King James Version
Revelation 16
21 verses with commentary
The Seven Bowls of God's Wrath
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.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>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....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seven bowls of wrath - final judgments, battle of armageddon, babylon's fall announced employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. The Greek text uses vivid...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
XVI.
THE SEVEN VIALS.
(1) **And I heard . . .**—A great voice is heard out of the temple; it bids the angels pour out their vials “into the earth;” later on (Revelation 16:17) the voice is heard saying, “It is done.” The voice is then said to come from the throne; it seems likely that the voice of the first verse is the same—the divine voice from the throne itself.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**17. But; beloved ... ye--**in contrast to those reprobates, Jude 20, again.
**remember--**implying that his readers had been contemporaries of the apostles. For Peter uses the very same formula in reminding the contemporaries of himself and the other apostles.
**spoken before--**spoken already before now.
**the apostles--**Peter (see on 2Pe 3:2, 3), and Paul before Peter (Ac 20:29; 1Ti 4:1...
Read full commentary →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.
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>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....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seven bowls of wrath - final judgments, battle of armageddon, babylon's fall announced employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions a...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(2) **And** **the** **first . . .**—Translate, *And the first went forth, *&c. The angel which receives the command departs and pours forth his vial upon the earth. All the vials are poured forth “into the earth” (Revelation 16:1) generally; the first angel pours his vial forth upon the earth, that is, the dry land. *And there came an evil and painful sore upon the men *(*i.e., *upon that part of ...
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**18. mockers--**In the parallel, 2Pe 3:3, the same Greek is translated, "scoffers." The word is found nowhere else in the New Testament. How Alford can deny that 2Pe 3:2, 3 is referred to (at least in part), I cannot imagine, seeing that Jude quotes the very words of Peter as the words which the apostles used to speak to his (Jude's) readers.
**walk after their own ungodly lusts--**literally, "...
Read full commentary →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.
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<strong>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....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seven bowls of wrath - final judgments, battle of armageddon, babylon's fall announced employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. The Greek text uses vivid apocalyp...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(3) **And thesecond angel . . .**—Better, *And the second *(*angel*)* poured out his vial on the sea, and it becameblood as of a dead man, and every soul of life died *(*even*)* the things that were in the sea.* The reference to the first of the Egyptian plagues is clear (Exodus 7:20; comp. Revelation 8:8-9). It has been remarked that “the Egyptian plagues stood in a very close connection with the...
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**19. These be they--**showing that their characters are such as Peter and Paul had foretold.
**separate themselves--**from Church communion in its vital, spiritual reality: for outwardly they took part in Church ordinances (Jude 12). Some oldest manuscripts omit "themselves": then understand it, "separate," cast out members of the Church by excommunication (Is 65:5; 66:5; Lu 6:22; Joh 9:34; com...
Read full commentary →And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
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The third angel pouring his vial on rivers and fountains, turning them to blood, parallels Egypt's first plague (Exodus 7:19-21). This judgment strikes fresh water sources, making them undrinkable and deadly. The completeness ('became blood') emphasizes total corruption, not partial contamination. Reformed theology sees these judgments as both literal and symbolic—literal consequences of sin's cur...
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(4) **And the third angel . . .**—The third vial resembles the second in its effects. As it is poured out on the rivers and springs of waters, they become blood. It is not only the great sea which becomes blood, but all the merry streams and babbling brooks which carry their tribute of water seawards also turn corrupt. And this plague is acknowledged by heavenly voices as a just retribution (Revel...
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20. Resuming Jude 17.
**building up yourselves--**the opposite to the "separate themselves" (Jude 19): as "in the Holy Ghost" is opposed to "having not the Spirit."
**on--**as on a foundation. Building on THE FAITH is equivalent to building on Christ, the object of faith.
**praying in the Holy Ghost--**(Ro 8:26; Ep 6:18). The Holy Spirit teaches what we are to pray for, and how. None can pra...
Read full commentary →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.
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<strong>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....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seven bowls of wrath - final judgments, battle of armageddon, babylon's fall announced employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. The Greek text uses vivid apocalypt...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(5-7) But this state of things is declared to be a just retribution, and reasonably so; for the corruption arises because the true power of life has been rejected: it is the refusal of the good, the want of the life-giving element, which is the secret of all death, physical, moral, spiritual. “’Tis life we want when breath is scant.” The world-power and its worshippers have driven away goodness an...
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21. In Jude 20, 21, Jude combines the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: and faith, hope, and love.
**Keep yourselves--**not in your own strength, but "in the love of God," that is, God's love to you and all His believing children, the only guarantee for their being kept safe. Man's need of watching is implied; at the same time he cannot keep himself, unless God in His love keep him.
**looki...
Read full commentary →For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
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<strong>For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seven bowls of wrath - final judgments, battle of armageddon, babylon's fall announced employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. The Greek text uses vivid apocalyptic language characte...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(6) **For they have shed . . .**—Better, *Because they shed* (not, “have shed,” but *did shed, *or *pour out*)*, and blood didst Thou give them; they are worthy.* “For” is to be omitted; the sentence has a startling force without it. They—*i.e., *those enemies of all righteousness—are worthy; they receive the due reward of their deeds.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
22-23. None but those who "keep themselves" are likely to "save" others.
**have compassion--**So one oldest manuscript reads. But two oldest manuscripts, Vulgate, &c., read, "convict"; "reprove to their conviction"; "confute, so as to convince."
**making a difference--**The oldest manuscripts and versions read the accusative for the nominative, "when separating themselves" [Wahl], referrin...
Read full commentary →And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
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<strong>And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seven bowls of wrath - final judgments, battle of armageddon, babylon's fall announced employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. The Greek text uses vivid apocalyptic language characteristic ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(7) **And I heard . . .**—Translate, *And I heard* (not “another out of the altar,” but) *the altar saying, Even so, Lord God the Almighty, true and righteous are Thy judgments.* The altar beneath which the souls of the martyrs cried, and on which the prayers of saints were offered, is represented as confirming the testimony to the just dealings of God.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
22-23. None but those who "keep themselves" are likely to "save" others.
**have compassion--**So one oldest manuscript reads. But two oldest manuscripts, Vulgate, &c., read, "convict"; "reprove to their conviction"; "confute, so as to convince."
**making a difference--**The oldest manuscripts and versions read the accusative for the nominative, "when separating themselves" [Wahl], referrin...
Read full commentary →And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
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The fourth angel's vial poured on the sun causing scorching heat represents intensified affliction. Unlike the fourth trumpet darkening the sun (8:12), this magnifies its heat. The sun, typically beneficial, becomes an instrument of torment—God can turn any blessing into curse for the impenitent. The scorching recalls the withering sun in Jesus' parable of the sower (Matthew 13:6), representing tr...
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(8, 9) **And the fourth . . .**—Better, *And the fourth *(*angel*)* poured out his vial upon the sun; and it was given to it* (the “sun,” not the “angel;” the rendering of the English version “unto him is misleading) *to scorch men with fire. And men *(*i.e., *those who were worshippers of the wild beast) *were scorched* . . . *and did not repent to give him glory.* The sun, the great source of li...
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24-25. Concluding doxology.
**Now--**Greek, "But."
**you--**Alford, on inferior authority, reads, "them." You is in contradistinction to those ungodly men mentioned above.
**keep ... from falling--**rather, "guard ... (so as to be) without falling," or stumbling.
**faultless--**Greek, "blameless."
**before the presence of his glory--**that is, before Himself, when He shall be revealed in...
Read full commentary →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. scorched: or, burned
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KJV Study Commentary
<strong>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....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seven bowls of wrath - final judgments, battle of armageddon, babylon's fall announced employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. The Greek text uses v...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
24-25. Concluding doxology.
**Now--**Greek, "But."
**you--**Alford, on inferior authority, reads, "them." You is in contradistinction to those ungodly men mentioned above.
**keep ... from falling--**rather, "guard ... (so as to be) without falling," or stumbling.
**faultless--**Greek, "blameless."
**before the presence of his glory--**that is, before Himself, when He shall be revealed in...
Read full commentary →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,
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<strong>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,...</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seven bowls of wrath - final judgments, battle of armageddon, babylon's fall announced employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. The Greek text uses vivi...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(10) **And the fifth . . .**—Better, *The fifth angel poured out his vial upon the throne* (not “the seat:” see Notes on Revelation 4:10; Revelation 13:2) *of the wild beast.* The vials of judgment gradually dissolve the integrity and organisation of the kingdom of the wild beast. The result of the principles on which it has been based begin to show themselves: first, moral disease in individuals;...
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THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE
And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
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<strong>And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seven bowls of wrath - final judgments, battle of armageddon, babylon's fall announced employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. The Greek text uses vivid apocalyptic language characteristic of...
Read full commentary →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.
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<strong>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....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seven bowls of wrath - final judgments, battle of armageddon, babylon's fall announced employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. The G...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(12) **And the sixth . . .**—Better, *The sixth *(*angel*)* poured out his vial on the great river Euphrates; and its water was dried that the way of the kings who are from the rising of the sun might be prepared.* The symbolical meaning of the Euphrates has been touched upon before. (See Notes on Revelation 9:14.) In the great age-long struggle between the kingdoms of Christ and the world the Eup...
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INTRODUCTION
**Authenticity.--**The author calls himself John (Re 1:1, 4, 9; 2:8). Justin Martyr [Dialogue with Trypho, p. 308] (A.D. 139-161) quotes from the Apocalypse, as John the apostle's work, the prophecy of the millennium of the saints, to be followed by the general resurrection and judgment. This testimony of Justin is referred to also by Eusebius [Ecclesiastical History, 4.18]. Justin M...
Read full commentary →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.
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<strong>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....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seven bowls of wrath - final judgments, battle of armageddon, babylon's fall announced employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. The Greek te...
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(13, 14) **And I** **saw . . .**—Better, *And I saw out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the wild beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, as it were frogs. For they are spirits of demons, doing signs, which go forth upon the kings of the whole world, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty.* Some have thought that ...
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**2. bare record of--**"testified the word of God" in this book. Where we would say "testifies," the ancients in epistolary communications use the past tense. The word of God constitutes his testimony; Re 1:3, "the words of this prophecy."
**the testimony of Jesus--**"the Spirit of prophecy" (Re 19:10).
**and of all things that, &c.--**The oldest manuscripts omit "and." Translate, "whatsoe...
Read full commentary →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.
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<strong>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....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seven bowls of wrath - final judgments, battle of armageddon, babylon's fall announced employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and sym...
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**3. he that readeth, and they that hear--**namely, the public reader in Church assemblies, and his hearers. In the first instance, he by whom John sent the book from Patmos to the seven churches, read it publicly: a usage most scriptural and profitable. A special blessing attends him who reads or hears the apocalyptic "prophecy" with a view to keeping the things therein (as there is but one artic...
Read full commentary →Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
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<strong>Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seven bowls of wrath - final judgments, battle of armageddon, babylon's fall announced employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. The Greek text uses vivid apocalyptic langua...
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(15) **Behold, I come . . .**—Translate, *Behold, I come as a thief.* It is the oft-repeated Scripture warning (Revelation 3:3; 1Thessalonians 5:2-3; 2Peter 3:10. Comp. Luke 12:35-40). It reminds us not only that our Lord may come unexpectedly, but that He may even come and we be unaware. There is one day when He will come, and every eye will behold Him; but He comes in various ways and forms to b...
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**4. John--**the apostle. For none but he (supposing the writer an honest man) would thus sign himself nakedly without addition. As sole survivor and representative of the apostles and eye-witnesses of the Lord, he needed no designation save his name, to be recognized by his readers.
**seven churches--**not that there were not more churches in that region, but the number seven is fixed on as rep...
Read full commentary →And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
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<strong>And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seven bowls of wrath - final judgments, battle of armageddon, babylon's fall announced employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. The Greek text uses vivid apocalyptic language characteristic of Jewish prophetic liter...
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(16) **And he gathered . . .**—Better, *He gathered them together to the place which is called in Hebrew Armageddon.* Armageddon is the mountain of Megiddo. It is the high table-land surrounded by hills which was the great battle-field of the Holy Land. There the fortunes of dynasties and kingdoms have been decided; there the cause of liberty has triumphed; there kings fought and fell; there Gideo...
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**5. the faithful witness--**of the truth concerning Himself and His mission as Prophet, Priest, and King Saviour. "He was the faithful witness, because all things that He heard of the Father He faithfully made known to His disciples. Also, because He taught the way of God in truth, and cared not for man, nor regarded the persons of men. Also, because the truth which He taught in words He confirme...
Read full commentary →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.
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<strong>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....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seven bowls of wrath - final judgments, battle of armageddon, babylon's fall announced employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. The Greek text uses...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(17) **And the seventh . . .**—Translate, *And the seventh *(*angel*)* poured out his vial upon the air, and there came forth a voice out of the temple, from the throne, saying, It is done.* The results of the outpouring of this vial are described in the following verses; but before these are seen, the voice from the throne—God’s own voice (see Revelation 16:1)—proclaims, as though rejoicing in th...
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**6. And hath--**rather as Greek, "And (He) hath."
**made us kings--**The oldest manuscripts read, "a kingdom." One oldest manuscript reads the dative, "for us." Another reads "us," accusative: so Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and Andreas. This seems preferable, "He made us (to be) a kingdom." So Ex 19:6, "a kingdom of priests"; 1Pe 2:9, "a royal priesthood." The saints shall constitute peculiarly a ...
Read full commentary →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.
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<strong>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....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seven bowls of wrath - final judgments, battle of armageddon, babylon's fall announced employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meanin...
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(18) **And there were** **voices . . .**—There is some variety in the order of the words in different MSS. *There were lightnings, and voices, and thunders* (comp. Revelation 8:5; Revelation 11:19); *there was a great earthquake, such as was not from the time there was a man upon the earth.* The earthquake, which is the shaking down of the kingdom of evil (comp. Hebrews 12:26-29), completes the ov...
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**7. with clouds--**Greek, "the clouds," namely, of heaven. "A cloud received Him out of their sight" at His ascension (Ac 1:9). His ascension corresponds to the manner of His coming again (Ac 1:11). Clouds are the symbols of wrath to sinners.
**every eye--**His coming shall therefore be a personal, visible appearing.
**shall see--**It is because they do not now see Him, they will not believe....
Read full commentary →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.
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<strong>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 wra...</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seven bowls of wrath - final judgments, battle of armageddon, babylon's fall announced employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament a...
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8. Greek, "I am the Alpha and the Omega." The first and last letters of the alphabet. God in Christ comprises all that goes between, as well as the first and last.
**the beginning and the ending--**omitted in the oldest manuscripts, though found in Vulgate and Coptic. Transcribers probably inserted the clause from Re 21:6. In Christ, Genesis, the Alpha of the Old Testament, and Revelation, the O...
Read full commentary →And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
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<strong>And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seven bowls of wrath - final judgments, battle of armageddon, babylon's fall announced employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusions and symbolic meaning. The Greek text uses vivid apocalyptic language characteristic of Jewish prophetic literature, drawing heavil...
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(20) **And every island fled.**—So wide-spread are the effects of the earthquake; the convulsion tests every spot; there is only one kingdom which cannot be shaken. (Comp. Daniel 2:44; Daniel 6:26; Hebrews 10:28.)
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**9. I John--**So "I Daniel" (Da 7:28; 9:2; 10:2). One of the many features of resemblance between the Old Testament and the New Testament apocalyptic seers. No other Scripture writer uses the phrase.
**also--**as well as being an apostle. The oldest manuscripts omit "also." In his Gospel and Epistles he makes no mention of his name, though describing himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved." ...
Read full commentary →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.
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<strong>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....</strong> This verse from Revelation's vision of seven bowls of wrath - final judgments, battle of armageddon, babylon's fall announced employs apocalyptic imagery rich with Old Testament allusi...
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(21) **And there fell. . . .**—*And a great hail, as of a talent in weight, descends from the heaven on men.* There is again a reference to the Egyptian plagues. But we may also call to mind the great defeat of the enemies of Israel at Beth-horon (Joshua 10:1-11), when “the Lord cast down great stones from heaven.” Such an overthrow awaits every confederacy that sets itself in array against the ki...
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**10. I was--**Greek, "I came to be"; "I became."
**in the Spirit--**in a state of ecstasy; the outer world being shut out, and the inner and higher life or spirit being taken full possession of by God's Spirit, so that an immediate connection with the invisible world is established. While the prophet "speaks" in the Spirit, the apocalyptic seer is in the Spirit in his whole person. The spirit o...
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