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Las siete copas

16 Entonces oí una fuerte voz que salía del templo, y que les decía a los siete ángeles: «Vayan y vacíen las siete copas que representan el enojo de Dios.»

El primer ángel fue y vació su copa sobre la tierra, y a todos los que tenían la marca del monstruo y adoraban su estatua les salió una llaga terrible y dolorosa.

El segundo ángel vació su copa sobre el mar, y el agua del mar se convirtió en sangre, como la sangre de los que mueren asesinados. Así murió todo lo que tenía vida en el mar.

El tercer ángel vació su copa sobre los ríos y sobre los manantiales, y el agua se convirtió en sangre. Luego oí decir al ángel que tiene poder sobre el agua:

«Dios, tú eres santo,
vives por siempre,
y tus castigos son justos.
Tus enemigos mataron a muchos
de tu pueblo santo,
y también a tus profetas.
Por eso ahora tú
les das a beber sangre,
¡pues se lo merecen!»

Y escuché una voz que salía del altar y decía: «Sí, Señor Dios todopoderoso, estos castigos son correctos y justos.»

El cuarto ángel vació su copa sobre el sol, al cual se le permitió quemar a la gente. Todos quedaron terriblemente quemados, pero ni aun así se volvieron a Dios ni lo alabaron. Al contrario, ofendieron a Dios, que tiene poder para suspender esos terribles castigos.

10-11 El quinto ángel vació su copa sobre el trono del monstruo, y su reino quedó en la oscuridad.

La gente se mordía la lengua de dolor, porque las llagas los hacían sufrir mucho. Pero ni aun así dejaron de hacer lo malo, sino que ofendieron a Dios por el dolor que sentían; ¡ofendieron a Dios, que vive en el cielo!

12 El sexto ángel vació su copa sobre el gran río Éufrates, y el agua del río se secó para que los reyes del Oriente pudieran pasar.

13 Entonces vi que de la boca del dragón, de la boca del monstruo y de la boca del falso profeta, salieron tres espíritus malos que parecían ranas. 14 Eran espíritus de demonios, que hacían cosas extraordinarias y maravillosas. Salieron para reunir a todos los reyes del mundo, para que lucharan contra el Dios todopoderoso. Lo harán cuando llegue el día en que Dios juzgará a todo el mundo.

15 Por eso el Señor Jesús dice:

«Yo volveré cuando menos lo esperen. Volveré como el ladrón, que roba en la noche menos esperada. ¡Dios bendecirá al que se mantenga despierto y vestido, pues no lo sorprenderán desnudo! ¡Ni tendrá nada de qué avergonzarse!»

16 Los espíritus malos reunieron a los reyes en un lugar, que en hebreo se llama Harmagedón.

17 El séptimo ángel vació su copa sobre el aire, y desde el trono que está en el templo salió una fuerte voz que decía: «¡Ya está hecho!»

18 Y hubo relámpagos, voces, truenos y un gran terremoto, más terrible que todos los terremotos que han sacudido a la tierra desde que hay gente en ella. 19 El terremoto partió en tres a la gran ciudad de Babilonia,[a] y las ciudades de todo el mundo se derrumbaron. Dios no se olvidó de Babilonia, sino que la castigó terriblemente, con todo su enojo. 20 Todas las islas y las montañas desaparecieron, 21 y del cielo cayeron grandes granizos sobre la gente. Los granizos parecían rocas, pues pesaban más de cuarenta kilos. Y la gente insultó y ofendió a Dios, porque aquellos terribles granizos fueron un castigo muy duro.

Footnotes

  1. Apocalipsis 16:19 La gran ciudad de Babilonia: Véase la nota 4 en 14.8.

Chapter 16

The Seven Bowls of the Wrath of God.[a] Then I heard a loud voice from the temple say to the seven angels, “Go forth and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”

The first angel went forth and poured out his bowl on the earth. Immediately, foul and malignant sores broke out on those who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped its image.[b]

[c]The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea. It turned to blood, like the blood of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.

The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned to blood. Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say:

“You are just, O Holy One,
    who are and who were,
    in these your judgments.
For they have shed the blood
    of the saints and the Prophets,
and you have given them blood to drink,
    as they deserve.”

And I heard the altar respond:

“Yes, Lord God Almighty,
    true and just are your judgments.”

The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to burn people with its flames. They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had the power to inflict those plagues, but they refused to repent and pay him homage.

10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness.[d] People gnawed their tongues in agony 11 and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and sores, instead of repenting for what they had done.

12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East. 13 I saw three unclean spirits like frogs[e] come forth from the mouth of the dragon, from the mouth of the beast, and from the mouth of the false prophet.

14 These are demonic spirits with the power to work miracles. They were sent to the kings of the entire world to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.

15 [f]“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes close by so that he will not have to go naked and be exposed to shame.” 16 These spirits then assembled the kings at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.[g]

17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “It is done!” 18 Then there followed flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a violent earthquake—so violent that there has never been one like it since the human race has inhabited the earth.

19 The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed in ruin. Babylon the Great was also remembered by God, as he made her drink the cup filled with the wine of his fury and wrath. 20 Every island vanished, and no mountains were to be found. 21 Huge hailstones, each weighing about one hundred pounds, fell from the sky on the people, and they cursed God on account of the plague of hail that turned out to be so terrible.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 16:1 The story of the plagues in Egypt (Ex 7–12) remained deeply inscribed in the imagination of the Jews; once again, as in chapters 8–10 (vision of the trumpets), that story here inspires the description of the final cataclysm of the universe and of the lives of its peoples and nations. The desolating picture shows all the hostile forces united at Armageddon (the Megiddo of the Bible, where King Josiah died with his troops); it became a place of sinister memory, and an omen and symbol of military defeat and even annihilation (see 2 Ki 23:29-30; Zec 12:11). The great city Babylon, i.e., Rome, is collapsing.
  2. Revelation 16:2 Similar to the sixth plague of Egypt (see Ex 9:8-11).
  3. Revelation 16:3 Similar to the first plague of Egypt (see Ex 7:20f).
  4. Revelation 16:10 Similar to the ninth plague of Egypt (see Ex 10:21-23).
  5. Revelation 16:13 Frogs: an allusion to the second plague of Egypt (see Ex 7:26—8:11).
  6. Revelation 16:15 This verse interrupts the text. It fits in better in the literary atmosphere of the letters to the Churches, especially Rev 3:3-4, 18. Blessed: the third beatitude (see note on Rev 1:3).
  7. Revelation 16:16 Armageddon: i.e., the “mountain of Megiddo,” the site of many battles in antiquity (see Jdg 5:19f; 2 Ki 9:27; 2 Chr 35:20-24); it symbolized the final defeat of the powers of evil.

The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath

16 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple(A) saying to the seven angels,(B) “Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.”(C)

The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land,(D) and ugly, festering sores(E) broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.(F)

The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.(G)

The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water,(H) and they became blood.(I) Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say:

“You are just in these judgments,(J) O Holy One,(K)
    you who are and who were;(L)
for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets,(M)
    and you have given them blood to drink(N) as they deserve.”

And I heard the altar(O) respond:

“Yes, Lord God Almighty,(P)
    true and just are your judgments.”(Q)

The fourth angel(R) poured out his bowl on the sun,(S) and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire.(T) They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God,(U) who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent(V) and glorify him.(W)

10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast,(X) and its kingdom was plunged into darkness.(Y) People gnawed their tongues in agony 11 and cursed(Z) the God of heaven(AA) because of their pains and their sores,(AB) but they refused to repent of what they had done.(AC)

12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates,(AD) and its water was dried up to prepare the way(AE) for the kings from the East.(AF) 13 Then I saw three impure spirits(AG) that looked like frogs;(AH) they came out of the mouth of the dragon,(AI) out of the mouth of the beast(AJ) and out of the mouth of the false prophet.(AK) 14 They are demonic spirits(AL) that perform signs,(AM) and they go out to the kings of the whole world,(AN) to gather them for the battle(AO) on the great day(AP) of God Almighty.

15 “Look, I come like a thief!(AQ) Blessed is the one who stays awake(AR) and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”(AS)

16 Then they gathered the kings together(AT) to the place that in Hebrew(AU) is called Armageddon.(AV)

17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air,(AW) and out of the temple(AX) came a loud voice(AY) from the throne, saying, “It is done!”(AZ) 18 Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder(BA) and a severe earthquake.(BB) No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth,(BC) so tremendous was the quake. 19 The great city(BD) split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered(BE) Babylon the Great(BF) and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath.(BG) 20 Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found.(BH) 21 From the sky huge hailstones,(BI) each weighing about a hundred pounds,[a] fell on people. And they cursed God(BJ) on account of the plague of hail,(BK) because the plague was so terrible.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 16:21 Or about 45 kilograms