Revelation 16
Good News Translation
The Bowls of God's Anger
16 Then I heard a loud voice speaking from the temple to the seven angels: “Go and pour out the seven bowls of God's anger on the earth!”
2 (A)The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth. Terrible and painful sores appeared on those who had the mark of the beast and on those who had worshiped its image.
3 Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea. The water became like the blood of a dead person, and every living creature in the sea died.
4 (B)Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into blood. 5 I heard the angel in charge of the waters say, “The judgments you have made are just, O Holy One, you who are and who were! 6 They poured out the blood of God's people and of the prophets, and so you have given them blood to drink. They are getting what they deserve!” 7 Then I heard a voice from the altar saying, “Lord God Almighty! True and just indeed are your judgments!”
8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to burn people with its fiery heat. 9 They were burned by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God, who has authority over these plagues. But they would not turn from their sins and praise his greatness.
10 (C)Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast. Darkness fell over the beast's kingdom, and people bit their tongues because of their pain, 11 and they cursed the God of heaven for their pains and sores. But they did not turn from their evil ways.
12 (D)Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great Euphrates River. The river dried up, to provide a way for the kings who come from the east. 13 Then I saw three unclean spirits that looked like frogs. They were coming out of the mouth of the dragon, the mouth of the beast, and the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are the spirits of demons that perform miracles. These three spirits go out to all the kings of the world, to bring them together for the battle on the great Day of Almighty God.
15 (E)“Listen! I am coming like a thief! Happy is he who stays awake and guards his clothes, so that he will not walk around naked and be ashamed in public!”
16 (F)Then the spirits brought the kings together in the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.
17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl in the air. A loud voice came from the throne in the temple, saying, “It is done!” 18 (G)There were flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder, and a terrible earthquake. There has never been such an earthquake since the creation of human beings; this was the worst earthquake of all! 19 (H)The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of all countries were destroyed. God remembered great Babylon and made her drink the wine from his cup—the wine of his furious anger. 20 (I)All the islands disappeared, all the mountains vanished. 21 (J)Huge hailstones, each weighing as much as a hundred pounds, fell from the sky on people, who cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because it was such a terrible plague.
Revelation 16
Holman Christian Standard Bible
The First Bowl
16 Then I heard a loud voice from the sanctuary saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the seven[a] bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.” 2 The first went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and severely painful sores[b](A) broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.
The Second Bowl
3 The second[c] poured out his bowl into the sea. It turned to blood like a dead man’s, and all life[d] in the sea died.(B)
The Third Bowl
4 The third[e] poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood.(C) 5 I heard the angel of the waters say:
You are righteous,
who is and who was,(D) the Holy One,
for You have decided these things.
6 Because they poured out
the blood of the saints and the prophets,
You also gave them blood to drink;
they deserve it!(E)
7 Then I heard someone from the altar say:
Yes, Lord God, the Almighty,
true and righteous are Your judgments.(F)
The Fourth Bowl
8 The fourth[f] poured out his bowl on the sun. He[g] was given the power[h] to burn people with fire, 9 and people were burned by the intense heat. So they blasphemed the name of God,(G) who had the power[i] over these plagues, and they did not repent and give Him glory.
The Fifth Bowl
10 The fifth[j] poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast,(H) and his kingdom was plunged into darkness.(I) People[k] gnawed their tongues because of their pain 11 and blasphemed the God of heaven(J) because of their pains and their sores, yet they did not repent of their actions.
The Sixth Bowl
12 The sixth[l] poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates,(K) 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(L) coming from the dragon’s mouth,(M) from the beast’s mouth,(N) and from the mouth of the false prophet.(O) 14 For they are spirits of demons performing signs,(P) who travel to the kings of the whole world to assemble them for the battle of the great day of God, the Almighty.(Q)
15 “Look, I am coming like a thief. The one who is alert and remains clothed[m](R) so that he may not go around naked and people see his shame(S) is blessed.”(T)
16 So they assembled them at the place called in Hebrew, Armagedon.[n][o](U)
The Seventh Bowl
17 Then the seventh[p] poured out his bowl into the air,[q] and a loud voice came out of the sanctuary[r](V) 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.(W) 19 The great city(X) split into three parts, and the cities of the nations[s] fell. Babylon the Great was remembered in God’s presence; He gave her the cup filled with the wine of His fierce anger.(Y) 20 Every island fled, and the mountains disappeared.[t](Z) 21 Enormous hailstones, each weighing about 100 pounds,[u] fell from the sky on people, and they blasphemed God(AA) for the plague of hail because that plague was extremely severe.(AB)
Footnotes
- Revelation 16:1 Other mss omit seven
- Revelation 16:2 Lit and a severely painful sore
- Revelation 16:3 Other mss add angel
- Revelation 16:3 Lit and every soul of life
- Revelation 16:4 Other mss add angel
- Revelation 16:8 Other mss add angel
- Revelation 16:8 Or It
- Revelation 16:8 Or authority
- Revelation 16:9 Or authority
- Revelation 16:10 Other mss add angel
- Revelation 16:10 Lit They
- Revelation 16:12 Other mss add angel
- Revelation 16:15 Or and guards his clothes
- Revelation 16:16 Other mss read Armageddon; other mss read Harmegedon; other mss read Mageddon; other mss read Magedon
- Revelation 16:16 Traditionally the hill of Megiddo, a great city that guarded the pass between the coast and the valley of Jezreel or Esdraelon; Jdg 5:19; 2Kg 9:27
- Revelation 16:17 Other mss add angel
- Revelation 16:17 Or on the air
- Revelation 16:17 Other mss add of heaven
- Revelation 16:19 Or the Gentile cities
- Revelation 16:20 Lit mountains were not found
- Revelation 16:21 Lit about a talent; talents varied in weight upwards from 75 pounds
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.
