Revelation 9
Expanded Bible
9 Then the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fall from ·the sky [or heaven] to the earth. The star was given the key to the ·deep hole [shaft] ·that leads to the bottomless pit [L of the Abyss; C the place of the dead and/or a prison for fallen angels; Luke 8:31; Rom. 10:7]. 2 Then ·it [or he] opened up the ·hole that leads to the bottomless pit [shaft of the Abyss], and smoke came up from the ·hole [shaft] like smoke from a ·big [great; giant] furnace. Then the sun and ·sky [air] became dark because of the smoke from the ·hole [shaft]. 3 Then locusts came down to the earth out of the smoke [C similar to the eighth Egyptian plague; Ex. 10:1–20; see also Joel 1:2—2:10], and they were given the power ·to sting like [L like the power of] scorpions [L of the earth]. 4 They were told not to ·harm [damage] the grass on the earth or any ·plant [greenery] or tree. They could ·harm [damage] only the people who did not have the ·sign [seal] of God on their foreheads [7:3]. 5 These locusts were not ·given the power [permitted] to kill anyone, but to ·cause pain to [torture; torment] the people for five months [C perhaps referring to the limited life span of a locust]. And ·the pain they felt was like the pain a scorpion gives [L their torture/torment was like the torture/torment of a scorpion] when it stings someone. 6 During those days people will ·look for a way to die [L seek death], but they will not find it. They will ·want [long; desire] to die, but death will ·run away [flee] from them.
7 The locusts looked like horses ·prepared [equipped; trained] for battle [Joel 2:4]. On their heads they wore what looked like crowns of gold [C indicating their victory; 2:10], and their faces looked like human faces. 8 Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth [Joel 1:6]. 9 Their chests looked like iron breastplates, and the sound of their wings was like the noise of many horses and chariots ·hurrying [charging; running] into battle [Joel 2:5]. 10 The locusts had tails with stingers like scorpions, and in their tails was their ·power [authority] to ·hurt [damage; harm] people for five months. 11 The locusts had a king who was the ·angel [or messenger] of the ·bottomless pit [L Abyss; 9:1]. His name in the Hebrew language is Abaddon and in the Greek language is Apollyon [C both mean “Destroyer”; perhaps a reference to Satan].
12 The first ·trouble [L woe] is past; there are still two other ·troubles [L woes] that will come [8:13].
13 Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the horns [C some ancient manuscripts specify that there are four horns; protrusions on the four corners of the altar symbolizing God’s strength] on the golden altar [C the incense altar; Ex. 30:1–10] that is before God. 14 The voice said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “·Free [Release] the four angels who are ·tied [bound] at the great river Euphrates [7:1].” 15 And they ·let loose [released] the four angels who had been ·kept ready [prepared] for this hour and day and month and year so they could kill a third of ·all people on the earth [L humanity; mankind]. 16 I heard how many troops on horses were in their army—two hundred million.
17 The horses and their riders I saw in the vision looked like this: They had breastplates that were fiery red, dark blue [L hyacinth-colored], and yellow like sulfur [brimstone]. The heads of the horses looked like heads of lions, with fire, smoke, and sulfur coming out of their mouths. 18 A third of ·all the people on earth [humanity; mankind] were killed by these three ·terrible disasters [plagues] coming out of the horses’ mouths: the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur. 19 The horses’ ·power [authority] was in their mouths and in their tails; their tails were like snakes with heads [12:9; Gen. 3:1–7], and with them they ·hurt [damaged; injured; wounded] people.
20 The ·other [rest of the] people who were not killed by these ·terrible disasters [plagues] still did not ·change their hearts and turn away from what they had made with their own hands [L repent from the works of their hands]. They did not stop worshiping demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood—things that cannot see or hear or walk [Ps. 115:4–7; 135:17; Jer. 10:1–16]. 21 These people did not ·change their hearts and turn away from [repent of] murder or ·evil magic [sorcery], from their ·sexual sins [fornication] or stealing.
Revelation 9
Legacy Standard Bible
9 Then the (A)fifth angel sounded. Then I saw a (B)star from heaven which had fallen to the earth, and the (C)key of the (D)pit of the abyss was given to him. 2 And he opened the pit of the abyss and (E)smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace, and (F)the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke came (G)locusts [a]upon the earth, and power was given them, as the (H)scorpions of the earth have power. 4 And they were told not to (I)hurt the (J)grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the (K)seal of God on their foreheads. 5 And [b]they were not permitted to kill [c]anyone, but to torment for (L)five months, and their torment was like the torment of a (M)scorpion when it [d]stings a man. 6 And in those days (N)men will seek death and will never find it; they will long to die, and death flees from them.
7 And the [e](O)appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. And on their heads appeared to be crowns like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men. 8 And they had hair like the hair of women, and their (P)teeth were like the teeth of lions. 9 And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the (Q)sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses running to battle. 10 And they have tails like (R)scorpions, and stings; and in their (S)tails is their power to hurt men for (T)five months. 11 They have as king over them, the angel of the (U)abyss. His name in (V)Hebrew is [f](W)Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name [g]Apollyon.
12 (X)One woe is past; behold, two woes are still coming after these things.
13 Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard [h]a voice from the [i]four (Y)horns of the (Z)golden altar which is before God, 14 one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the (AA)four angels who have been bound at the (AB)great river Euphrates.” 15 And the four angels were (AC)released, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, so that they would kill a (AD)third of [j]mankind. 16 And the number of the armies of the horsemen was (AE)two hundred million; (AF)I heard the number of them. 17 And [k]this is how I saw (AG)in the vision the horses and those who sit on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of [l](AH)brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and (AI)out of their mouths come fire and smoke and [m](AJ)brimstone. 18 A (AK)third of [n]mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the (AL)fire and the smoke and the [o]brimstone which came out of their mouths. 19 For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads, and with them they do harm.
20 And the rest of [p]mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, (AM)did not repent of (AN)the works of their hands, so as not to (AO)worship demons, and (AP)the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. 21 And they (AQ)did not repent of their murders nor of their (AR)sorceries nor of their (AS)sexual immorality nor of their thefts.
Footnotes
- Revelation 9:3 Lit into
- Revelation 9:5 Lit it was given to them that they might not kill them
- Revelation 9:5 Lit them
- Revelation 9:5 Lit strikes
- Revelation 9:7 Lit likenesses
- Revelation 9:11 Destruction
- Revelation 9:11 Destroyer
- Revelation 9:13 Lit one voice
- Revelation 9:13 Two early mss omit four
- Revelation 9:15 Gr anthropoi
- Revelation 9:17 Lit thus I saw
- Revelation 9:17 Burning sulfur
- Revelation 9:17 Burning sulfur
- Revelation 9:18 Gr anthropoi
- Revelation 9:18 Burning sulfur
- Revelation 9:20 Gr anthropoi
Revelation 9
King James Version
9 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
12 One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.
13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
18 By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.
20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
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