1 THEN I saw another strong angel descending from heaven. He was clothed in a cloud and the rainbow was over his head. His face was like the sun and his legs were like pillars of fire.

2 He had in his hand a little book open. He set his right foot on the sea and his left on the land

3 and shouted with a loud voice like the roar of a lion. When he had shouted the seven thunders spoke, each its own message.

4 When the seven thunders had spoken I was about to write. But I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Seal up what the seven thunders have spoken and do not write it."

5 Then the angel whom I had seen standing on the sea and on the land lifted his right hand to heaven

6 and swore by him who lives for the ages of the ages, who formed heaven and all things in it and the earth and all things upon it and the sea and all things in it, "There shall be no more delay,

7 but in the days of the blast of the seventh angel, when he soon shall sound his trumpet, then the mystery of God has been finished, according to the good news that he gave to his servants the prophets."

8 Then the voice which I had heard from heaven spoke again with me and said, "Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land."

9 So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little book. He said to me, "Take it and eat it. It will make your stomach bitter, though in your mouth it will be sweet like honey."

10 I took the little book from the hand of the angel and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet like honey, but after I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter.

11 They said to me, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings."