Revelation 8

8 ¹When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. ²I saw the seven angels who stand before our Father, and seven trumpets were given to them.

³Another angel came, stood at the altar with a golden censer, and was given much incense to offer with all the saints' prayers on the golden altar before the throne. ⁴The incense smoke, with the saints' prayers, rose before our Father from the angel's hand. ^a a v4 Even amid judgment, our Father personally receives every prayer of his children — the saints' cries rise to him on the altar of heaven. ⁵The angel took the censer, filled it with altar fire, and threw it to earth: thunder, rumblings, lightning, an earthquake followed.

The Seven Trumpets Prepare

⁶Now the seven angels who held the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.

⁷The first angel blew his trumpet: hail and fire mixed with blood struck the earth. A third of the earth burned up, a third of the trees burned up, and all the green grass burned up.

⁸The second angel trumpeted: something like a huge mountain, burning with fire, was hurled into the sea. A third of the sea became blood. ⁹A third of the sea's living creatures died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

¹⁰The third angel blew his trumpet. A great star, burning like a torch, fell from heaven onto a third of the rivers and the springs of water. ¹¹The star's name is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters because they'd turned bitter. ^b b v11 Wormwood is a plant notorious for its intense bitterness — the star's name matches its deadly effect on the waters.

¹²The fourth angel trumpeted: a third of the sun, moon, and stars was struck, darkening a third; a third of the day had no light, and the night likewise. ¹³Then I saw and heard an eagle flying overhead cry loudly: Woe, woe, woe to those living on earth, from the three angels' remaining trumpet blasts about to sound!