Revelation 12:15

Translations

Modern

Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river to overtake the woman and sweep her away in the torrent.

Traditional

And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

Literal

And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a river after the woman, so that he might cause her to be carried away by the river.

Latin

Et misit serpens ex ore suo post mulierem, aquam tamquam flumen, ut eam faceret trahi a flumine.

Original

Greek

English

Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river to overtake the woman and sweep her away in the torrent.

Notes

Revelation 12:15–16

John imagines Satan as Leviathan, a great sea monster (compare Job 41:1), trying to destroy God's people (the woman; see study note on Revelation 12:1). In the vision, the earth protects the woman, and the dangerous waters are held back. This is similar to the way God contained the waters of chaos at creation (compare Genesis 1:2, 6–7, 9–10).

Revelation 12:1–17

Satan is shown as a dragon. He plots to oppose God's plans but fails. After losing a direct battle with God and Christ, he tries to harm God's followers. Three short scenes summarize the story (Revelation 12:1–6), followed by details of the war in heaven (12:7–9) and the war on earth (12:13–17).

Revelation 12:1–14:20

The people of God are pictured as a woman who gives birth to the Messiah. Even though the devil has already been defeated, he continues to attack her and her children (Revelation 12:1–17). With his two followers, the beast and the false prophet, Satan tries to keep controlling the world (Revelation 13:1–18) before the final battle with the Lord (14:1–20).

Theme notes and profiles

Visions

Related verses

Isaiah 8:7
…the Lord will surely bring against them the mighty floodwaters of the Euphrates—the king of Assyria and all his pomp. It will overflow its channels and overrun its banks.
Isaiah 59:19
So shall they fear the name of the LORD where the sun sets, and His glory where it rises. For He will come like a raging flood, driven by the breath of the LORD.
Psalm 18:4
The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me.
Psalm 65:7
You stilled the roaring of the seas, the pounding of their waves, and the tumult of the nations.
Psalm 93:3–4
The floodwaters have risen, O LORD; the rivers have raised their voice; the seas lift up their pounding waves.
Isaiah 28:2
Behold, the Lord has one who is strong and mighty. Like a hailstorm or destructive tempest, like a driving rain or flooding downpour, he will smash that crown to the ground.
Revelation 17:15
Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.

Glossary

Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Book of Revelation Dragon Lucifer Serpent

Topics

Vision of John on the Island of Patmos: The Red Dragon Water: Symbolical

Revelation 12:15

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