1When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2Then I saw the seven angels who stand in God's presence, and they were given seven trumpets.

3Another angel came with a gold incense burner and stood at the altar. He was given a lot of incense to offer on the gold altar in front of the throne. He offered it with the prayers of all of God's people. 4The smoke from the incense went up from the angel's hand to God along with the prayers of God's people. 5The angel took the incense burner, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it on the earth. Then there was thunder, noise, lightning, and an earthquake.

6The seven angels who had the seven trumpets got ready to blow them.

7When the first angel blew his trumpet, hail and fire were mixed with blood, and were thrown on the earth. One-third of the earth was burned up, one-third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

8When the second angel blew his trumpet, something like a huge mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea. One-third of the sea turned into blood, 9one-third of the creatures that were living in the sea died, and one-third of the ships were destroyed.

10When the third angel blew his trumpet, a huge star flaming like a torch fell from the sky. It fell on one-third of the rivers and on the springs. 11That star was named Wormwood. One-third of the water turned into wormwood, and many people died from this water because it had turned bitter.

12When the fourth angel blew his trumpet, one-third of the sun, one-third of the moon, and one-third of the stars were struck so that one-third of them turned dark. There was no light for one-third of the day and one-third of the night.

13I saw an eagle flying overhead, and I heard it say in a loud voice, "Catastrophe, catastrophe, catastrophe for those living on earth, because of the remaining trumpet blasts which the three angels are about to blow."