Then war broke out in heaven. Michael(A) and his angels fought against the dragon,(B) and the dragon and his angels(C) fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent(D) called the devil,(E) or Satan,(F) who leads the whole world astray.(G) He was hurled to the earth,(H) and his angels with him.

10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven(I) say:

“Now have come the salvation(J) and the power
    and the kingdom of our God,
    and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,(K)
    who accuses them before our God day and night,
    has been hurled down.
11 They triumphed over(L) him
    by the blood of the Lamb(M)
    and by the word of their testimony;(N)
they did not love their lives so much
    as to shrink from death.(O)
12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens(P)
    and you who dwell in them!
But woe(Q) to the earth and the sea,(R)
    because the devil has gone down to you!
He is filled with fury,
    because he knows that his time is short.”

13 When the dragon(S) saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.(T) 14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle,(U) so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time,(V) out of the serpent’s reach. 15 Then from his mouth the serpent(W) spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.

Read full chapter

Bible Gateway Recommends