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 Seven Bowls

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

First Bowl: Loathsome Sores

So the first went and poured out his bowl (C)upon the earth, and a [b]foul and (D)loathsome sore came upon the men (E)who had the mark of the beast and those (F)who worshiped his image.

Second Bowl: The Sea Turns to Blood

Then the second angel poured out his bowl (G)on the sea, and (H)it became blood as of a dead man; (I)and every living creature in the sea died.

Third Bowl: The Waters Turn to Blood

Then the third angel poured out his bowl (J)on the rivers and springs of water, (K)and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters saying:

(L)“You are righteous, [c]O Lord,
The One (M)who is and who [d]was and who is to be,
Because You have judged these things.
For (N)they have shed the blood (O)of saints and prophets,
(P)And You have given them blood to drink.
[e]For it is their just due.”

And I heard [f]another from the altar saying, “Even so, (Q)Lord God Almighty, (R)true and righteous are Your judgments.”

Fourth Bowl: Men Are Scorched

Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl (S)on the sun, (T)and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and they (U)blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; (V)and they did not repent (W)and give Him glory.

Fifth Bowl: Darkness and Pain

10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl (X)on the throne of the beast, (Y)and his kingdom became full of darkness; (Z)and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. 11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.

Sixth Bowl: Euphrates Dried Up

12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl (AA)on the great river Euphrates, (AB)and its water was dried up, (AC)so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean (AD)spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of (AE)the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of (AF)the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, (AG)performing signs, which go out to the kings [g]of the earth and of (AH)the whole world, to gather them to (AI)the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

15 (AJ)“Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, (AK)lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”

16 (AL)And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, [h]Armageddon.

Seventh Bowl: The Earth Utterly Shaken

17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, (AM)“It is done!” 18 And (AN)there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; (AO)and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake (AP)as had not occurred since men were on the earth. 19 Now (AQ)the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And (AR)great Babylon (AS)was remembered before God, (AT)to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. 20 Then (AU)every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.

The Scarlet Woman and the Scarlet Beast

17 Then (AV)one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying [i]to me, “Come, (AW)I will show you the judgment of (AX)the great harlot (AY)who sits on many waters, (AZ)with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and (BA)the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”

So he carried me away in the Spirit (BB)into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting (BC)on a scarlet beast which was full of (BD)names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. The woman (BE)was arrayed in purple and scarlet, (BF)and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, (BG)having in her hand a golden cup (BH)full of abominations and the filthiness of [j]her fornication. And on her forehead a name was written:

(BI)MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT,
THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS
AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS
OF THE EARTH.

I saw (BJ)the woman, drunk (BK)with the blood of the saints and with the blood of (BL)the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.

The Meaning of the Woman and the Beast

But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the [k]mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. The beast that you saw was, and is not, and (BM)will ascend out of the bottomless pit and (BN)go to [l]perdition. And those who (BO)dwell on the earth (BP)will marvel, (BQ)whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and [m]yet is.

(BR)“Here is the mind which has wisdom: (BS)The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must (BT)continue a short time. 11 The (BU)beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to [n]perdition.

12 (BV)“The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 (BW)These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will (BX)overcome them, (BY)for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; (BZ)and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”

15 Then he said to me, (CA)“The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, (CB)are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. 16 And the ten horns which you [o]saw on the beast, (CC)these will hate the harlot, make her (CD)desolate (CE)and naked, eat her flesh and (CF)burn her with fire. 17 (CG)For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, (CH)until the words of God are fulfilled. 18 And the woman whom you saw (CI)is that great city (CJ)which reigns over the kings of the earth.”

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 16:1 NU, M seven bowls
  2. Revelation 16:2 severe and malignant, lit. bad and evil
  3. Revelation 16:5 NU, M omit O Lord
  4. Revelation 16:5 NU, M was, the Holy One
  5. Revelation 16:6 NU, M omit For
  6. Revelation 16:7 NU, M omit another from
  7. Revelation 16:14 NU, M omit of the earth and
  8. Revelation 16:16 Lit. Mount Megiddo; M Megiddo
  9. Revelation 17:1 NU, M omit to me
  10. Revelation 17:4 M the fornication of the earth
  11. Revelation 17:7 hidden truth
  12. Revelation 17:8 destruction
  13. Revelation 17:8 NU, M shall be present
  14. Revelation 17:11 destruction
  15. Revelation 17:16 NU, M saw, and the beast

Bible Gateway Recommends