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.
The Woman and the Dragon
1 Something important appeared in the sky. It was a woman whose clothes were the sun. The moon was under her feet, and a crown made of twelve stars was on her head. 2 She was about to give birth, and she was crying because of the great pain.
3 Something else appeared in the sky. It was a huge red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, and a crown on each of its seven heads. 4 With its tail, it dragged a third of the stars from the sky and threw them down to the earth. Then the dragon turned toward the woman, because it wanted to eat her child as soon as it was born.
5 The woman gave birth to a son, who would rule all nations with an iron rod. The boy was snatched away. He was taken to God and placed on his throne. 6 The woman ran into the desert to a place that God had prepared for her. There she would be taken care of for 1,260 days.
Michael Fights the Dragon
7 A war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels were fighting against the dragon and its angels. 8 But the dragon lost the battle. It and its angels were forced out of their places in heaven 9 and were thrown down to the earth. Yes, that old snake and his angels were thrown out of heaven! That snake, who fools everyone on earth, is known as the devil and Satan. 10 Then I heard a voice from heaven shout,
“Our God has shown
his saving power,
and his kingdom has come!
God's own Chosen One
has shown his authority.
Satan accused our people
in the presence of God
day and night.
Now he has been thrown out!
11 “Our people defeated Satan
because of the blood
of the Lamb
and the message of God.
They were willing
to give up their lives.
12 “The heavens should rejoice,
together with everyone
who lives there.
But pity the earth
and the sea,
because the devil
was thrown down
to the earth.
He knows his time is short,
and he is very angry.”
13 When the dragon realized it had been thrown down to the earth, it tried to make trouble for the woman who had given birth to a son. 14 But the woman was given two wings like those of a huge eagle, so she could fly into the desert. There she would escape from the snake and be taken care of for a time, two times, and half a time.
15 The snake then spewed out water like a river to sweep the woman away. 16 But the earth helped her and swallowed the water that had come from the dragon's mouth. 17 This made the dragon terribly angry with the woman. So it started a war against the rest of her children. They are the people who obey God and are faithful to what Jesus did and taught. 18 The dragon stood on the beach beside the sea.
