Revelation Chapter 16 KJV
King James Version, Holy Bible
1 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.
Revelation Chapter 16 (New Testament)
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.
Revelation Chapter 16 (New Testament)
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.
| Greek Word + Transliteration | Verse + Snippet | Meaning | Scholarly Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| φιάλη — phialē | Verse 1 — “Pour out the bowls of wrath…” | “Bowl,” shallow vessel. | Phialē (“bowl”) denotes a broad, shallow vessel (“bowl”). It symbolizes rapid and complete outpouring. The term intensifies the immediacy of judgment. — Joseph Henry Thayer, Greek-English Lexicon (1889) |
| θυμός — thymos | Verse 1 — “…the wrath of God…” | “Fury,” burning anger. | Thymos (“fury”) expresses intense divine indignation (“wrath/fury”). This wrath is controlled, righteous, and purposeful. The term highlights the holiness of God against evil. — Richard C. Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament (1896) |
| ἕλκος — helkos | Verse 2 — “…a grievous sore…” | “Ulcer,” wound. | Helkos (“ulcer”) describes painful affliction (“sore/wound”). It echoes Old Testament plagues. The term embodies physical judgment. — James Hastings, Dictionary of the Bible (1898) |
| αἷμα — haima | Verse 3 — “…became as the blood of a dead man…” | “Blood,” lifeblood. | Haima (“blood”) symbolizes death and judgment (“blood”). Its appearance in the sea signifies total corruption. The term increases the severity of divine punishment. — Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary (1884) |
| πυρόω — pyroō | Verse 8 — “…men were scorched with great heat…” | “Burn,” inflame. | Pyroō (“to burn”) reflects consuming fire (“scorch/burn”). It reveals judgment through natural forces. The term shows creation acting as instrument of justice. — Thayer, Lexicon (1889) |
| βλασφημέω — blasphēmeō | Verse 9 — “…blasphemed the name of God…” | “Revile,” speak evil. | Blasphēmeō (“to blaspheme”) conveys hardened rebellion (“revile/blaspheme”). Suffering does not soften their hearts. The term illustrates willful defiance. — Philip Schaff, Commentary on Revelation (1882) |
| σκότος — skotos | Verse 10 — “…his kingdom was full of darkness…” | “Darkness,” obscurity. | Skotos (“darkness”) expresses physical and spiritual blindness (“darkness”). It symbolizes the collapse of antichristic rule. The term reveals judgment through deprivation. — B. F. Westcott, Revelation of the Risen Lord (1898) |
| ξηραίνω — xērainō | Verse 12 — “…the water thereof was dried up…” | “Dry up,” wither. | Xērainō (“to dry up”) signals removal of natural barriers (“dry up”). It prepares the way for climactic conflict. The term portrays providential direction. — Joseph Henry Thayer, Lexicon (1889) |
| πνεῦμα — pneuma | Verse 13 — “…three unclean spirits…” | “Spirit,” breath/being. | Pneuma (“spirit”) refers to demonic personalities (“spirit”). It unveils supernatural deception. The term highlights unseen warfare. — Richard Trench, Synonyms (1896) |
| γίνομαι — ginomai | Verse 17 — “…It is done.” | “Become,” come to pass. | Ginomai (“to become/be accomplished”) marks finality (“come to pass”). God’s wrath reaches completion. The term signals eschatological climax. — Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary (1884) |
Biblical Scholars On This Chapter:
| Scholar | Work | View on Chapter 16 |
|---|---|---|
| R. H. Charles (University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, 1855–1931) | The Revelation of St. John | The seven bowls depict the full execution of divine judgment and the moral consequences of human rebellion. |
| Adolf von Harnack (University of Berlin, Germany, 1851–1930) | History of Dogma | Harnack interprets the plagues as symbolic warnings against sin, emphasizing divine justice. |
| A. T. Robertson (Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, United States, 1863–1934) | Word Pictures in the New Testament | Robertson highlights the dramatic and symbolic nature of the punishments, reflecting eschatological themes. |
| Alfred Plummer (University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, 1841–1926) | A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Revelation of St. John | Plummer notes the chapter’s narrative as both a theological warning and moral instruction. |
| William Rainey Harper (University of Chicago, United States, 1856–1906) | Hebrew Bible Studies | Harper emphasizes the interplay between divine wrath and the ultimate vindication of righteousness. |
Revelation Chapter 16
Verse: "Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!”" (Revelation 16:17)
Lesson: This chapter describes the final judgments of God upon the earth before the second coming of Jesus Christ. The pouring out of the seven bowls of God's wrath symbolizes the punishment of those who have rejected Him and refused to repent. It is a solemn reminder that God is a just God who will not allow sin to go unpunished.
Conclusion: As believers, we must take sin seriously and seek to live a life that is pleasing to God. We must also have a sense of urgency in sharing the Gospel with those who have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. The judgments described in this chapter serve as a warning to all who have not yet repented and turned to God.
What's Next? Read Our Bible Verses About Life With Purpose and Encouragement
Prayer Points: Let us pray for a renewed sense of urgency in sharing the Gospel with others. Let us also pray for those who have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior, that they would come to know Him before it is too late.
What's Next? Get A Piano Lesson in Houston or Online from The Alive Christians' School of Music
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