Revelation 16

Revelation · Chapter 16

Revelation 16:15

1And 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.2And 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.3And 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.4And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.5And 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.6For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.7And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.8And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.9And 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.10And 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,11And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.12And 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.13And 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.14For 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.15Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.16And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.17And 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.18And 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.19And 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.20And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.21And 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.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
15Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who remains awake and clothed, so that he will not go naked and let his shame be exposed.”(Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.)

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Revelation 16:12-16The sixth vial and Armageddon

About Revelation 16A voice tells the seven angels, "pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth": sores fall on those with the mark of the beast, the sea and rivers become blood, the sun scorches men, and darkness covers the beast's kingdom, yet "they repented not to give him glory." The sixth vial dries up "the great river Euphrates" for "the kings of the east," and three unclean spirits "like frogs" gather the kings "into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon," while the Lord says, "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth." At the seventh vial a voice says, "It is done," a great earthquake strikes, and "great Babylon came in remembrance before God." Revelation 16:1Revelation 16:2Revelation 16:3Revelation 16:4Revelation 16:8Revelation 16:9Revelation 16:10Revelation 16:12Revelation 16:13Revelation 16:15Revelation 16:16Revelation 16:17Revelation 16:18Revelation 16:19

Why this verse matters here"Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments." In Matthew 24:43 Jesus also speaks of watching for the thief. Revelation 16:15Matthew 24:43

Who, where and when in this chapter

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
BeholdἰδοὺidouG2400
look!

ἰδού (idou) ἰδού, [in LXX chiefly for הִנֵּה,] prop. imperat. 2 aor. mid. of ὁράω, used as a demonstrative particle, with frequency much greater in LXX and NT than in cl. (see M, Pr., 11), lo, behold, see: Mat.10:16 11:8 13:3, Mrk.3:32, Luk.2:48, 1Co.15:51, Jas.5:9, Ju 14, Rev.1:7, al.; after genitive absol., Mat.1:20 2:1, 13 12:46, al.; καὶ ἰδού, Mat.2:9 (and freq.), Luk.1:20 10:25, Act.12:7, al.; in elliptical sentences, taking the place of copula or predicate (like הִנֵּה in Heb.), Mat.3:17, Luk.5:12 22:31, 47 Act.8:27, 36 al. (AS)

I am comingἔρχομαιerchomaiG2064
to come/go

ἔρχομαι (erchomai) ἔρχομαι, [in LXX very frequently for בּוֹא, also for הלךְ ni., אתה, etc., 34 words in all ;] 1. to come; (a) of persons, either as arriving or returning from elsewhere: Mat.8:9, Mrk.6:31, Luk.7:8, Jhn.4:27, Rom.9:9, al.; before ἀπό, Mrk.5:35 7:1, Jhn.3:2, al.; ἐκ, Luk.5:17, Jhn.3:31, al.; εἰς, Mrk.1:29, al.; διά before εἰς, Mrk.7:31; ἐν (Cremer, 263f., but see: ἐν), Rom.15:29, 1Co.4:21; ἐπί, with accusative, Mrk.6:53 11:13, Jhn.19:33, al.; κατά, with accusative, Luk.10:33 Act.16:7; παρά, with genitive, Luk.8:49; with accusative, Mat.15:29, Mrk.9:14, al.; with dative comm., incomm. (M, Pr., …

likeὡςhōsG5613
as/when

ὡς (hōs) ὡς, adverbial form of the relative pron. ὅς, ἥ, ὅ. I. As relat. adv. of manner, as, like as, just as, even as; 1. with a demonstrative, like οὕτως, expressed or understood: οὕτως . . . ὡς, Mrk.4:26, 1Co.3:15, Eph.5:28, Jas.2:12, al.; ὡς . . . οὕτως, Act.8:32, 1Co.7:17, al.; elliptically (sc. οὕτως, οὕτω), with nom., Mat.6:29, al.; with accusative, Mat.19:19, Mrk.12:31, al.; with prep., Mat.26:55, Mrk.14:48, Luk.22:52, Jhn.7:10, al.; with verb., Jhn.15:6, 2Co.3:1, Eph.2:3, 1Th.5:6, al.; with ptcp. (the ptcp. however not having the special force wh. it has in cl.; see Bl., §73, 5; 74, 6), Mat. …

a thief.κλέπτης.kleptēsG2812
thief

κλέπτης (kleptēs) κλέπτης, -ου, ὁ [in LXX for גַּנָּב ;] a thief: Mat.6:19-20 24:43, Luk.12:33, 39, Jhn.10:1, 10 12:6, 1Co.6:10, 1Pe.4:15. Fig., ὡς κ. ἐν νυκτί, 1Th.5:2 5:4 (κλέπτας, WH, txt., R, mg.; see Lft., Notes, 73; but cf. also M, Th., l.with), 2Pe.3:10, Rev.3:3 16:15. Metaphorical, of false teachers, Jhn.10:8.† SYN.: λῃστής, a robber, a brigand who plunders, openly, with violence; κ. is a thief who steals in secret, by fraud and cunning (Tr., Syn., § xliv) (AS)

Blessed [is]μακάριοςmakariosG3107
blessed

μακάριος (makarios) μακάριος, -α, -ον (collat. form of poët. μάκαρ, in Hom., Hes., chiefly of the gods and the departed), [in LXX for אֹשֶׁר ;] blessed, happy (DCG, i, 177, 213): θεός (δυνάστης), 1Ti.1:11 6:15; ἐλπίς, Tit.2:13; esp. in congratulations, usually with the omission of the copula (M, Pr., 180; B1., § 30, 3), μ. ὁ, Mat.5:3 ff., Luk.6:20 ff. Jhn.20:29, Rev.1:3, al.; before ptcp., Luk.1:45, al.; ὅς, Mat.11:6, Luk.7:23, Rom.4:7-8; ὅτι, Mat.13:16, al.; ἐάν, Jhn.13:17, 1Co.7:40; compar., μ. . . . μᾶλλον, Act.20:35; -ώτερος, 1Co.7:40 SYN.: εὐλογητός, q.v (AS)

watchingγρηγορῶνgrēgorōnG1127
to keep watch

γρηγορέω (grēgoreō) γρηγορέω, -ῶ, = Attic ἐργήγορα, pf. of ἐγείρω, which see, [in LXX (later bks. only) chiefly for שׁקד ;] 1. to be awake; metaphorically, of being alive, 1Th.5:10. 2. to watch: Mat.24:43 26:38, 40 Mrk.13:34 14:34, 37 Luk.12:37, 39; metaphorically, Mat.24:42 25:13 26:41, Mrk.13:35, 37 14:38, Act.20:31, 1Co.16:13, 1Th.5:6, 1Pe.5:8, Rev.3:2, 3 16:15; before ἐν, Col.4:2. (Cf. δια-γρηγορέω).† SYN.: see: ἀγρθπνέω. (AS)

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

keepingτηρῶνtērōnG5083I
to keep: observe

τηρέω (tēreō) τηρέω, -ῶ [in LXX for שָׁמַר, נָצַר, etc. ;] 1. to watch over, guard, keep, preserve: Mat.27:36, Act.16:23, al.; ἑαυτόν, 2Co.11:9, 1Ti.5:22, Jas.1:27, Ju 21; before εἰς, Jhn.12:7, Act.25:21, 1Pe.1:4, 2Pe.2:4 2:9 3:7, Ju 6; ἐν, Jhn.17:11-12, Ju 21; ἐκ, Jhn.17:15, Rev.3:10; τ. πίστιν, 2Ti.4:7, Rev.14:12; τ. ἑνότητα τ. πνεύματος, Eph.4:3. …

garmentsἱμάτιαhimatiaG2440
clothing

ἱμάτιον (himation) ἱμάτιον, -ου, τό (dim, of εἷμα, a garment), [in LXX chiefly for בֶּגֶד also for שִׂמְלָה, שַׂלְמָה, etc. ;] a garment, but in usage always (exc. in p1., see infr.) of an outer garment, a mantle, cloak (thrown over the χιτών; see Rutherford, NPhr., 22; DCG, i, 499a): Mat.9:16, 20-21 Mrk.2:21 5:27-28, 30 Jhn.19:2, Act.12:8, al.; opposite to χιτών, Mat.5:40, Luk.6:29, Act.9:39; pl., garments, clothes (i.e. the cloak and the tunic), Mat.17:2 26:65 27:31, 35, Mrk.5:30 15:20, 24, Jhn.19:23-24, Jas.5:2, al (AS)

of him,αὐτοῦ,autouG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

so thatἵναinaG2443
in order that/to

ἵνα (hina) ἵνα, I. adverb (poët., Hom., al.), 1. of place, where, whither. 2. of circumstance, when. II. Conjunction, 1. prop., final, denoting purpose or end (cl.), that, in order that, usually the first word in the clause, but sometimes (cl. also) preceded by an emphatic word (Act.19:4, Rom.11:31 (?), Gal.2:10, al.); (a) with optative (so in cl. after historic tenses): after a pres., Eph.1:17 (but WH, mg., subjc.; see Burton, §225, Rem., 2); …

notμὴmēG3361
not

μή (mē) μή, subjective negative particle, used where the negation depends on a condition or hypothesis, expressed or understood, as distinct from οὐ, which denies absolutely. μή is used where one thinks a thing is not, as distinct from an absolute negation. As a general rule, οὐ negatives the indic, μή the other moods, incl, ptcp. [In LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,אַל ] I. As a neg. adv., not; 1. with ref. to thought or opinion: Jhn.3:18, Tit.1:11, 2Pe.1:9. 2. In delib. questions, with subjc. (M, Pr., 185): Mrk.12:14, Rom.3:8. …

nakedγυμνὸςgumnosG1131
naked

γυμνός (gumnos) γυμνός, -ή, -όν, [in LXX chiefly for עָרוֹם ;] naked, without clothing, and sometimes (as frequently in cl.) scantily or poorly clad (Isa.20:2ff., Tob.1:16, 2Ma.11:12): Mat.25:36, 38 43, 44, Mrk.14:52, Jhn.21:7, Act.19:16, Jas.2:15, Rev.3:17 16:15, 17:16; as subst., to γ., the naked body, Mrk.14:51. Metaphorical, of things exposed, Heb.4:13; of the soul without a body (Plat., Crat., with, 20, and cf. Deiss., LAE, 293), 2Co.5:3; of seed, bare, 1Co.15:37 (Cremer, 168).† (AS)

he may walkπεριπατῇperipatēaG4043
to walk

περιπατέω (peripateō) περι-πατέω, -ῶ [in LXX chiefly for הָלַךְ pi., hith. ;] to walk: absol., Mat.9:5, Mrk.5:42, Luk.5:23, Jhn.1:36; with pred., γυμνός, Rev.16:15; ἐπάνω Luk.11:44; διά, with genitive, Rev.21:24; ἐν, Mrk.11:27 12:38, Jhn.7:1 11:54, Rev.2:1, al.; ἐν τ. σκοτίᾳ, figuratively, Jhn.8:12 12:35, 1Jn.1:6-7 Jn 2:11; ἐπί, with genitive, Mat.14:26; id. with dative, Mat.14:25, 29; μετά, Jhn.6:66, Rev.3:4; παρά, with accusative, Mat.4:18. Metaphorical, of living, passing one's life, conducting oneself (like ἀναστρέφομαι in Xen., Plut., LXX, π.; M, Pro.11:1-31; Deiss., BS, 194) : ἀκριβῶς, Eph.5:15; ἀτάκτως, 2T …

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

they may seeβλέπωσινblepōsinG0991
to see

βλέπω (blepō) βλέπω, [in LXX chiefly for ראה, also for פּנה, etc. ;] 1. of bodily sight; (a) to see, have sight (opposite to τυφλὸς): Mat.12:22, Jhn.9:7, Act.9:9, Rom.11:8, Rev.3:18, al.; (b) to perceive, look (at), see: absol., Act.1:9; with accusative, Mat.7:3, Mrk.5:31, Luk.6:41, Jhn.1:29, al.; ὅραμα, Act.12:9; γυναῖκα, Mat.5:28; βιβλίον, Rev.5:3, 4; τ. βλεπόμενα, 2Co.4:18. 2. Metaphorical, of mental vision; (a) to see, perceive, discern: absol., Mat.13:13, Luk.8:10; δι ̓ ἐσόπτρου, 1Co.13:12; with accusative, Heb.2:9 10:25; before ὅτι, Heb.3:19, Jas.2:22; …

shameἀσχημοσύνηνaschēmosunēnG0808
indecency

ἀσχημοσύνη (aschēmosunē) ἀσχημοσύνη, -ης, ή (ἀσχήμων), [in LXX chiefly for עֶרְוָה ;] unseemliness: Rom.1:27 (MM, see word); euphemism for ἡ αἰσχύνη, as frequently in LXX, shame, nakedness: Rev.16:15.† (AS)

of him.αὐτοῦ.autouG0846
it/s/he

αὐτός (autos) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.