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 evil spirits like frogs come out of the mouths of the serpent, the beast, and the false prophet. 14They are spirits of demons that do miracles. These spirits go to the kings of the whole world and gather them for the war on the frightening day of God Almighty. “See, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who remains alert and doesn’t lose his clothes. He will not have to go naked and let others see his shame.” 16The spirits gathered the kings at the place which is called Armageddon in Hebrew. 17The seventh angel poured his bowl into the air. A loud voice came from the throne in the temple, and said, “It has happened!”

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 3:3So remember what you received and heard. Obey, and change the way you think and act. If you’re not alert, I’ll come like a thief. You don’t know when I will come.
• Matthew 24:43You realize that if a homeowner had known at what time of the night a thief was coming, he would have stayed awake. He would not have let the thief break into his house.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:2You know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
• 2 Peter 3:10The day of the Lord will come like a thief. On that day heaven will pass away with a roaring sound. Everything that makes up the universe will burn and be destroyed. The earth and everything that people have done on it will be exposed.
• Matthew 24:42“Therefore, be alert, because you don’t know on what day your Lord will return.
• Matthew 25:13“So stay awake, because you don’t know the day or the hour.
• Matthew 26:41Stay awake, and pray that you won’t be tempted. You want to do what’s right, but you’re weak.”
• Mark 13:33Be careful! Watch! You don’t know the exact time.
• Mark 14:38Stay awake, and pray that you won’t be tempted. You want to do what’s right, but you’re weak.”
• Luke 12:37Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. I can guarantee this truth: He will change his clothes, make them sit down at the table, and serve them.
• Luke 21:36Be alert at all times. Pray so that you have the power to escape everything that is about to happen and to stand in front of the Son of Man.”
• Acts 20:31So be alert! Remember that I instructed each of you for three years, day and night, at times with tears in my eyes.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:6Therefore, we must not fall asleep like other people, but we must stay awake and be sober.
• 1 Peter 4:7The end of everything is near. Therefore, practice self-control, and keep your minds clear so that you can pray.
• Revelation 3:4But you have a few people in Sardis who have kept their clothes clean. They will walk with me in white clothes because they deserve it.
• Exodus 32:25Aaron had let the people get out of control, and they became an object of ridicule to their enemies. When Moses saw this,

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