Fifth Trumpet: The Locusts from the Bottomless Pit

Then the fifth angel sounded: (A)And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to (B)the [a]bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the (C)sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit. Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, (D)as the scorpions of the earth have power. They were commanded (E)not to harm (F)the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have (G)the seal of God on their foreheads. And [b]they were not given authority to kill them, (H)but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. In those days (I)men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them.

(J)The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. (K)On their heads were crowns of something like gold, (L)and their faces were like the faces of men. They had hair like women’s hair, and (M)their teeth were like lions’ teeth. And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was (N)like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle. 10 They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months. 11 And they had as king over them (O)the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is [c]Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name [d]Apollyon.

12 (P)One woe is past. Behold, still two more woes are coming after these things.

Sixth Trumpet: The Angels from the Euphrates

13 Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the (Q)golden altar which is before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound (R)at the great river Euphrates.” 15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a (S)third of mankind. 16 Now (T)the number of the army (U)of the horsemen was two hundred million; (V)I heard the number of them. 17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; (W)and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone. 18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths. 19 For [e]their power is in their mouth and in their tails; (X)for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm.

20 But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, (Y)did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship (Z)demons, (AA)and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. 21 And they did not repent of their murders (AB)or their [f]sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 9:1 Lit. shaft of the abyss
  2. Revelation 9:5 The locusts
  3. Revelation 9:11 Lit. Destruction
  4. Revelation 9:11 Lit. Destroyer
  5. Revelation 9:19 NU, M the power of the horses
  6. Revelation 9:21 NU, M drugs

The Fifth Trumpet: Shaft of the Abyss

Then the (A)fifth angel sounded, and I saw a (B)star from heaven which had fallen to the earth; and the (C)key to the (D)shaft of the abyss was given to him. He opened the shaft of the abyss, and (E)smoke ascended out of the shaft like the smoke of a great furnace; and (F)the sun and the air were darkened from the smoke of the shaft. 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. They were told not to (I)hurt the (J)grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the people who do not have the (K)seal of God on their foreheads. 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 person. And in those days (N)people will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death [e]will flee from them!

The [f](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 human faces. They had hair like the hair of women, and their (P)teeth were like the teeth of lions. They had breastplates like breastplates of iron; and the (Q)sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, of many horses rushing to battle. 10 They have tails like (R)scorpions, and stings; and in their (S)tails is their power to hurt people for (T)five months. 11 They have as king over them, the angel of the (U)abyss; his name in (V)Hebrew is [g](W)Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name [h]Apollyon.

12 (X)The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still coming after these things.

The Sixth Trumpet: Army from the East

13 Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard [i]a voice from the [j]four (Y)horns of the (Z)golden altar which is before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the (AA)four angels who are bound at the (AB)great river Euphrates.” 15 And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were (AC)released, so that they would kill a (AD)third of mankind. 16 The number of the armies of the horsemen was (AE)two hundred million; (AF)I heard the number of them. 17 And this is how I saw (AG)in my vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire, of hyacinth, and of [k](AH)brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and (AI)out of their mouths *came fire and smoke and [l](AJ)brimstone. 18 A (AK)third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the (AL)fire, the smoke, and the [m]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 and have heads, and with them they do harm.

20 The rest of 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, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; 21 and they (AQ)did not repent of their murders, nor of their (AR)witchcraft, nor of their (AS)sexual immorality, nor of their thefts.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 9:3 Lit into
  2. Revelation 9:5 Lit it was given to them
  3. Revelation 9:5 Lit them
  4. Revelation 9:5 Lit strikes
  5. Revelation 9:6 Lit flees (intensive expression)
  6. Revelation 9:7 Lit likenesses
  7. Revelation 9:11 I.e., destruction
  8. Revelation 9:11 I.e., destroyer
  9. Revelation 9:13 Lit one voice
  10. Revelation 9:13 Two early mss do not contain four
  11. Revelation 9:17 I.e., burning sulfur
  12. Revelation 9:17 I.e., burning sulfur
  13. Revelation 9:18 I.e., burning sulfur

The Fifth Trumpet—the Bottomless Pit

Then the fifth angel sounded [his trumpet], and I saw a star (angelic being) that had fallen from heaven to the earth; and the key of the bottomless pit (abyss) was given to him (the star-angel).(A) He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke like the smoke of a great furnace flowed out of the pit; and the sun and the atmosphere were darkened by the smoke from the pit.(B) Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power [to hurt] was given to them, like the power which the earth’s scorpions have.(C) They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but [to hurt] only the people who do not have the seal (mark of ownership, protection) of God on their foreheads.(D) They were not permitted to kill anyone, but to torment and cause them extreme pain for five months; and their torment was like the torment from a scorpion when it stings a man. And in those days people will seek death and will not find it; and they will long to die [to escape the pain], but [will discover that] death evades them.(E)

The locusts resembled horses prepared and equipped for battle; and on their heads appeared to be [something like] golden crowns, and their faces resembled human faces.(F) They had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions.(G) They had breastplates (scales) like breastplates made of iron; and the [whirring] noise of their wings was like the [thunderous] noise of countless horse-drawn chariots charging [at full speed] into battle.(H) 10 They have tails like scorpions, and stingers; and in their tails is their power to hurt people for five months.(I) 11 They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss (the bottomless pit); in Hebrew his name is Abaddon (destruction), and in Greek he is called Apollyon (destroyer-king).

12 The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still coming after these things.

The Sixth Trumpet—Army from the East

13 Then the sixth angel sounded [his trumpet], and I heard a solitary voice from the four horns of the golden altar which stands before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the [appointed] hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. 16 The number of the troops of cavalry was twice ten thousand times ten thousand (two hundred million); I heard the number of them. 17 And this is how I saw the horses and their riders in my vision: the riders had breastplates [the color] of fire and of hyacinth (sapphire blue) and of brimstone (yellow); and the heads of the horses looked like the heads of lions; and from out of their mouths came fire and smoke and brimstone (burning sulfur). 18 A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone that came from the mouths of the horses. 19 For the power of the horses [to do harm] is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and it is with them that they do harm.

20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, [a]did not repent even then of the works of their hands, so as to cease worshiping and paying homage to the demons and the idols of gold and of silver and of bronze and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk;(J) 21 and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries (drugs, intoxications) nor of their [sexual] immorality nor of their thefts.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 9:20 The wickedness of idolatry is so deep and deceptive that idolaters refuse to repent in spite of the overwhelming evidence of God’s displeasure with them (Ps 115:8; 135:18).

The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth.(A) The star was given the key(B) to the shaft of the Abyss.(C) When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace.(D) The sun and sky were darkened(E) by the smoke from the Abyss.(F) And out of the smoke locusts(G) came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions(H) of the earth. They were told not to harm(I) the grass of the earth or any plant or tree,(J) but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.(K) They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months.(L) And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion(M) when it strikes. During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.(N)

The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle.(O) On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces.(P) Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth.(Q) They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle.(R) 10 They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months.(S) 11 They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss,(T) whose name in Hebrew(U) is Abaddon(V) and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).

12 The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.(W)

13 The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the four horns(X) of the golden altar that is before God.(Y) 14 It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels(Z) who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”(AA) 15 And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released(AB) to kill a third(AC) of mankind.(AD) 16 The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number.(AE)

17 The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths(AF) came fire, smoke and sulfur.(AG) 18 A third(AH) of mankind was killed(AI) by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur(AJ) that came out of their mouths. 19 The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.

20 The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent(AK) of the work of their hands;(AL) they did not stop worshiping demons,(AM) and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk.(AN) 21 Nor did they repent(AO) of their murders, their magic arts,(AP) their sexual immorality(AQ) or their thefts.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.

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.

And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.

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.