Revelation 16 (NET)

The Bowls of God’s Wrath

1 Then1 I heard a loud voice from the temple declaring to the seven angels: “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls containing God’s wrath.”2 2 So3 the first angel4 went and poured out his bowl on the earth. Then5 ugly and painful sores6 appeared on the people7 who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.

3 Next,8 the second angel9 poured out his bowl on the sea and it turned into blood, like that of a corpse, and every living creature that was in the sea died.

4 Then10 the third angel11 poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into blood. 5 Now12 I heard the angel of the waters saying:

“You are just13 – the one who is and who was,

the Holy One – because you have passed these judgments,14

6 because they poured out the blood of your saints and prophets,

so15 you have given them blood to drink. They got what they deserved!”16

7 Then17 I heard the altar reply,18 “Yes, Lord God, the All-Powerful,19 your judgments are true and just!”

8 Then20 the fourth angel21 poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was permitted to scorch people22 with fire. 9 Thus23 people24 were scorched by the terrible heat,25 yet26 they blasphemed the name of God, who has ruling authority27 over these plagues, and they would not repent and give him glory.

10 Then28 the fifth angel29 poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast so that30 darkness covered his kingdom,31 and people32 began to bite33 their tongues because34 of their pain. 11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their sufferings35 and because of their sores,36 but nevertheless37 they still refused to repent38 of their deeds.

12 Then39 the sixth angel40 poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and dried up its water41 to prepare the way42 for the kings from the east.43 13 Then44 I saw three unclean spirits45 that looked like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are the spirits of the demons performing signs who go out to the kings of the earth46 to bring them together for the battle that will take place on the great day of God, the All-Powerful.47

15 (Look! I will come like a thief!

Blessed is the one who stays alert and does not lose48 his clothes so that he will not have to walk around naked and his shameful condition49 be seen.)50

16 Now51 the spirits52 gathered the kings and their armies53 to the place that is called Armageddon54 in Hebrew.

17 Finally55 the seventh angel56 poured out his bowl into the air and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying: “It is done!” 18 Then57 there were flashes of lightning, roaring,58 and crashes of thunder, and there was a tremendous earthquake – an earthquake unequaled since humanity59 has been on the earth, so tremendous was that earthquake. 19 The60 great city was split into three parts and the cities of the nations61 collapsed.62 So63 Babylon the great was remembered before God, and was given the cup64 filled with the wine made of God’s furious wrath.65 20 Every66 island fled away67 and no mountains could be found.68 21 And gigantic hailstones, weighing about a hundred pounds69 each, fell from heaven70 on people,71 but they72 blasphemed God because of the plague of hail, since it73 was so horrendous.74

1tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative. 2tn Or “anger.” Here τοῦ θυμοῦ (tou qumou) has been translated as a genitive of content. 3tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the directions given by the voice from the temple. 4tn Grk “the first”; the referent (the first angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 5tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. 6tn Or “ulcerated sores”; the term in the Greek text is singular but is probably best understood as a collective singular. 7tn Grk ‘the men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women. 8tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “next” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. 9tn Grk “the second”; the referent (the second angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 10tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. 11tn Grk “the third”; the referent (the third angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 12tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the somewhat parenthetical nature of the remarks that follow. 13tn Or “righteous,” although the context favors justice as the theme. 14tn Or “because you have judged these things.” The pronoun ταῦτα (tauta) is neuter gender. 15tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate that this judgment is the result of what these wicked people did to the saints and prophets. 16tn Grk “They are worthy”; i.e., of this kind of punishment. By extension, “they got what they deserve.” 17tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. 18tn Grk “the altar saying.” 19tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(ὁ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π. …Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22.” 20tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. 21tn Grk “the fourth”; the referent (the fourth angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 22tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women. 23tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “thus” to indicate the implied result of the bowl poured on the sun. 24tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women. 25tn On this phrase BDAG 536 s.v. καῦμα states, “burning, heat Rv 7:16…καυματίζεσθαι κ. μέγα be burned with a scorching heat 16:9.” 26tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context. 27tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35. 28tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. 29tn Grk “the fifth”; the referent (the fifth angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 30tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so that” to indicate the implied result of the fifth bowl being poured out. 31tn Grk “his kingdom became dark.” 32tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women. 33tn On this term BDAG 620 s.v. μασάομαι states, “bite w. acc. τὰς γλώσσας bite their tongues Rv 16:10.” 34tn The preposition ἐκ (ek) has been translated here and twice in the following verse with a causal sense. 35tn Grk “pains” (the same term in Greek [πόνος, ponos] as the last word in v. 11, here translated “sufferings” because it is plural). BDAG 852 s.v. 2 states, “ἐκ τοῦ π. in pain…Rv 16:10; pl. (Gen 41:51; Jos., C. Ap. 2, 146; Test. Jud. 18:4) ἐκ τῶν π. …because of their sufferings vs. 11.” 36tn Or “ulcerated sores” (see 16:2). 37tn Grk “and they did not repent.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but nevertheless” to express the contrast here. 38tn Grk “they did not repent” The addition of “still refused” reflects the hardness of people’s hearts in the context. 39tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. 40tn Grk “the sixth”; the referent (the sixth angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 41tn Grk “and its water was dried up.” Here the passive construction has been translated as an active one. 42tn Grk “in order that the way might be prepared.” Here the passive construction has been translated as an active one. 43tn Grk “from the rising of the sun.” BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατολή 2.a takes this as a geographical direction: “ἀπὸ ἀ. ἡλίου…from the east Rv 7:2; 16:12; simply ἀπὸ ἀ. …21:13.” 44tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. 45sn According to the next verse, these three unclean spirits are spirits of demons. 46tn BDAG 699 s.v. οἰκουμένη 1 states, “the inhabited earth, the world…ὅλη ἡ οἰκ. the whole inhabited earth…Mt 24:14; Ac 11:28; Rv 3:10; 16:14.” 47tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(ὁ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π. …Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22.” 48tn Grk “and keeps.” BDAG 1002 s.v. τηρέω 2.c states “of holding on to someth. so as not to give it up or lose it…τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ Rv 16:15 (or else he will have to go naked).” 49tn On the translation of ἀσχημοσύνη (aschmosunh) as “shameful condition” see L&N 25.202. The indefinite third person plural (“and they see”) has been translated as a passive here. 50sn These lines are parenthetical, forming an aside to the narrative. The speaker here is the Lord Jesus Christ himself rather than the narrator. Many interpreters have seen this verse as so abrupt that it could not be an original part of the work, but the author has used such asides before (1:7; 14:13) and the suddenness here (on the eve of Armageddon) is completely parallel to Jesus’ warning in Mark 13:15-16 and parallels. 51tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the resumption and conclusion of the remarks about the pouring out of the sixth bowl. 52tn Grk “they”; the referent (the demonic spirits, v. 14) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 53tn Grk “gathered them”; the referent (the kings and [implied] their armies, v. 14) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 54tc There are many variations in the spelling of this name among the Greek mss, although ῾Αρμαγεδών (&armagedwn) has the best support. The usual English spelling is Armageddon, used in the translation.tn Or “Harmagedon” (a literal transliteration of the Greek), or “Har-Magedon” (NASB), meaning “the Mount of Magedon” in Hebrew. 55tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “finally” to indicate the conclusion of the seven bowl judgments. 56tn Grk “the seventh”; the referent (the seventh angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 57tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. 58tn Or “sounds,” “voices.” It is not entirely clear what this refers to. BDAG 1071 s.v. φωνή 1 states, “In Rv we have ἀστραπαὶ καὶ φωναὶ καὶ βρονταί (cp. Ex 19:16) 4:5; 8:5; 11:19; 16:18 (are certain other sounds in nature thought of here in addition to thunder, as e.g. the roar of the storm?…).” 59tn The singular ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used generically here to refer to the human race. 60tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. 61tn Or “of the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”). 62tn Grk “fell.” 63tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Babylon’s misdeeds (see Rev 14:8). 64tn Grk “the cup of the wine of the anger of the wrath of him.” The concatenation of four genitives has been rendered somewhat differently by various translations (see the note on the word “wrath”). 65tn Following BDAG 461 s.v. θυμός 2, the combination of the genitives of θυμός (qumo") and ὀργή (orgh) in Rev 16:19 and 19:15 are taken to be a strengthening of the thought as in the OT and Qumran literature (Exod 32:12; Jer 32:37; Lam 2:3; CD 10:9). Thus in Rev 14:8 (to which the present passage alludes) and 18:3 there is irony: The wine of immoral behavior with which Babylon makes the nations drunk becomes the wine of God’s wrath for her. 66tn Grk “And every.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. 67tn Or “vanished.” 68sn Every island fled away and no mountains could be found. Major geographical and topographical changes will accompany the Day of the Lord. 69tn Here BDAG 988 s.v. ταλαντιαῖος states, “weighing a talent…χάλαζα μεγάλη ὡς ταλαντιαία a severe hailstorm with hailstones weighing a talent (the talent=125 librae, or Roman pounds of c. 343 gr. or 12 ounces each) (weighing about a hundred pounds NRSV) Rv 16:21.” This means each hailstone would weigh just under 100 pounds or 40 kilograms. 70tn Or “the sky.” Due to the apocalyptic nature of this book, it is probably best to leave the translation as “from heaven,” since God is ultimately the source of the judgment. 71tn Grk “on men,” but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used here in a generic sense to refer to people in general (the hailstones did not single out adult males, but would have also fallen on women and children). 72tn Grk “the men”; for stylistic reasons the pronoun “they” is used here. 73tn Grk “the plague of it.” 74tn Grk “since the plague of it was exceedingly great.”