Revelation 16:3

Revelation 16:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.
• English Standard Version (ESV)The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died.

Context of Revelation 16:3

1Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.” 2The first went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and severely painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped its image. The second poured out his bowl into the sea. It turned to blood like that of a dead person, and all life in the sea died. 4The third poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. 5I heard the angel of the waters say, You are just, the Holy One, who is and who was, because you have passed judgment on these things.

Revelation 16:3 word by word

Καὶ ὁ δεύτερος ἐξέχεεν τὴν φιάλην αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν, καὶ ἐγένετο αἷμα ὡς νεκροῦ, καὶ πᾶσα ψυχὴ ζωῆς ἀπέθανεν τὰ ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• the secondδεύτεροςdeuteros · secondlyG1208
• angelἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
• poured outἐκχέωekcheō ekchunō · to pour outG1632
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• vialφιάληphialē · bowlG5357
• uponεἰςeis · towardG1519
• the seaθάλασσαthalassa · seaG2281
• it becameγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• the bloodαἷμαaima · bloodG129
• of a deadνεκρόςnekros · deadG3498
• everyπᾶςpas · allG3956
• livingζάωzaō · to liveG2198
• soulψυχήpsuchē · soul: animalG5590
• diedἀποθνήσκωapothnēskō · to dieG599
• inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722

Cross-references for Revelation 16:3

• Revelation 8:8The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain ablaze with fire was hurled into the sea. So a third of the sea became blood,
• Revelation 10:2and he held a little scroll opened in his hand. He put his right foot on the sea, his left on the land,
• Revelation 13:1And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads. On its horns were ten crowns, and on its heads were blasphemous names.
• Revelation 11:6They have authority to close up the sky so that it does not rain during the days of their prophecy. They also have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every plague whenever they want.
• Exodus 7:17This is what the Lord says: Here is how you will know that I am the Lord. Watch. I am about to strike the water in the Nile with the staff in my hand, and it will turn to blood.
• Psalms 78:44He turned their rivers into blood, and they could not drink from their streams.
• Psalms 105:29He turned their water into blood and caused their fish to die.
• Ezekiel 16:38I will judge you the way adulteresses and those who shed blood are judged. Then I will bring about the shedding of your blood in jealous wrath.
• Revelation 8:9a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
• Genesis 7:22Everything with the breath of the spirit of life in its nostrils — everything on dry land died.

Commentaries on Revelation 16:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3As the blood of a dead man - Either meaning blood in a state of putrescency, or an effusion of blood in naval conflicts; even the sea was tinged with the blood of those who were slain in these wars. This is most probably the meaning of this vial. These engagements were so sanguinary that both the conquerors and the conquered were nearly destroyed; every living soul died in the sea.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea - So the second trumpet Revelation 8:8, “And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea; and the third part of the sea became blood.” For the meaning of this as a symbol, see the notes on that verse. And it became as the blood of a dead man - “Either very bloody, like a mangled corse, or else colored, as it were, with the dark and almost black…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4The plagues of the second and third bowls are similar to the first plague of Egypt (Exodus 7:17–21). John may have thought about how much of Rome’s food and wealth came from the sea. After Julius Caesar cleared the sea of pirates, shipping became vital for Rome. Its end would mean economic collapse for the empire (see Revelation 18:17–19).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. angel--So B and Andreas. But A, C, and Vulgate omit it. upon--Greek, "into." became as ... blood--answering to another Egyptian plague. of a dead man--putrefying. living soul--So B and Andreas. But A, C, and Syriac, "soul of life" (compare Ge 1:30; 7:21, 22). in the sea--So B and Andreas. But A, C, and Syriac read, "(as respects) the things in the sea."Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 16:3

• Sea
• Temple
• Vision
• Water
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• the sea, the Great Sea, the western sea
• Angel
• Gnaw
• Vial
• Dragon
• Grief; Grieve
• Justification
• Print; Printing; Printed
• Retribution
• Revelation of John

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