Revelation 6

And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.

1I watched the Lamb open the first of the seven seals. A seal is a wax lock that holds a scroll shut. Then I heard one of the four living creatures speak. Its voice sounded like thunder. It said, "Come!"

NoteThe KJV calls them "beasts," but the word means living creatures, not animals in a field.

2And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

2I looked and saw a white horse. The rider held a bow. He was given a crown. He rode out to win, and to keep on winning.

3And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.

3The Lamb opened the second seal. I heard the second living creature say, "Come!"

4And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

4Another horse came out. This one was bright red. Its rider was allowed to take peace away from the earth. Then people would kill each other. He was given a great sword.

5And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.

5The Lamb opened the third seal. I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked and saw a black horse. Its rider held a pair of scales for weighing things.

6And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

6I heard a voice from among the four living creatures. It said, "One quart of wheat costs a whole day's pay. Three quarts of barley cost a whole day's pay. But do not harm the olive oil and the wine."

NoteThe KJV says "a penny." The coin was a denarius, which was one full day's pay for a worker. So this is very expensive food.

7And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.

7The Lamb opened the fourth seal. I heard the fourth living creature say, "Come!"

8And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

8I looked and saw a pale horse. Its rider was named Death. Hades came close behind him. Hades is the place where dead people go. They were given power over one fourth of the earth. They could kill with swords, with hunger, with sickness, and with wild animals.

NoteThe KJV says "Hell" here. The word is Hades, meaning the place of the dead.

9And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

9The Lamb opened the fifth seal. Under the altar I saw the souls of people who had been killed. An altar is a table used for gifts given to God. These people died because they held on to God's word and kept telling the truth about him.

10And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

10They called out in a loud voice. "Holy and true Lord, how long will you wait? When will you judge the people on earth for killing us?"

11And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

11Each one of them was given a white robe. They were told to rest a little while longer. More of their fellow servants and brothers would be killed, just as they had been. They were to wait until that number was complete.

12And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

12I watched the Lamb open the sixth seal. The ground shook very hard. The sun turned black, like rough cloth made of goat hair. The whole moon turned red like blood.

13And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

13The stars in the sky fell down to the earth. They fell like unripe figs shaken off a tree by a strong wind.

14And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

14The sky moved away, rolling up like a scroll. Every mountain and every island was moved out of its place.

15And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;

15Then the kings of the earth hid themselves. So did the important men, the army leaders, the rich, and the strong. Every slave and every free person hid too. They hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains.

16And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

16They said to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us! Hide us from the face of the One who sits on the throne. Hide us from the anger of the Lamb."

17For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

17"The great day of their anger has come. Who can stand up against it?"