1 When the Lamb opened the ^rseventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 3 And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much ^sincense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on ^tthe golden altar before the throne, 4 and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. 5 Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar ^uand threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings,^{1 v}flashes of lightning, and an ^wearthquake.