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.

Babylon, the Prostitute on the Beast

17 One of the seven angels(BL) who had the seven bowls(BM) came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment(BN) of the great prostitute,(BO) who sits by many waters.(BP) With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”(BQ)

Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit(BR) into a wilderness.(BS) There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet(BT) beast that was covered with blasphemous names(BU) and had seven heads and ten horns.(BV) The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls.(BW) She held a golden cup(BX) in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries.(BY) The name written on her forehead was a mystery:(BZ)

babylon the great(CA)

the mother of prostitutes(CB)

and of the abominations of the earth.

I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people,(CC) the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.

When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. Then the angel said to me: “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery(CD) of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns.(CE) The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss(CF) and go to its destruction.(CG) The inhabitants of the earth(CH) whose names have not been written in the book of life(CI) from the creation of the world will be astonished(CJ) when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come.

“This calls for a mind with wisdom.(CK) The seven heads(CL) are seven hills on which the woman sits. 10 They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while. 11 The beast who once was, and now is not,(CM) is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.

12 “The ten horns(CN) you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour(CO) will receive authority as kings along with the beast. 13 They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast.(CP) 14 They will wage war(CQ) against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over(CR) them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings(CS)—and with him will be his called, chosen(CT) and faithful followers.”

15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters(CU) you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.(CV) 16 The beast and the ten horns(CW) you saw will hate the prostitute.(CX) They will bring her to ruin(CY) and leave her naked;(CZ) they will eat her flesh(DA) and burn her with fire.(DB) 17 For God has put it into their hearts(DC) to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to hand over to the beast their royal authority,(DD) until God’s words are fulfilled.(DE) 18 The woman you saw is the great city(DF) that rules over the kings of the earth.”

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 16:21 Or about 45 kilograms

16 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.

And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.

And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.

For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.

And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.

And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.

And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,

11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.

13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth 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 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.

19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

17 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.

And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.

10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

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

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

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

Then the third angel poured out his bowl (J)on the rivers and springs of water, (K)and they became blood. 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.
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.”

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

Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl (S)on the sun, (T)and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 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.

The Scarlet Woman and the Scarlet Beast

17 Then (AV)one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying [i]to me, “Come, (AW)I will show you the judgment of (AX)the great harlot (AY)who sits on many waters, (AZ)with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and (BA)the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”

So he carried me away in the Spirit (BB)into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting (BC)on a scarlet beast which was full of (BD)names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. The woman (BE)was arrayed in purple and scarlet, (BF)and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, (BG)having in her hand a golden cup (BH)full of abominations and the filthiness of [j]her fornication. And on her forehead a name was written:

(BI)MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT,
THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS
AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS
OF THE EARTH.

I saw (BJ)the woman, drunk (BK)with the blood of the saints and with the blood of (BL)the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.

The Meaning of the Woman and the Beast

But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the [k]mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. The beast that you saw was, and is not, and (BM)will ascend out of the bottomless pit and (BN)go to [l]perdition. And those who (BO)dwell on the earth (BP)will marvel, (BQ)whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and [m]yet is.

(BR)“Here is the mind which has wisdom: (BS)The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must (BT)continue a short time. 11 The (BU)beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to [n]perdition.

12 (BV)“The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 (BW)These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will (BX)overcome them, (BY)for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; (BZ)and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”

15 Then he said to me, (CA)“The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, (CB)are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which you [o]saw on the beast, (CC)these will hate the harlot, make her (CD)desolate (CE)and naked, eat her flesh and (CF)burn her with fire. 17 (CG)For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, (CH)until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman whom you saw (CI)is that great city (CJ)which reigns over the kings of the earth.”

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 16:1 NU, M seven bowls
  2. Revelation 16:2 severe and malignant, lit. bad and evil
  3. Revelation 16:5 NU, M omit O Lord
  4. Revelation 16:5 NU, M was, the Holy One
  5. Revelation 16:6 NU, M omit For
  6. Revelation 16:7 NU, M omit another from
  7. Revelation 16:14 NU, M omit of the earth and
  8. Revelation 16:16 Lit. Mount Megiddo; M Megiddo
  9. Revelation 17:1 NU, M omit to me
  10. Revelation 17:4 M the fornication of the earth
  11. Revelation 17:7 hidden truth
  12. Revelation 17:8 destruction
  13. Revelation 17:8 NU, M shall be present
  14. Revelation 17:11 destruction
  15. Revelation 17:16 NU, M saw, and the beast