God’s Word Translation
Revelation 12:17
17The serpent became angry with the woman. So it went away to fight with her other children, the ones who keep God’s commands and hold on to the testimony of Jesus.
Revelation 12:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
- New International Version (NIV)Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Context of Revelation 12:17
15The snake’s mouth poured out a river of water behind the woman in order to sweep her away. 16The earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river which had poured out of the serpent’s mouth. The serpent became angry with the woman. So it went away to fight with her other children, the ones who keep God’s commands and hold on to the testimony of Jesus. 18The serpent stood on the sandy shore of the sea.
Read all of Revelation 12Revelation 12:17 word by word
καὶ ὠργίσθη ὁ δράκων ἐπὶ τῇ γυναικὶ καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ποιῆσαι πόλεμον μετὰ τῶν λοιπῶν τοῦ σπέρματος αὐτῆς τῶν τηρούντων τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐχόντων τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἸησοῦRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- the dragonδράκωνdrakōn · dragonG1404
- was wrothὀργίζωorgizō · to angerG3710
- withἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- the womanγυνήgunē · womanG1135
- wentἀπέρχομαιaperchomai · to go awayG565
- to makeποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
- warπόλεμοςpolēmos · warG4171
- withμετάmeta · with/afterG3326
- the remnantλοιπόςloipoi · remainingG3062
- of herαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- seedσπέρμαsperma · seed: offspringG4690
- keepτηρέωtēreō · to keep: observeG5083
- the commandmentsἐντολήentolē · commandmentG1785
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- the testimonyμαρτυρίαmarturia · testimonyG3141
- of JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
- ChristΧριστόςChristos · ChristG5547
Cross-references for Revelation 12:17
- Revelation 12:12Be glad for this reason, heavens and those who live in them. How horrible it is for the earth and the sea because the Devil has come down to them with fierce anger, knowing that he has little time left.”
- John 8:44You come from your father, the devil, and you desire to do what your father wants you to do. The devil was a murderer from the beginning. He has never been truthful. He doesn’t know what the truth is. Whenever he tells a lie, he’s doing what comes naturally to him. He’s a liar and the father of lies.
- 1 Peter 5:8Keep your mind clear, and be alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion as he looks for someone to devour.
- Revelation 11:7When the witnesses finish their testimony, the beast which comes from the bottomless pit will fight them, conquer them, and kill them.
- Revelation 13:7It was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. It was also given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation.
- Revelation 17:6I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people and of those who testify about Jesus. I was very surprised when I saw her.
- Revelation 18:20“Gloat over it, heaven, God’s people, apostles, and prophets. God has condemned it for you.”
- Revelation 19:19I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army.
- Revelation 20:8He will go out to deceive Gog and Magog, the nations in the four corners of the earth, and gather them for war. They will be as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore.
- Genesis 3:15I will make you and the woman hostile toward each other. I will make your descendants and her descendant hostile toward each other. He will crush your head, and you will bruise his heel.”
- Daniel 7:23He said, “The fourth animal will be the fourth of these kingdoms on earth. It will be different from all other kingdoms. It will devour, trample, and crush the whole world.
- Daniel 11:36“The king will do as he pleases. He will highly honor himself above every god. He will say amazing things against the God of gods. He will succeed until God’s anger is over, because what has been decided must be done.
- Revelation 14:12In this situation God’s holy people, who obey his commands and keep their faith in Jesus, need endurance.
- Revelation 22:14“Blessed are those who wash their robes so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.
- Matthew 28:20Teach them to do everything I have commanded you. “And remember that I am always with you until the end of time.”
- 1 John 5:2We know that we love God’s children when we love God by obeying his commandments.
Commentaries on Revelation 12:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17And the dragon was wroth with the woman - The heathen party, foiled in their subtle attempt to destroy Christianity, were greatly enraged, and endeavored to excite the hatred of the multitude against the religion of Jesus. "They alleged that before the coming of Christ the world was blessed with peace and prosperity; but that since the progress of their religion everywhere, the gods, filled with indignation to see their worship neglected and their altars…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17And the dragon was wroth with the woman - This wrath had been vented by his persecuting her Revelation 12:13; by his pursuing her; and by his pouring out the flood of water to sweep her away Revelation 12:15; and the same wrath was now vented against her children. As he could not reach and destroy the woman herself, he turned his indignation against all who were allied to her. Stripped of the imagery, the meaning is, that as he could not destroy the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-17Verses 12-17 The church and all her friends might well be called to praise God for deliverance from pagan persecution, though other troubles awaited her. The wilderness is a desolate place, and full of serpents and scorpions, uncomfortable and destitute of provisions; yet a place of safety, as well as where one might be alone. But being thus retired could not protect the woman. The flood of water is explained by many to mean the invasions of barbarians…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17The dragon becomes hostile towards the woman's children, who are believers. They follow God's commandments and continue to testify about Jesus.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1717. wroth with--Greek, "at." went--Greek, "went away." the remnant of her seed--distinct in some sense from the woman herself. Satan's first effort was to root out the Christian Church, so that there should be no visible profession of Christianity. Foiled in this, he wars (Re 11:7; 13:7) against the invisible Church, namely, "those who keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus" (A, B, and C omit "Christ"). These are "the remnant," or…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 12:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Revelation 12
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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