Revelation 16:15

Revelation 16:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
• New International Version (NIV)“Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)("Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!")
• New King James Version (NKJV)“Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”

Context of Revelation 16:15

13Then I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming from the dragon’s mouth, from the beast’s mouth, and from the mouth of the false prophet. 14For they are demonic spirits performing signs, who travel to the kings of the whole world to assemble them for the battle on the great day of God, the Almighty. “Look, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who is alert and remains clothed so that he may not go around naked and people see his shame.” 16So they assembled the kings at the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon. 17Then the seventh poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “It is done!”

Revelation 16:15 word by word

ἰδοὺ ἔρχομαι ὡς κλέπτης. μακάριος ὁ γρηγορῶν καὶ τηρῶν τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ γυμνὸς περιπατῇ καὶ βλέπωσιν τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτοῦ.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Beholdὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• I comeἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• a thiefκλέπτηςkleptēs · thiefG2812
• Blessedμακάριοςmakarios · blessedG3107
• heὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• that watchethγρηγορέωgrēgoreuō · to keep watchG1127
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• keepethτηρέωtēreō · to keep: protectG5083
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• garmentsἱμάτιονhimation · clothingG2440
• lestἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• ·μήmē · notG3361
• he walkπεριπατέωperipateō · to walkG4043
• nakedγυμνόςgumnos · nakedG1131
• they seeβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
• shameἀσχημοσύνηaschēmosunē · indecencyG808

Cross-references for Revelation 16:15

• Revelation 3:3Remember, then, what you have received and heard; keep it, and repent. If you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you have no idea at what hour I will come upon you.
• Matthew 24:43But know this: If the homeowner had known what time the thief was coming, he would have stayed alert and not let his house be broken into.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:2For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.
• 2 Peter 3:10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.
• Matthew 24:42Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.
• Matthew 25:13“Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour.
• Matthew 26:41Stay awake and pray, so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
• Mark 13:33“Watch! Be alert! For you don’t know when the time is coming.
• Mark 14:38Stay awake and pray so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
• Luke 12:37Blessed will be those servants the master finds alert when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will get ready, have them recline at the table, then come and serve them.
• Luke 21:36But be alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place and to stand before the Son of Man.”
• Acts 20:31Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I never stopped warning each one of you with tears.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:6So then, let us not sleep, like the rest, but let us stay awake and be self-controlled.
• 1 Peter 4:7The end of all things is near; therefore, be alert and sober-minded for prayer.
• Revelation 3:4But you have a few people in Sardis who have not defiled their clothes, and they will walk with me in white, because they are worthy.
• Exodus 32:25Moses saw that the people were out of control, for Aaron had let them get out of control, making them a laughingstock to their enemies.

Commentaries on Revelation 16:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Behold, I come as a thief - Here is a sudden but timely warning to put every man on his guard, when this sudden and generally unexpected tribulation should take place. Keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked - Here is a plain allusion to the office of him who was called the prefect or overseer, of the mountain of the temple. His custom was to go his rounds during the watches of the night; and if he found any of the Levites sleeping on his watch, he had…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Behold, I come as a thief - That is, suddenly and unexpectedly. See the Matthew 24:43 note; 1 Thessalonians 5:2 note. This is designed evidently to admonish people to watch, or to be in readiness for his coming, since, whenever it would occur, it would be at a time when people were not expecting him. Blessed is he that watcheth - Compare Matthew 24:42-44. The meaning here is, that he who watches for these events, who marks the indications of their…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-16Verses 12-16 This probably shows the destruction of the Turkish power, and of idolatry, and that a way will be made for the return of the Jews. Or, take it for Rome, as mystical Babylon, the name of Babylon being put for Rome, which was meant, but was not then to be directly named. When Rome is destroyed, her river and merchandise must suffer with her. And perhaps a way will be opened for the eastern nations to come into the church of Christ. The great…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15Readers are warned to stay alert because the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief (see also Revelation 3:3; Matthew 24:43; 25:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10). Being ready for his coming requires preparation. Those who are not prepared will lack proper clothing and will find themselves exposed (see Matthew 22:11–13). This imagery refers to two failing churches: lifeless Sardis, which is told to “wake up” (Revelation 3:2), and lukewarm Laodicea…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1515. The gathering of the world kings with the beast against the Lamb is the signal for Christ's coming; therefore He here gives the charge to be watching for His coming and clothed in the garments of justification and sanctification, so as to be accepted. thief--(Mt 24:43; 2Pe 3:10). they--saints and angels. shame--literally, "unseemliness" (Greek, "aschemosunee"): Greek, 1Co 13:5: a different word from the Greek in Re 3:18 (Greek, "aischunee").Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 16:15

• Garment
• Good and Evil
• Jesus Continued
• Perseverance
• Righteous
• Temple
• Watchfulness
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Angel
• Gnaw
• Vial
• Dragon
• Justification
• Print; Printing; Printed
• Retribution
• Revelation of John
• War; Warfare

Commentaries on Revelation 16

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings