December 23.

REVELATION, XII.

December 23.

shouldest give reward unto] God was opened in heaven, thy servants the prophets, and there was seen in his and to the saints, and them temple the ark of his testa­that fear thy name, small ment: and there were light­and great; and shouldest de- nings, and voices, and thun­stroy them which destroy the derings, and an earthquake, earth. And the temple of and great hail.

CHAPTER XII. December 23, Evening.

AN

ND there appeared a cast out into the earth, and great wonder in heaven; his angels were cast out a woman clothed with the with him. And I heard a sun, and the moon under her loud voice saying in heaven, feet, and upon her head a Now is come salvation, and crown of twelve stars: and strength, and the kingdom she being with child cried, of our God, and the power travailing in birth, and pain- of his Christ: for the accuser ed to be delivered. And of our brethren is cast down, there appeared another won- which accused them before der in heaven; and behold our God day and night. And a great red dragon, having they overcame him by the seven heads and ten horns, blood of the Lamb, and by and seven crowns upon his the word of their testimony; heads. And his tail drew the and they loved not their lives third part of the stars of unto the death. Therefore heaven, and did cast them rejoice, ye heavens, and ye to the earth: and the dra- that dwell in them. Woe to gon stood before the woman the inhabiters of the earth which was ready to be deli- and of the sea! for the devil vered, for to devour her child is come down unto you, hav­as soon as it was born. And ing great wrath, because he she brought forth a man knoweth that he hath but child, who was to rule all na- a short time. And when tions with a rod of iron: and the dragon saw that he was her child was caught up unto cast unto the earth, he per­God, and to his throne. And secuted the woman which the woman fled into the wil- brought forth the man child. derness, where she hath a And to the woman were place prepared of God, that given two wings of a great they should feed her there a eagle, that she might fly in­thousand two hundred and to the wilderness, into her threescore days. And there place, where she is nourished was war in heaven: Michael for a time, and times, and and his angels fought against half a time, from the face of the dragon; and the dragon the serpent. And the ser­fought and his angels, and pent cast out of his mouth prevailed not; neither was water as a flood after the their place found any more woman, that he might cause in heaven. And the great her to be carried away of the dragon was cast out, that flood. And the earth helped old serpent, called the Devil, the woman, and the earth and Satan, which deceiveth opened her mouth, and the whole world: he was swallowed up the flood