Bible / Revelation (Douay: Apocalypse)

Revelation (Douay: Apocalypse) 5

World English Bible, Catholic edition, in plain modern English. About the translations

1 I saw, in the right hand of him who sat on the throne, a book written inside and outside, sealed shut with seven seals.

2 I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to break its seals?”

3 No one in heaven above, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book or to look in it.

4 Then I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look in it.

5 One of the elders said to me, “Don’t weep. Behold, the Lion who is of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome: he who opens the book and its seven seals.”

6 I saw in the middle of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. CCC · Fathers

7 Then he came, and he took it out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne.

8 Now when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 1 Fathers

9 They sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals, for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood out of every tribe, language, people, and nation, CCC · Fathers

10 and made us kings and priests to our God; and we will reign on the earth.” CCC

11 I looked, and I heard something like a voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. The number of them was ten thousands of ten thousands, and thousands of thousands, CCC

12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing!” CCC

13 I heard every created thing which is in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever! Amen!” CCC

14 The four living creatures said, “Amen!” Then the elders fell down and worshiped. CCC

Where our lessons quote this chapter

  1. Verse 8: The saints, and asking for prayers

This chapter in the Catechism and the early Church

Where the Catechism of the Catholic Church cites these verses (from its footnotes on vatican.va), and where the earliest Church Fathers quote them (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, public domain). Short quotes only; follow the links for the full text.

  1. Read the Catechism and Fathers
    • CCC 1137 “The book of Revelation of St. John, read in the Church's liturgy, first reveals to us, "A throne stood in heaven, with…”
    • “… the midst of the throne, and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing as it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent forth into all the earth.”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XX. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  2. Read the Fathers
    • “… omnipotent God the Church makes offerings through Jesus Christ, He says well on both these grounds, "And in every place incense is offered to My name, and a pure sacrifice." Now John, in the Apocalypse, declares that the "incense" is "the prayers of the saints.”

      Quoted in Against Heresies, Book IV, St. Irenaeus of Lyons (c. AD 180), Chapter XVII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  3. Read the Catechism and Fathers
    • CCC 1546 “Christ, high priest and unique mediator, has made of the Church "a kingdom, priests for his God and Father." The whole community…”
    • CCC 2642 “The Revelation of "what must soon take place," the Apocalypse, is borne along by the songs of the heavenly liturgy 127 but…”
    • “… in those things which are desired by God, which the Serpent cannot reach, and to which deception does not approach; nor is Eve then corrupted, but is trusted as a virgin; and salvation is manifested, and the Apostles are filled with understanding, and the Passover”

      Quoted in Letter to Diognetus, Unknown author (2nd century), Chapter XII. Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1

  4. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 1546 “Christ, high priest and unique mediator, has made of the Church "a kingdom, priests for his God and Father." The whole community…”
    • CCC 2642 “The Revelation of "what must soon take place," the Apocalypse, is borne along by the songs of the heavenly liturgy 127 but…”
  5. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 2642 “The Revelation of "what must soon take place," the Apocalypse, is borne along by the songs of the heavenly liturgy 127 but…”
  6. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 2642 “The Revelation of "what must soon take place," the Apocalypse, is borne along by the songs of the heavenly liturgy 127 but…”
  7. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 449 “By attributing to Jesus the divine title "Lord", the first confessions of the Church's faith affirm from the beginning that the power,…”
    • CCC 2642 “The Revelation of "what must soon take place," the Apocalypse, is borne along by the songs of the heavenly liturgy 127 but…”
    • CCC 2855 “The final doxology, "For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and forever," takes up again, by inclusion, the…”
  8. Read the Catechism
    • CCC 2642 “The Revelation of "what must soon take place," the Apocalypse, is borne along by the songs of the heavenly liturgy 127 but…”