- And there appeared a great sign in heaven, in the likeness of things on the earth: a woman, clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. And the woman, being with child, cried, travailing in birth and pained to be delivered. And she brought forth a male child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up unto God and his throne.
- And there appeared another sign in heaven; and behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was delivered, ready to devour her child after it was born. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she had a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred sixty years.
- And there was war in Heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought against Michael. And the dragon prevailed not against Michael, neither the child, nor the woman — who was the church of God — who had been delivered of her pains and brought forth the kingdom of our God and his Christ; neither was there place found in Heaven for the great dragon who was cast out, that old serpent called the Devil, and also called Satan, who deceives the whole world, he who was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
- And I heard a loud voice saying in Heaven, Now has come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accused them before our God day and night; for they have overcome him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; for they loved not their own lives, but kept the testimony even unto death. Therefore, rejoice, O Heavens, and you that dwell in them.
- And after these things, I heard another voice, saying, Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, yea, and they who dwell upon the islands of the sea, for the Devil has come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time; for when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman who brought forth the male child. Therefore, to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might flee into the wilderness, into her place where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. And the serpent casts out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helps the woman, and the earth opens her mouth and swallows up the flood which the dragon casts out of his mouth. Therefore, the dragon was angry with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, who keep the commandments of God and have also the testimony of Jesus Christ.
- And I saw another sign, in the likeness of the kingdoms of the earth, a beast, rise up out of the sea, and stood upon the sand of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of Blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion. And the Devil gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads, as though it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed.
- And all the world wondered after the beast, and they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast. And they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and power was given unto him to continue forty-two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God — to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in Heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
- And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. If any man have an ear, let him hear. He that leads into captivity shall go into captivity. He that kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
- And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon. And he exercises all the power of the first beast before him, and causes the earth and those who dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he does great wonders, so that he makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceives those who dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast, saying to those who dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast which had the wound by a sword and did live.
- And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads, and that no man might buy or sell save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom: let him that has understanding count the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is six hundred sixty-six.
Chapter 4