English Standard Version
Revelation 8:12
12The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night.
Revelation 8:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
- New International Version (NIV)The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then the fourth angel blew his trumpet, and one-third of the sun was struck, and one-third of the moon, and one-third of the stars, and they became dark. And one-third of the day was dark, and also one-third of the night.
Context of Revelation 8:12
10The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the water, because it had been made bitter. The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night. 13Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead, "Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, at the blasts of the other trumpets that the three angels are about to blow!"
Read all of Revelation 8Revelation 8:12 word by word
Καὶ ὁ τέταρτος ἄγγελος ἐσάλπισεν, καὶ ἐπλήγη τὸ τρίτον τοῦ ἡλίου καὶ τὸ τρίτον τῆς σελήνης καὶ τὸ τρίτον τῶν ἀστέρων ἵνα σκοτισθῇ τὸ τρίτον αὐτῶν, καὶ ἡ ἡμέρα μὴ φάνῃ τὸ τρίτον αὐτῆς καὶ ἡ νὺξ ὁμοίως.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- the fourthὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the fourthτέταρτοςtetartos · fourthG5067
- angelἄγγελοςaggelos · angelG32
- soundedσαλπίζωsalpizō · to sound a trumpetG4537
- the third partτρίτοςtritos · thirdG5154
- of the sunἥλιοςhēlios · sunG2246
- was smittenπλήσσωplēssō · to strikeG4141
- of the moonσελήνηselēnē · moonG4582
- of the starsἀστήρastēr · starG792
- so asἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- of themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- was darkenedσκοτίζωskotizō · to darkenG4654
- the dayἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
- shoneφαίνωphainō · to shine/appearG5316
- notμήmē · notG3361
- the nightνύξnux · nightG3571
- likewiseὁμοίωςhomoiōs · similarlyG3668
Cross-references for Revelation 8:12
- Revelation 16:8The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire.
- Isaiah 13:10For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light.
- Isaiah 24:23Then the moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed, for the Lord of hosts reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and his glory will be before his elders.
- Jeremiah 4:23I looked on the earth, and behold, it was without form and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light.
- Ezekiel 32:7When I blot you out, I will cover the heavens and make their stars dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give its light.
- Joel 2:10The earth quakes before them; the heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.
- Amos 8:9"And on that day," declares the Lord God, "I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.
- Matthew 24:29"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
- Matthew 27:45Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.
- Mark 13:24"But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,
- Mark 15:33And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
- Luke 21:25"And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves,
- Luke 23:44It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour,
- Acts 2:20the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
- Exodus 10:21Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt."
- 2 Corinthians 4:4In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Commentaries on Revelation 8:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12The third part of the sun - moon - stars, was smitten - Supposed to mean Rome, with her senates, consuls, etc., eclipsed by Odoacer, king of the Heruli, and Theodoric, king of the Ostrogoths, in the fifth century. But all this is uncertain.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12And the fourth angel sounded - See the notes at Revelation 8:6-7. And the third part of the sea was smitten - On the phrase the third part, see the notes on Revelation 8:7. The darkening of the heavenly luminaries is everywhere an emblem of any great calamity - as if the light of the sun, moon, and stars should be put out. See the notes on Revelation 6:12-13. There is no certain evidence that this refers to rulers, as many have supposed, or to anything…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-13Verses 7-13 The first angel sounded the first trumpet, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood. A storm of heresies, a mixture of dreadful errors falling on the church, or a tempest of destruction. The second angel sounded, and a great mountain, burning with fire, was cast into the sea; and the third part of the sea became blood. By this mountain some understand leaders of the persecutions; others, Rome sacked by the Goths and Vandals, with…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12the fourth angel: On the fourth day of creation, God made the sun, the moon, and the stars (Genesis 1:14–19). the stars were darkened: This judgment replicates the ninth plague in Egypt (Exodus 10:21–23).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. third part--not a total obscuration as in the sixth seal (Re 6:12, 13). This partial obscuration, therefore, comes between the prayers of the martyrs under the fifth seal, and the last overwhelming judgments on the ungodly under the sixth seal, at the eve of Christ's coming. the night likewise--withdrew a third part of the light which the bright Eastern moon and stars ordinarily afford.Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 8:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Revelation 8
- 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
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