. 49. Heare ye Ilandes and you people a far of. &c.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition. Facsimile available in two scans.