Revelation 16:12-16
New English Translation
12 Then[a] the sixth angel[b] poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and dried up its water[c] to prepare the way[d] for the kings from the east.[e] 13 Then[f] I saw three unclean spirits[g] that looked like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are the spirits of the demons performing signs who go out to the kings of the earth[h] to bring them together for the battle that will take place on the great day of God, the All-Powerful.[i]
15 (Look ! I will come like a thief!
Blessed is the one who stays alert and does not lose[j] his clothes so that he will not have to walk around naked and his shameful condition[k] be seen.)[l]
16 Now[m] the spirits[n] gathered the kings and their armies[o] to the place that is called Armageddon[p] in Hebrew.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Revelation 16:12 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
- Revelation 16:12 tn Grk “the sixth”; the referent (the sixth angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Revelation 16:12 tn Grk “and its water was dried up.” Here the passive construction has been translated as an active one.
- Revelation 16:12 tn Grk “in order that the way might be prepared.” Here the passive construction has been translated as an active one.
- Revelation 16:12 tn Grk “from the rising of the sun.” BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατολή 2.a takes this as a geographical direction: “ἀπὸ ἀ. ἡλίου…from the east Rv 7:2; 16:12; simply ἀπὸ ἀ.…21:13.”
- Revelation 16:13 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
- Revelation 16:13 sn According to the next verse, these three unclean spirits are spirits of demons.
- Revelation 16:14 tn BDAG 699 s.v. οἰκουμένη 1 states, “the inhabited earth, the world…ὅλη ἡ οἰκ. the whole inhabited earth…Mt 24:14; Ac 11:28; Rv 3:10; 16:14.”
- Revelation 16:14 tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(ὁ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π.…Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22.”
- Revelation 16:15 tn Grk “and keeps.” BDAG 1002 s.v. τηρέω 2.c states “of holding on to someth. so as not to give it up or lose it…τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ Rv 16:15 (or else he will have to go naked).”
- Revelation 16:15 tn On the translation of ἀσχημοσύνη (aschēmosunē) as “shameful condition” see L&N 25.202. The indefinite third person plural (“and they see”) has been translated as a passive here.
- Revelation 16:15 sn These lines are parenthetical, forming an aside to the narrative. The speaker here is the Lord Jesus Christ himself rather than the narrator. Many interpreters have seen this verse as so abrupt that it could not be an original part of the work, but the author has used such asides before (1:7; 14:13) and the suddenness here (on the eve of Armageddon) is completely parallel to Jesus’ warning in Mark 13:15-16 and parallels.
- Revelation 16:16 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the resumption and conclusion of the remarks about the pouring out of the sixth bowl.
- Revelation 16:16 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the demonic spirits, v. 14) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Revelation 16:16 tn Grk “gathered them”; the referent (the kings and [implied] their armies, v. 14) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Revelation 16:16 tc There are many variations in the spelling of this name among the Greek mss, although ῾Αρμαγεδών (harmagedōn) has the best support. The usual English spelling is Armageddon, used in the translation.tn Or “Harmagedon” (a literal transliteration of the Greek), or “Har-Magedon” (NASB), meaning “the Mount of Magedon” in Hebrew.
Revelation 16:12-16
Christian Standard Bible
The Sixth Bowl
12 The sixth[a] poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates,(A) and its water was dried up(B) to prepare the way for the kings from the east. 13 Then I saw three unclean spirits like frogs(C) coming from the dragon’s mouth,(D) from the beast’s mouth,(E) and from the mouth of the false prophet.(F) 14 For they are demonic spirits performing signs,(G) who travel to the kings of the whole world to assemble them(H) for the battle on the great day of God, the Almighty.(I) 15 “Look, I am coming like a thief. Blessed(J) is the one who is alert and remains clothed[b](K) so that he may not go around naked and people see his shame.”(L) 16 So they assembled the kings at the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.[c](M)
Read full chapterNET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.