Revelation 16
The Voice
Just as God used the plagues to judge the Egyptians and deliver His people from bondage (Exodus 7–12), these plagues will help rescue God’s faithful servants.
16 Then I heard a great voice coming from the temple ordering the seven heavenly messengers.
A Voice: Go and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God upon the earth.
2 So the first messenger poured out his bowl onto the earth. When he did, a foul-smelling, painful sore broke out on each person who bore the mark of the beast and who worshiped its image.
3 The second messenger poured out his bowl into the sea. When he did, the waters became like the blood that spills from a dead body, and every living creature in the sea died.
4 The third messenger poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of fresh water. When he did, they, too, became blood. 5 And I heard the messenger over the waters speak.
Messenger over the Waters: You are just, O holy One who is and who was,
for You have judged these things rightly.
6 Because people shed the blood of the saints and prophets,
You have given them blood to quench their thirst.
They are deserving of these punishments.
God’s judgment is true and just. Violent people are thirsty for blood, so God gives it to them. Sometimes judgment means receiving what you desire.
7 And I heard a voice from the altar agree.
A Voice: Yes, Lord God, the All Powerful,
true and right are Your judgments!
8 The fourth messenger poured out his bowl on the sun. When he did, the sun was permitted to blister people with its fire. 9 The incredible heat of the sun burned their skin; but instead of rethinking their actions[a] and glorifying God, they cursed God’s name because He had the power to carry out these plagues.
10 The fifth messenger poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast. When he did, its kingdom was blanketed in darkness. People chewed on their tongues out of the depth of their agony. 11 Still they refused to change their wicked ways,[b] so they cursed the God of heaven because of their painful afflictions and ulcerous sores.
12 The sixth messenger poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates. When he did, the river dried up and became a road so that the kings from the east and their armies could make their way. 13 What I saw next troubled me deeply: three foul spirits like frogs appeared, belched from the mouth of the dragon, the mouth of the beast, and the mouth of the earth-beast. 14 These frogs are demonic spirits. As they go into the world, they perform miracles persuading the kings of the world to gather for the last battle on the great day of God, the All Powerful.
The dragon, beast, and earth-beast are an unholy trinity who send out demonic spirits. These spirits resemble frogs and remind the reader of the plague of frogs that invaded Egypt before the exodus. These foul spirits roam the world, persuading the kings of the earth to assemble together to do battle against God and His chosen.
A Voice: 15 See, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the person who watches and waits, dressed and ready to go, so as not to wander about naked, exposed to disgrace.
16 And the kings gathered at the place called Har-Magedon in Hebrew.
Har-Magedon means Mount Megiddo and is sometimes transliterated “Armageddon.” This refers to the battleground where the armies of the earth, led by the forces of evil, will assemble to mount their final attack against God. This place is often associated with the plain of Megiddo in northern Israel because the fertile land there has often been turned into fields of blood during gruesome battles. In a place like this, for one last time, evil will raise its ugly head against good.
17 Finally, the seventh messenger poured out his bowl into the air. When he did, a great voice came out of the temple, from the throne.
A Voice: It is accomplished!
18 At the sound of the voice, there were flashes of lightning, sounds of voices, rumblings of thunder, and tremors of an earthquake. In all of human history, there had never been an earthquake of this magnitude. 19 The great city was torn into three parts, and the cities of all the nations fell. God remembered the great city, Babylon, and made her drink the cup of His fury and wrath. 20 Every island sank into the ocean, and no mountains were left to be discovered. 21 And great hailstones, each weighing nearly 100 pounds, fell from the sky onto the people until they cursed God because the plague of hail was so severe.
Revelation 16
The Message
Pouring Out the Seven Disasters
16 I heard a shout of command from the Temple to the Seven Angels: “Begin! Pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on earth!”
2 The first Angel stepped up and poured his bowl out on earth: Loathsome, stinking sores erupted on all who had taken the mark of the Beast and worshiped its image.
3 The second Angel poured his bowl on the sea: The sea coagulated into blood, and everything in it died.
4-7 The third Angel poured his bowl on rivers and springs: The waters turned to blood. I heard the Angel of Waters say,
Righteous you are, and your judgments are righteous,
The Is, The Was, The Holy.
They poured out the blood of saints and prophets
so you’ve given them blood to drink—
they’ve gotten what they deserve!
Just then I heard the Altar chime in,
Yes, O God, the Sovereign-Strong!
Your judgments are true and just!
8-9 The fourth Angel poured his bowl on the sun: Fire blazed from the sun and scorched men and women. Burned and blistered, they cursed God’s Name, the God behind these disasters. They refused to repent, refused to honor God.
10-11 The fifth Angel poured his bowl on the throne of the Beast: Its kingdom fell into sudden eclipse. Mad with pain, men and women bit and chewed their tongues, cursed the God-of-Heaven for their torment and sores, and refused to repent and change their ways.
12-14 The sixth Angel poured his bowl on the great Euphrates River: It dried up to nothing. The dry riverbed became a fine roadbed for the kings from the East. From the mouths of the Dragon, the Beast, and the False Prophet I saw three foul demons crawl out—they looked like frogs. These are demon spirits performing signs. They’re after the kings of the whole world to get them gathered for battle on the Great Day of God, the Sovereign-Strong.
15 “Keep watch! I come unannounced, like a thief. You’re blessed if, awake and dressed, you’re ready for me. Too bad if you’re found running through the streets, naked and ashamed.”
16 The frog-demons gathered the kings together at the place called in Hebrew Armageddon.
17-21 The seventh Angel poured his bowl into the air: From the Throne in the Temple came a shout, “Done!” followed by lightning flashes and shouts, thunder crashes and a colossal earthquake—a huge and devastating earthquake, never an earthquake like it since time began. The Great City split three ways, the cities of the nations toppled to ruin. Great Babylon had to drink the wine of God’s raging anger—God remembered to give her the cup! Every island fled and not a mountain was to be found. Hailstones weighing close to a hundred pounds plummeted, crushing and smashing men and women as they cursed God for the hail, the epic disaster of hail.
Revelation 16
1599 Geneva Bible
16 2 And 17 the Angels pour out the seven vials of God’s wrath given unto them, and so divers plagues arise in the world, 18 to terrify the wicked, 19 and the inhabitants of the great city.
1 And [a]I heard a great voice out of the Temple, saying to the seven Angels, Go your ways, and poured out the seven vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
2 [b]And the first went and poured out his vial upon the earth: and there fell a noisome and a grievous sore upon the men which had the [c]mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.
3 [d]And the second Angel poured out his vial upon the sea, and it [e]became as the blood of a dead man: and every living thing died in the sea.
4 [f]And the third Angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters, and they became blood.
5 And I heard the Angel of the waters say, Lord, thou art just, which art, and which wast: and Holy, because thou hast judged these things.
6 For they shed the blood of the Saints, and Prophets, and therefore hast thou given them blood to drink: for they are worthy.
7 [g]And I heard another out of the Sanctuary say, Even so, Lord God almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
8 [h]And the fourth Angel poured out his vial on the sun, and it was given to him to torment men with heat of fire,
9 And men boiled in great heat, and blasphemed the Name of God, which hath power over these plagues, and they repented not to give him glory.
10 [i]And the fifth Angel poured out his vial upon the throne of the beast, and the kingdom waxed dark, and they gnawed their tongues for sorrow.
11 And blasphemed the God of heaven for their pains, and for their sores, and repented not of their works.
12 [j]And the sixth Angel poured out his vial upon the great river [k]Euphrates, and the [l]water thereof dried up, [m]that the way of the Kings of the East should be prepared.
13 And I saw [n]three unclean spirits [o]like frogs come out of the mouth of that [p]dragon, and out of the mouth of that [q]beast, and out of the mouth of that [r]false prophet.
14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, to go unto the kings of the earth, and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
15 [s]((A)Behold I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and men see his filthiness.)
16 [t]And they gathered them together into a place called in Hebrew, [u]Armageddon.
17 [v]And the seventh Angel poured out his vial into the [w]air: and there came a loud voice out of the Temple of heaven from [x]the throne, saying, [y]It is done.
18 [z]And there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, even so mighty an earthquake.
19 [aa]And the great city was divided into three parts: and the cities of the nations [ab]fell: and that great [ac]Babylon came in remembrance before God, (B)to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
20 And every isle fled away, and the mountains [ad]were not [ae]found.
21 [af]And there fell a great hail, like [ag]talents out of heaven upon the men, and men blasphemed God, because of the plague of the hail: for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
Footnotes
- Revelation 16:1 In the former Chapter was set down the preparation unto the work of God: here is delivered the execution thereof. And in this discourse of the execution, is a general commandment, in this verse, then a particular recital in order of the execution done by every of the seven Angels, in the rest of the chapter. This special execution against Antichrist and his crew, doth in manner agree unto that which was generally done upon the whole world, Rev. 8 and 9, and belongeth (if my conjecture fail me not) unto the same time. Yet herein they do differ one from another, that this was particularly effected upon the Princes and ringleaders of the wickedness of the world, the other generally against the whole world being wicked. And therefore these judgments are figured more grievous than those.
- Revelation 16:2 The history of the first Angel, whose plague upon the earth, is described almost in the same words with that sixth plague of the Egyptians, Exod. 9:9. But it doth signify a spiritual ulcer, and that torture or butchery of conscience seared with an hot iron, which accuseth the ungodly within and both by truth of the word (the light whereof God hath now so long showed forth) and by bitterness stirreth up and forceth out the sword of God’s wrath.
- Revelation 16:2 See Rev. 13:16
- Revelation 16:3 The history of the second Angel who troubleth and molesteth the seas, that he may stir up the conscience of men sleeping in their wickedness. See Rev. 8:8.
- Revelation 16:3 It was turned into rotten and filthy blood, such as is in dead bodies.
- Revelation 16:4 The history of the third Angel striking the rivers, in this verse who proclaiming the justice of God, commendeth the same by a most grave comparison of the sins of men with the punishment of God: which is common to this place and that which went before. Wherefore also this praising is attributed to the Angel of the waters, a name common to the second and third Angels according as both of them are said to be sent against the waters, albeit, the one of the sea the other of the rivers, in two verses.
- Revelation 16:7 A confirmation of the praise before going, out of the sanctuary of God, whether immediately by Christ, or by some of his Angels, for Christ also is called another Angel, Rev. 3:8; 7:2; 12:1.
- Revelation 16:8 The history of the fourth Angel, who throweth the plague upon the heaven and upon the Sun, of which Luke 21:26 the effects whereof are noted two. The one peculiar, that it shall scorch men with heat, in this verse. The other proceeding accidentally from the former, that their fury shall so much the more be enraged against God in the next verse, when yet (O wonderful mercy and patience of God) all other creatures are first stricken often and grievously by the hand of God before mankind by whom he is provoked: as the things beforegoing [do] declare.
- Revelation 16:10 The story of the first Angel, who striketh the kingdom of the beast with two plagues abroad with darkness, within which biles and dolors most grievous, throughout his whole kingdom, that thereby he might wound the conscience of the wicked, and punish that most perverse obstinacy of the idolaters, whereof arose perturbation, and thence a furious indignation and desperate madness, raging against God and hurtful unto itself.
- Revelation 16:12 The story of the sixth Angel, divided into his act, and the event thereof. The act is, that the Angel did cast out of his mouth the plague of a most glowing heat, wherewith even the greatest floods, and which most were wont to swell and overflow (as Euphrates) were dried up by the counsel of God in this verse. The event is, that the mere madness wherewith the wicked are enraged, that they may scorn the judgments of God, and abuse them furiously to serve their own turn, and to the executing of their own wicked outrage.
- Revelation 16:12 The bound of the spiritual Babylon, and to the fortresses of the same, Rev. 9:14.
- Revelation 16:12 So the Church of the ungodly, and kingdom of the beast is said to be left naked, all the defenses whereof, in which they put their trust being taken away from it.
- Revelation 16:12 That is, that even they which dwell further off, may with more commodity make haste unto that sacrifice which the Lord hath appointed.
- Revelation 16:13 That is, every of them bent their whole force, and conspired that by wonders, word and work, they might bring into the same destruction all Kings, Princes and Potentates of the world, cursedly bewitched of them by their spirits, and teachers of the vanity and impurity of the beast that committed fornication with the kings of the earth. And this is a right description of our times.
- Revelation 16:13 Croaking with all importunity, and continually day and night provoking and calling forth to arms, as the trumpets, and furies of wars: as is declared in the next verse.
- Revelation 16:13 That is, the devil, as Rev. 11:3
- Revelation 16:13 Whereof Rev. 13:1.
- Revelation 16:13 That is, of that other beast, of which Rev. 13:11, for so he is called also Rev. 19:20 and 20:10.
- Revelation 16:15 A parenthesis for admonition in which God warneth his holy servants who rest in the expectation of Christ, always to address their minds unto his coming, and to look unto themselves, that they be not shamefully made naked and circumvented of these unclean spirits, and so they be miserable unprepared at the coming of their Lord.
- Revelation 16:16 Namely the Angel, who holily according to the commandment of God was to do sacrifice: notwithstanding that those impure spirits do the same wickedly as servants not unto God, but unto that beast that hath seven heads.
- Revelation 16:16 That is, (to say nothing of other expositions) the mountain itself, or mountain places of Megiddo. Now it is certain by the holy Scripture, that Megiddo is a city and territory in the tribe of Manasseh, bordering upon Issachar and Asher, and was made famous by that lamentable overthrow of king Josiah, whereof 2 Kings 23:30; 2 Chron. 37:22; Zech. 12:11. In this mountain country God saith by figure and type, that the kings of the peoples which serve the beast shall meet together: because the Gentiles did always cast that lamentable overthrow in the teeth of the Church of the Jews unto their great reproach: and therefore were persuaded that that place should be most fortunate unto them (as they speak) and unfortunate unto the godly: but God here pronounceth, that that reproach of the Church, and confidence of the ungodly shall by himself be taken away, in the selfsame places where the nations persuaded themselves, they should mightily exult and triumph against God and his Church.
- Revelation 16:17 The story of the seventh Angel unto the end of the chapter, in which first is showed by figure and speech, the argument of this plague, in this verse: and then is declared the execution thereof in the verses following.
- Revelation 16:17 From whence he might move the heaven above and the earth beneath.
- Revelation 16:17 That is, from him that sitteth on the throne, by the figure called Metonymy.
- Revelation 16:17 That is, Babylon is undone, as is showed verse 16 and in the Chapters following. For the first onset (as I might say) of this denunciation, is described in this Chapter: and the last containing a perfect victory is described in those that follow.
- Revelation 16:18 Now is declared the execution (as is said in verse 27) and the things that shall last come to pass in heaven and in earth, before the overthrow of the beast of Babylon: both generally, verse 18, and particularly in the cursed city, and such as have any familiarity therewith, in the 3 last verses.
- Revelation 16:19 That seat or standing place of Antichrist.
- Revelation 16:19 Of all such as cleave unto Antichrist, and fight against Christ.
- Revelation 16:19 That harlot, of whom in the Chapter next following. Now this phrase to come into remembrance is after the common use of the Hebrew speech, but borrowed from men, attributed unto God.
- Revelation 16:20 That is, were seen no more, or were no more extant. A borrowed Hebraism.
- Revelation 16:20 Appeared not, which the Hebrews utter after this sort, were not, Gen. 5:24.
- Revelation 16:21 The manner of the particular execution, most evidently testifying the wrath of God by the original and greatness thereof: the event whereof is the same with that which is, Rev. 9:12, and that which hath been mentioned in this Chapter, from the execution of the fourth Angel hitherto, that is to say, an incorrigible pertinency of the world in their rebellion, and an heart that cannot repent, verses 9 and 11.
- Revelation 16:21 As it were about the weight of a talent was threescore pound, that is, six hundred groats, whereby is signified a marvelous and strange kind of weight.
Revelation 16
New King James Version
The Seven Bowls
16 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying (A)to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the [a]bowls (B)of the wrath of God on the earth.”
First Bowl: Loathsome Sores
2 So the first went and poured out his bowl (C)upon the earth, and a [b]foul and (D)loathsome sore came upon the men (E)who had the mark of the beast and those (F)who worshiped his image.
Second Bowl: The Sea Turns to Blood
3 Then the second angel poured out his bowl (G)on the sea, and (H)it became blood as of a dead man; (I)and every living creature in the sea died.
Third Bowl: The Waters Turn to Blood
4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl (J)on the rivers and springs of water, (K)and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying:
(L)“You are righteous, [c]O Lord,
The One (M)who is and who [d]was and who is to be,
Because You have judged these things.
6 For (N)they have shed the blood (O)of saints and prophets,
(P)And You have given them blood to drink.
[e]For it is their just due.”
7 And I heard [f]another from the altar saying, “Even so, (Q)Lord God Almighty, (R)true and righteous are Your judgments.”
Fourth Bowl: Men Are Scorched
8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl (S)on the sun, (T)and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they (U)blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; (V)and they did not repent (W)and give Him glory.
Fifth Bowl: Darkness and Pain
10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl (X)on the throne of the beast, (Y)and his kingdom became full of darkness; (Z)and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. 11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.
Sixth Bowl: Euphrates Dried Up
12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl (AA)on the great river Euphrates, (AB)and its water was dried up, (AC)so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean (AD)spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of (AE)the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of (AF)the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, (AG)performing signs, which go out to the kings [g]of the earth and of (AH)the whole world, to gather them to (AI)the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
15 (AJ)“Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, (AK)lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”
16 (AL)And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, [h]Armageddon.
Seventh Bowl: The Earth Utterly Shaken
17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, (AM)“It is done!” 18 And (AN)there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; (AO)and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake (AP)as had not occurred since men were on the earth. 19 Now (AQ)the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And (AR)great Babylon (AS)was remembered before God, (AT)to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. 20 Then (AU)every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.
Footnotes
- Revelation 16:1 NU, M seven bowls
- Revelation 16:2 severe and malignant, lit. bad and evil
- Revelation 16:5 NU, M omit O Lord
- Revelation 16:5 NU, M was, the Holy One
- Revelation 16:6 NU, M omit For
- Revelation 16:7 NU, M omit another from
- Revelation 16:14 NU, M omit of the earth and
- Revelation 16:16 Lit. Mount Megiddo; M Megiddo
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
