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Michael Defeats the Dragon

Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11 And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12 Rejoice then, O heaven and you that dwell therein! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

The Dragon Fights Again on Earth

13 And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had borne the male child. 14 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. 15 The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with the flood. 16 But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river which the dragon had poured from his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus. And he stood[a] on the sand of the sea.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 12:17 Other ancient authorities read And I stood, connecting the sentence with 13.1

Then war broke out in heaven. Michael(A) and his angels fought against the dragon,(B) and the dragon and his angels(C) fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent(D) called the devil,(E) or Satan,(F) who leads the whole world astray.(G) He was hurled to the earth,(H) and his angels with him.

10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven(I) say:

“Now have come the salvation(J) and the power
    and the kingdom of our God,
    and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,(K)
    who accuses them before our God day and night,
    has been hurled down.
11 They triumphed over(L) him
    by the blood of the Lamb(M)
    and by the word of their testimony;(N)
they did not love their lives so much
    as to shrink from death.(O)
12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens(P)
    and you who dwell in them!
But woe(Q) to the earth and the sea,(R)
    because the devil has gone down to you!
He is filled with fury,
    because he knows that his time is short.”

13 When the dragon(S) saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.(T) 14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle,(U) so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time,(V) out of the serpent’s reach. 15 Then from his mouth the serpent(W) spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war(X) against the rest of her offspring(Y)—those who keep God’s commands(Z) and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.(AA)

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