The Woman and the Dragon
1 Then a great and mysterious sight appeared in the sky. There was a woman, whose dress was the sun and who had the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was soon to give birth, and the pains and suffering of childbirth made her cry out.
3 Another mysterious sight appeared in the sky. There was a huge red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and a crown on each of his heads. 4 With his tail he dragged a third of the stars out of the sky and threw them down to the earth. He stood in front of the woman, in order to eat her child as soon as it was born. 5 Then she gave birth to a son, who will rule over all nations with an iron rod. But the child was snatched away and taken to God and his throne. 6 The woman fled to the desert, to a place God had prepared for her, where she will be taken care of for 1,260 days.
7 Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, who fought back with his angels; 8 but the dragon was defeated, and he and his angels were not allowed to stay in heaven any longer. 9 The huge dragon was thrown out—that ancient serpent, named the Devil, or Satan, that deceived the whole world. He was thrown down to earth, and all his angels with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, “Now God's salvation has come! Now God has shown his power as King! Now his Messiah has shown his authority! For the one who stood before our God and accused believers day and night has been thrown out of heaven. 11 They won the victory over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the truth which they proclaimed; and they were willing to give up their lives and die. 12 And so be glad, you heavens, and all you that live there! But how terrible for the earth and the sea! For the Devil has come down to you, and he is filled with rage, because he knows that he has only a little time left.”
13 When the dragon realized that he had been thrown down to the earth, he began to pursue the woman who had given birth to the boy. 14 She was given the two wings of a large eagle in order to fly to her place in the desert, where she will be taken care of for three and a half years, safe from the dragon's attack. 15 And then from his mouth the dragon poured out a flood of water after the woman, so that it would carry her away. 16 But the earth helped the woman; it opened its mouth and swallowed the water that had come from the dragon's mouth. 17 The dragon was furious with the woman and went off to fight against the rest of her descendants, all those who obey God's commandments and are faithful to the truth revealed by Jesus. 18 And the dragon stood on the seashore.
1 Pie debesīm parādījās liela zīme: sieva, saulē tērpta, mēness apakš viņas kājām un viņai galvā divpadsmit zvaigžņu vainags. 2 Tā bija grūta un brēca dzemdēšanas sāpēs un mokās. 3 Vēl cita zīme parādījās pie debesīm: redzi, liels pūķis, ugunīgi sarkans; tam bija septiņas galvas un desmit ragi, un uz viņa galvām septiņi ķēniņa kroņi. 4 Viņa aste noslaucīja trešo daļu zvaigžņu no debesīm un nometa tās uz zemi. Pūķis stāvēja sievas priekšā, kurai bija jādzemdē, lai aprītu viņas bērnu, kad viņa būs dzemdējusi. 5 Viņai piedzima bērns, dēls, kam bija ganīt visas tautas ar dzelzs zizli; un viņas bērns tika aizrauts pie Dieva un pie Viņa troņa. 6 Tad sieva bēga tuksnesī, kur tai bija Dieva sataisīta vieta, lai viņa tur tiktu uzturēta tūkstoš divi simti sešdesmit dienas. 7 Izcēlās karš debesīs, Miķelis ar saviem eņģeļiem sāka karot ar pūķi. Pūķis un viņa eņģeļi turējās pretim. 8 Bet tie nespēja, un tiem nebija vairs vietas debesīs. 9 Lielais pūķis, vecā čūska, to sauc par velnu un sātanu, kas pieviļ visu pasauli, tapa gāzts; viņš tika nomests uz zemi un līdz ar viņu tā eņģeļi. 10 Tad es dzirdēju stipru balsi debesīs saucam: "Tagad ir atnākusi pestīšana un mūsu Dieva spēks un valstība un Viņa Kristus vara, jo ir gāzts mūsu brāļu apsūdzētājs, kas tos apsūdzēja mūsu Dieva priekšā dienām un naktīm. 11 Viņi to uzvarējuši ar tā Jēra asinīm un ar savas liecības vārdu un nav savu dzīvību mīlējuši līdz nāvei. 12 Tādēļ priecājieties, debesis un kas tur mājo! Vai zemei un jūrai! Jo velns nonācis pie jums lielās dusmās, zinādams, ka tam maz laika atlicis." 13 Pūķis, redzēdams, ka tas nomests zemes virsū, sāka vajāt sievu, kas bija dzemdējusi puisēnu. 14 Sievai tika doti divi lielā ērgļa spārni, lai tā varētu lidot tuksnesī savā vietā, kur viņas dzīvība, prom no čūskas acīm, tiek uzturēta laiku un laikus un puslaiku. 15 Un čūska izlaida no savas mutes ūdeni kā upi sievai pakaļ, lai to aizpludinātu. 16 Bet zeme nāca sievai palīgā, atvērdama savu muti un aprīdama no pūķa mutes izlaisto upi. 17 Tad pūķis sadusmojās par sievu un gāja karot ar pārējiem viņas cilts locekļiem, kas turēja Dieva baušļus un apliecināja Jēzu. 18 Un viņš nostājās uz jūras krasta.
