Interpretation of the Apocalypse of St. John the Theologian (translation from Greek by Archpriest Michael Bogolyubsky)

Contents Word 1 Chapter 1 Chapter 2. Vision in which I saw the Lord among the seven golden lampstands, clothed in a subdir Chapter 3. Word written to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus 2 Chapter 4. Revealed to the Angel of the Church of Smyrna Chapter 5. Revealed to the Angel of the Church of Pergamon Chapter 6. Revelation to the Angel of the Thyatira Church Word 3 Chapter 7. Revealed to the Angel of the Church of Sardis Chapter 8. Revelation To the Angel of the Philadelphia Church Chapter 9. Revelation to the Angel of the Laodicean Church Word 4 Chapter 10. About the door seen in heaven and about the 24 elders and other things Chapter 11. About the book sealed with seven seals, which no created being could open Chapter 12. About the vision that in the middle of the throne and the four living creatures the Word 5 Chapter 13. The opening of the first seal, signifying the Apostolic teaching Chapter 14. The opening of the second seal, meaning the war of the unbelievers against the believers Chapter 15. The opening of the third seal, showing the falling away from Christ of those who did not firmly believe in His Word 6 Chapter 16. The opening of the fourth seal, showing the plagues found for wickedness Chapter 17. The opening of the fifth seal, showing the cry of the holy souls to the Lord about the end Chapter 18. The opening of the sixth seal, meaning the plagues sent at the end Word 7 Chapter 19. About one hundred and forty-four thousand being saved from the plague by four angels Chapter 20. About the countless people wearing bright clothes of tongues Chapter 21. The opening of the seventh seal, showing that the Angelic forces bring prayers to God saints as incense Word 8 Chapter 22. About the seven Angels, of which when the first sounded, hail and fire and blood fell on the earth Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Word 9 Chapter 25. About the fourth Angel and the darkening of the luminaries Chapter 26. About the fifth Angel and mental locusts, and about their various forms Chapter 27. About the sixth Angel and about the Angels allowed on the Euphrates Word 10 Chapter 28. About the Angel, clothed in a cloud and a rainbow and proclaiming silence Chapter 29. About how the Evangelist took the book from the Angel Chapter 30. About Enoch and Elijah Word 11 Chapter 31. About how these two prophets of God, killed by the Antichrist, will rise Chapter 32. About the seventh trumpet and about the saints praising God for the future judgment Chapter 33. About the persecution of the Church of the past and from the Antichrist Word 12 Chapter 34. About the warfare of Angels and demons and about the fall of Satan Chapter 35 Chapter 36. About the ten-horned and seven-headed beast Word 13 Chapter 37. About the false prophet Chapter 38. About the evil name of the Antichrist Chapter 39. About the Lamb and the one hundred and forty thousand Word 14 Chapter 40. About the Angel foretelling the nearness of the future judgment Chapter 41. About the Angel heralding the fall Babylon Chapter 42. About another Angel warning the faithful not to accept the Antichrist Word 15 Chapter 43. How he who sits on a cloud with a sickle reaps the growth of the earth Chapter 44. About the angel pruning the vine of bitterness Chapter 45. About the seven Angels who send plagues on people before the end, and about the glass sea (which he saw in Revelation) Word 16 Chapter 46. About the fact that after the outpouring of the first the vial became purulent ulcers on those who retreated Chapter 47 Chapter 48. That from the third plague the rivers turn into blood Word 17 Chapter 49. That from the fourth plague people are scorched with heat Chapter 50. That the fifth plague darkens the kingdom of the beast Chapter 51. That the sixth vial opens the way through the Euphrates for kings from the east Word 18 Chapter 52. About the fact that through the seventh plague there will be hail and an earthquake on people Chapter 53. About one of the seven Holy Angels, who shows Blessed John the destruction of the city of the harlot, and about the seven heads and ten horns Chapter 54. How the Angel interpreted the sacrament he saw Word 19 Chapter 55. About another Angel, announcing the fall of Babylon and about the heavenly voice commanding the saints to flee from the city and reject the pleasant things that they had before Chapter 56. About hymns saints and the threefold “Alleluia” that they sing during the destruction of Babylon Chapter 57. About the mysterious marriage and the supper of the Lamb Homily 20 Chapter 58. About the fact that the Evangelist saw Christ on the field with the forces of Angels Chapter 59. About the Antichrist and those who were cast into Gehenna with him Chapter 60. About the fact that Satan is connected with the crucifixion of Christ to the end, and about a thousand years Word 21 Chapter 61. About the thrones prepared for those who have kept the confession of Christ unchanged Chapter 62. What is the first resurrection and what is the second death Chapter 63. About Gog and Magog Word 22 Chapter 64. About him who sits on the throne, the general resurrection and judgment Chapter 65. About the new heaven and earth and the highest Jerusalem Chapter 66. About what He who sits on the throne said the Word 23 Chapter 67. About the Angel showing the city of saints and measuring its wall with the gates Chapter 68. About the clear river that seemed to emanate from the throne Chapter 69. About the fact that Christ is the God of the Prophets and the Lord of Angels Word 24 Chapter 70. About the authenticity of what the Apostle saw Chapter 71. About what was commanded not to be recorded, but to proclaim the revelation Chapter 72. About the fact that the Church and in in it the Spirit awaits the glorious appearance of Christ, and about the oath to which those who damage this book are subjected Often many, who, out of love for me, had a greater than necessary understanding of my understanding, asked to interpret the Apocalypse of the Theologian John and adapt his visions to the times that followed John. And I decided to take on something that was beyond my strength. Although I know that it is only the job of a great mind enlightened by the Divine Spirit to explain what is mysteriously seen by the saints, which must come to fruition in the future. For even the books of the ancient prophets, although they were interpreted by very many, but the depth of the secrets contained in them remains invisible even until the day when knowledge, even in part, is abolished, and perfection comes (1 Cor. 13:10); Moreover, most of these writings announce the first coming of the Great God and our Savior (however, in places they also speak of His second coming). Wouldn't he be daring who, without being involved in the prophetic Spirit, undertakes to explain something of which the end is not yet in sight? But since obedience is better than sacrifice, hope is not put to shame and love no longer disappears, according to the Apostle, bound by this love with your God-pleasing spirit, Macarius, and hoping for her sake to receive the replenishment of shortcomings and a reward for obedience, which is the fruit of love, I will meekly fulfill what is commanded to me, with the help of the wise God. Firstly, as you yourself know, all God-inspired Scripture in tripartite form was given by the Spirit, just as man is tripartite 1 . And in it, as if a certain body is a letter and a story subject to the senses, as if a soul is improper, figurative expressions that elevate the reader from the sensory to the imaginable, and as if the spirit serves as an indication and contemplation of the future and the most sublime, so that the first befits those guided by the law, the second - those living in grace, the third - the blissful state in which the spirit reigns, to which all carnal thoughts and movements are already subjugated. The first is limited to the narration of events that have already happened, although it is often a lot decorated with preceding images of truth (prototypes), the second - with admonitions and other similar teaching opinions, for example: thorns grow in the hand of a drunkard (Prov. 26:9), or: shame, O Sidon, the sea speaks (Is. 23:4), and the like. The third thing, i.e. the spiritual finds its fullness in the Apocalypse of the Theologian. Of course, it, along with the figurative and historical, is seen in sufficient measure in other prophets, but here it is especially abundant, which is why only those more perfect in knowledge were commanded to proclaim it. Why do we, not as those who have comprehended the depth of the Spirit hidden in him, begin to explain what the Blessed Theologian saw. Even in the literal sense, we do not take upon ourselves the courage to understand everything or do not mean it, but we want to give the mind exercise for further aspirations and for contempt for the present as transitory, and for the desire for the future as permanent, leaving the exact knowledge of this to Divine Wisdom, which also leads to those times in which what was predicted will be fulfilled, about which we are forbidden to test by the Apostles. We did this for the sake of obedience, dividing this work into 24 words and 72 chapters, according to the tripartite composition of the 24 elders - body, soul and spirit, for they signify the fullness of those who pleased God from the beginning to the end of the age, as will be seen below. We consider it unnecessary to make a long speech about the inspired book, since its authenticity was testified by the blessed Gregory the Theologian and Cyril and the even more ancient Pappius, Irenaeus, Methodius and Hippolytus. From them we, having borrowed a reason, began this task, which is why we offered their sayings in some places. And you, man of God, with your prayers reward the work, which, as I think, greatly contributes to contrition, through a reminder of what is prepared for the righteous, and of punishments and rewards for sinners.