The Mighty Angel Descends
An angel plants one foot on the sea and one on land and swears by our Father: no more delay. Seven thunders speak and John is forbidden to write them down. He eats the little scroll: honey in his mouth, bitter afterward. He must prophesy again.
10 1Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, rainbow over his head, face like the sun, feet like fiery pillars. 2He held a small open scroll, set his right foot on the sea, his left on the land, 3and shouted like a roaring lion. When he shouted, seven thunder peals spoke.
4When the seven peals of thunder spoke, I was about to write, but heard a voice from heaven: "Seal what they said; don't write it."
5Then the angel I saw standing on the sea and land raised his right hand to heaven, 6and swore by our Father who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and all that is in it, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it: "No more delay! 7When the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, our Father's mystery will be fulfilled, as he announced to his servant prophets." a a v7 The mystery our Father announced through the prophets reaches its fullness in his Son — the gospel made known to all peoples (Ephesians 3:8-9; Colossians 1:26-27).
8The voice from heaven spoke again: "Go, take the open scroll from the hand of the angel standing on sea and land."
9So I went to the angel, asking for the little scroll. He said, "Take and eat it. It will turn your stomach bitter, but in your mouth be sweet as honey."
10I took the little scroll from the angel's hand and ate it. In my mouth, sweet as honey; but once eaten, my stomach turned bitter. 11Then they told me, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings."
