English Standard Version
Revelation 16:3
3The 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.
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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse. And everything in the sea died.
Context of Revelation 16:3
1Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, "Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God." 2So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. 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. 4The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. 5And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say, "Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments.
Read all of Revelation 16Revelation 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, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood.
- Revelation 10:2He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land,
- Revelation 13:1And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.
- Revelation 11:6They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire.
- Exodus 7:17Thus says the Lord, "By this you shall know that I am the Lord: behold, with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall turn into blood.
- Psalms 78:44He turned their rivers to blood, so that they could not drink of their streams.
- Psalms 105:29He turned their waters into blood and caused their fish to die.
- Ezekiel 16:38And I will judge you as women who commit adultery and shed blood are judged, and bring upon you the blood of wrath and jealousy.
- Revelation 8:9A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
- Genesis 7:22Everything on the dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life 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
In the dictionaries
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
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Commentaries