Revelation 8

1 When [Jesus], the [one who is like a] lamb, opened the seventh seal, there was no sound at all in heaven for (a very short time/about half an hour).

As soon as the Lamb had broken the seventh seal, there was silence in Heaven for, it might be, half-an-hour.

2 I saw the seven angels who stand in front of God. A trumpet was given {([God/An angel]) gave a trumpet} to each one of them.

Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

3 Another angel, who had a golden container for burning incense, came and stood at the altar. [He was given] {[An angel] gave to him} a large quantity of incense, in order that he might offer it, with the prayers of all God’s people, upon the golden altar that is in front of [God’s] throne. [Then he burned this incense on the altar].

Next, another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer in his hand; and a great quantity of incense was given to him, to mingle with the prayers of all Christ’s People upon the golden altar before the throne.

4 From the [pot in] the angel’s hand, the smoke of the incense, along with the prayers of God’s people, went up to God.

The smoke of the incense ascended, with the prayers of Christ’s People, from the hand of the angel before God.

5 [In response], the angel took the golden incense burner and filled it with [coals of] fire from the altar. He threw [the contents of] the [MTY] incense burner onto the earth. Thunder sounded and rumbled, lightning was flashing, and the earth shook.

Then the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it down upon the earth; and there followed ‘peals of thunder, cries, flashes of lightning,’ and an earthquake.

6 The seven angels, [each] of which had [one of] the seven trumpets, prepared to blow them.

Then the seven angels holding the seven trumpets prepared to blow their blasts.

7 When the first angel blew his trumpet, hail and fire mixed with blood poured down onto the earth. [As a result], a third of [everything on the surface of] the land was burned up {[the fire] burned up a third of [everything on the surface of] the land}. A third of the trees were also burned up {It also burned up a third of the trees}, and [a third of] all the green grass was burned up.

The first blew; and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it fell upon the earth. A third part of the earth was burnt up, and a third of the trees, and every blade of grass.

8 When the second angel blew his trumpet, something that was like a huge burning mountain fell into the ocean. [As a result], a third of the ocean became [red like] [MTY] blood,

Then the second angel blew; and what appeared to be a great mountain, burning, was hurled into the sea. A third of the sea became blood,

9 a third of the living creatures in the ocean died, and a third of the ships [in the ocean] were destroyed.

and a third part of all created things that are in the sea — that is, of all living things — died, and a third of the ships was destroyed.

10 When the third angel blew his trumpet, a huge star, which was burning like a torch, fell from the sky into a third of the rivers and into [a third of] the springs.

Then the third angel blew; and there fell from the heavens a great star, burning like a torch. It fell upon a third of the rivers and upon the springs.

11 The name of the star is Bitterness. [As a result], the water in a third [of the rivers and springs] became bitter, and many people died from [drinking] the water because it had become bitter.

(The star is called ‘Wormwood.’) A third of the water became bitter as wormwood, and so bitter was the water that many died from drinking it.

12 When the fourth angel blew his trumpet, [God] struck the sun, the moon, and the stars, so that they lost a third of their light. The [sun] also did not shine during a third of the day, and [the moon and stars did not shine during a third] of the night.

Then the fourth angel blew; and a third of the sun and a third of the moon and a third of the stars were blasted, so that a third of them was eclipsed, and for a third part of the day there was no light, and at night it was the same.

13 As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying high in the sky, shouting in a loud voice, “Terrible things will happen to [rebellious] people who live on the earth! Terrible things will happen when the three remaining angels blow their trumpets! And they are about to blow them!”

And, in my vision, I heard an eagle flying in mid-heaven and crying in a loud voice — ‘Woe, woe, woe for all who live on the earth, at the other trumpet-blasts of the three angels who have yet to blow.’