Revelation 15-16

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Preparation for the Bowl Judgments

15 Then I saw another great and awe-inspiring sign^[a] in heaven:^(A) seven angels with the seven last plagues, for with them, God’s wrath will be completed.^{(B) 2} I also saw something like a sea of glass^(C) mixed with fire, and those who had won the victory over the beast, his image,^[b] and the number of his name, were standing on the sea of glass with harps from God.^{[c](D) 3} They sang the song of God’s servant Moses^(E) and the song of the Lamb:

⁵ After this I looked, and the heavenly sanctuary—the tabernacle of testimony^(F)—was opened.^{(G) 6} Out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, dressed in clean, bright linen, with gold sashes wrapped around their chests. ⁷ One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven gold bowls filled with the wrath of God who lives forever and ever. ⁸ Then the sanctuary was filled with smoke from God’s glory and from His power,^(H) and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

The First Bowl

16 Then I heard a loud voice from the sanctuary saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the seven^[e] bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.” ² The first went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and severely painful sores^[f](I) broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.

The Second Bowl

³ The second^[g] poured out his bowl into the sea. It turned to blood like a dead man’s, and all life^[h] in the sea died.^(J)

The Third Bowl

⁴ The third^[i] poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood.^{(K) 5} I heard the angel of the waters say:

⁷ Then I heard someone from the altar say:

The Fourth Bowl

⁸ The fourth^[j] poured out his bowl on the sun. He^[k] was given the power^[l] to burn people with fire, ⁹ and people were burned by the intense heat. So they blasphemed the name of God,^(O) who had the power^[m] over these plagues, and they did not repent and give Him glory.

The Fifth Bowl

¹⁰ The fifth^[n] poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast,^(P) and his kingdom was plunged into darkness.^(Q) People^[o] gnawed their tongues because of their pain ¹¹ and blasphemed the God of heaven^(R) because of their pains and their sores, yet they did not repent of their actions.

The Sixth Bowl

¹² The sixth^[p] poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates,^(S) and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the east. ¹³ Then I saw three unclean spirits like frogs^(T) coming from the dragon’s mouth,^(U) from the beast’s mouth,^(V) and from the mouth of the false prophet.^{(W) 14} For they are spirits of demons performing signs,^(X) who travel to the kings of the whole world to assemble them for the battle of the great day of God, the Almighty.^(Y)

¹⁵ “Look, I am coming like a thief. The one who is alert and remains clothed^[q](Z) so that he may not go around naked and people see his shame^(AA) is blessed.”^(AB)

¹⁶ So they assembled them at the place called in Hebrew, Armagedon.^[r][s](AC)

The Seventh Bowl

¹⁷ Then the seventh^[t] poured out his bowl into the air,^[u] and a loud voice came out of the sanctuary^[v](AD) from the throne, saying, “It is done!” ¹⁸ There were flashes of lightning and rumblings of thunder. And a severe earthquake occurred like no other since man has been on the earth—so great was the quake.^{(AE) 19} The great city^(AF) split into three parts, and the cities of the nations^[w] fell. Babylon the Great was remembered in God’s presence; He gave her the cup filled with the wine of His fierce anger.^{(AG) 20} Every island fled, and the mountains disappeared.^{[x](AH) 21} Enormous hailstones, each weighing about 100 pounds,^[y] fell from the sky on people, and they blasphemed God^(AI) for the plague of hail because that plague was extremely severe.^(AJ)