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  • Revelation Chapter 16

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The seven bowls with the seven last troubles

16 Then I heard a loud voice speak from God's house in heaven. It said to the seven angels, ‘Take your seven bowls that are full of God's anger. Go and pour them out on the earth.’

2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land. As a result, very bad and painful sores appeared on people's skin. Everyone who had the wild animal's mark on them and who worshipped the animal's image had those sores.

3 Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea. As a result, the sea became like the blood of a dead person. Everything that was living in the sea then died.

4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and on the springs of water. As a result, all the water became blood.

5 Then I heard the voice of the angel who had authority over the waters. He said to God,

‘Holy One, you are alive now and you always have been alive.
You are right in everything that you decide.
Now you have judged these people.
6 They have killed your people and your prophets.
They have caused your servants to bleed and to die.
So now you have given these bad people blood to drink.
That is what ought to happen to them. It is right.’

7 Then I heard a voice from the altar in heaven. It said,

‘Yes, Lord God, you have all authority.
When you judge people, it is the punishment that they deserve.’

8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun. God gave authority to the sun so that it burned people with fire. 9 The strong heat burned people and it hurt them very much. As a result, they said bad things against God's name, because he had the power to cause these terrible troubles. But they refused to change how they lived. They refused to agree that God is great.

10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the wild animal. As a result, the whole kingdom that the wild animal ruled became dark. People were biting their tongues because of their great pain. 11 They cursed the God of heaven because of their pain and because of the sores on their skin. But they did not stop doing bad things.

12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great Euphrates river. As a result, the river became dry. This prepared a way for kings from the east to march across it. 13 Then I saw three bad spirits that looked like frogs. One bad spirit came out of the dragon's mouth. [ a ] Another one came out of the first wild animal's mouth. The third one came out of the false prophet's mouth. [ b ] 14 Those bad spirits are the spirits of demons. They had the power to do miracles. They went to all the rulers in the whole world, to bring them together to fight in a big war. That war will happen on the great day of God, who has all power and authority.

15 The Lord says: ‘Listen! I will come secretly, like someone who robs people. If you continue to watch carefully, you will be happy. Keep your clothes with you all the time. Then, when I come, you will not be ashamed because you have no clothes.’ [ c ]

16 Then the bad spirits brought the rulers together to fight in the big war. They came to the place that is called Armageddon in the Hebrew language.

17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air. A voice spoke loudly from the throne in God's house. The voice said, ‘Now it has happened!’ 18 There was a great storm, with bright lightning and loud noises of thunder. The ground shook with a strong earthquake. The earthquake was stronger than anything that had happened since people first lived on the earth. 19 As a result, the great city of Babylon broke into three parts. When the ground shook, it also destroyed the big cities of other nations in the world. God did not forget the evil things that the people of the great city of Babylon had done. So they had to drink wine from the cup of God's great anger.

20 When the ground shook, every island in the sea disappeared. There were no more mountains anywhere. 21 Strong rain with stones of ice fell from the sky. The stones hit people and caused them great pain. The weight of each stone was about 50 kilograms. The people cursed God because the strong rain and the stones of ice caused them to have such terrible pain. [ d ]

Footnotes

  1. 16:13 We read about the dragon in Revelation 12:3 , 4 .
  2. 16:13 The false prophet is probably the same as the second wild animal. See Revelation 13:16-18 .
  3. 16:15 Jesus is telling his people that they must always be ready for him. He will return to this earth. He may come at any time, even at night. See 1 Thessalonians 5:2 . Christians must not be like people who are asleep. People like that will not be ready to get up when he comes. Chapter 16 describes the last set of troubles before the end of the world. It is very important that Christians go on believing Jesus. They must be ready for him during this time.
  4. 16:21 The troubles that the seven bowls bring are the last troubles. They seem to be worse than the troubles that the seven seals or the seven trumpets bring. But the last bowl brings events like those events that come with the last trumpet. See Revelation 11:15-19 . There is a great storm and the ground moves strongly. These events also happen after the last seal becomes open. See Revelation 8:5 . So perhaps these verses are describing the same events in three different ways. Some people think that the events of the first six seals happen before the first six trumpets. After that, the events of the first six bowls happen. Then the last seal, the last trumpet and the last bowl may all show the same events.

The Bowls Filled With God’s Anger

16 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple. It said to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the seven bowls of God’s anger on the earth.”

2 The first angel left. He poured out his bowl on the land. Then all those who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped its idol got sores that were ugly and painful.

3 The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea. Then the sea became blood like a dead man’s blood. And everything living in the sea died.

4 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water. The rivers and the springs of water became blood. 5 Then I heard the angel of the waters say to God,

“You are the one who is and who always was.
You are the Holy One.
You are right in these judgments you have made.
6 The people have spilled the blood
of your holy people and your prophets.
Now you have given those people blood to drink.
This is what they deserve.”

7 And I heard the altar say,

“Yes, Lord God All-Powerful,
your judgments are true and right.”

8 The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun. The sun was given power to burn the people with fire. 9 The people were burned by the great heat. They cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues. But they refused to change their hearts and lives and give glory to God.

10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast. And darkness covered the beast’s kingdom. People bit their tongues because of the pain. 11 They cursed the God of heaven because of their pain and the sores they had. But they refused to change their hearts and turn away from the evil things they did.

12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates. The water in the river was dried up. This prepared the way for the rulers from the east to come. 13 Then I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs. They came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 These evil spirits are the spirits of demons. They have power to do miracles. [ a ] They go out to the rulers of the whole world to gather them for battle on the great day of God All-Powerful.

15 “Listen! I will come at a time you don’t expect, like a thief. Great blessings belong to those who stay awake and keep their clothes with them. They will not have to go without clothes and be ashamed for people to see them.”

16 Then the evil spirits gathered the rulers together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air. Then a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne. It said, “It is finished!” 18 Then there were flashes of lightning, noises, thunder, and a big earthquake. This was the worst earthquake that has ever happened since people have been on earth. 19 The great city split into three parts. The cities of the nations were destroyed. And God did not forget to punish Babylon the Great. He gave that city the cup filled with the wine of his terrible anger. 20 Every island disappeared and there were no more mountains. 21 Giant hailstones fell on the people from the sky. These hailstones weighed almost 100 pounds [ b ] each. People cursed God because of this plague of the hail. It was terrible.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 16:14 miracles False miracles—amazing acts done by the power of the devil.
  2. Revelation 16:21 100 pounds Literally, “ talanton ” or “talent.” A talent was about 27 to 36 kg (60 to 80 pounds).

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.

2 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.

3 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.

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

5 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.

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

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

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

9 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.

The Bowls of Wrath

16 Then I heard a loud voice from ( A ) the [ a ] temple, saying to the ( B ) seven angels, “Go and ( C ) pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”

2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl ( D ) on the earth; and a harmful and painful ( E ) sore [ b ] afflicted the people ( F ) who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.

3 The second angel poured out his bowl ( G ) into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living [ c ] thing in the sea died.

4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the ( H ) rivers and the springs of waters; and they ( I ) became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying, “ ( J ) Righteous are You, ( K ) the One who is and who was, O ( L ) Holy One, because You ( M ) judged these things; 6 for they poured out ( N ) the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them ( O ) blood to drink. They [ d ] deserve it.” 7 And I heard ( P ) the altar saying, “Yes, ( Q ) Lord God, the Almighty, ( R ) true and righteous are Your judgments.”

8 And the fourth angel poured out his bowl upon ( S ) the sun, ( T ) and it was given power to scorch people with fire. 9 And the people were scorched with [ e ] fierce heat; and they ( U ) blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they ( V ) did not repent so as to ( W ) give Him glory.

10 And the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the ( X ) throne of the beast, and his kingdom became ( Y ) darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain, 11 and they ( Z ) blasphemed the ( AA ) God of heaven because of their pain and their ( AB ) sores; and they ( AC ) did not repent of their deeds.

12 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the ( AD ) great river, the Euphrates; and ( AE ) its water was dried up, so that ( AF ) the way would be prepared for the kings ( AG ) from the [ f ] east.

Har-Magedon (Armageddon)

13 And I saw coming out of the mouth of the ( AH ) dragon, and out of the mouth of the ( AI ) beast, and out of the mouth of the ( AJ ) false prophet, three ( AK ) unclean spirits like ( AL ) frogs; 14 for they are ( AM ) spirits of demons, ( AN ) performing signs, which go out to the kings of the ( AO ) entire [ g ] world, to ( AP ) gather them together for the war of the ( AQ ) great day of God, the Almighty. 15 (“Behold, ( AR ) I am coming like a thief. ( AS ) Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, ( AT ) so that he will not walk about naked and people will not see his shame.”) 16 And they ( AU ) gathered them together to the place which ( AV ) in Hebrew is called ( AW ) Har-Magedon.

The Seventh Bowl of Wrath

17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon ( AX ) the air, and a ( AY ) loud voice came out of the [ h ] ( AZ ) temple from the throne, saying, “ ( BA ) It is done.” 18 And there were flashes of ( BB ) lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was ( BC ) a great earthquake, ( BD ) such as there had not been since mankind came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty. 19 ( BE ) The great city [ i ] was split into three parts, and the cities of the [ j ] nations fell. ( BF ) Babylon the great was ( BG ) remembered in the sight of God, to give her ( BH ) the cup of the wine of [ k ] His fierce wrath. 20 And ( BI ) every island fled, and no mountains were found. 21 And ( BJ ) huge [ l ] hailstones, weighing about [ m ] a talent each, *came down from heaven upon people; and people ( BK ) blasphemed God because of the ( BL ) plague of the hail, because [ n ] the hailstone plague *was extremely [ o ] severe.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 16:1 Or sanctuary
  2. Revelation 16:2 Lit came upon
  3. Revelation 16:3 Lit soul
  4. Revelation 16:6 Lit are worthy
  5. Revelation 16:9 Lit great
  6. Revelation 16:12 Lit rising of the sun
  7. Revelation 16:14 Lit inhabited earth
  8. Revelation 16:17 Or sanctuary
  9. Revelation 16:19 Lit became three
  10. Revelation 16:19 Or Gentiles
  11. Revelation 16:19 Lit wrath of His anger
  12. Revelation 16:21 Lit hail
  13. Revelation 16:21 I.e., as a measure of weight about 100 lb. or 45 kg
  14. Revelation 16:21 Lit its plague
  15. Revelation 16:21 Lit great

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 )

2 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 )

3 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 )

4 The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, ( H ) and they became blood. ( I ) 5 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 )
6 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.”

7 And I heard the altar ( O ) respond:

“Yes, Lord God Almighty, ( P )
true and just are your judgments.” ( Q )

8 The fourth angel ( R ) poured out his bowl on the sun, ( S ) and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire. ( T ) 9 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.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 16:21 Or about 45 kilograms