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

1I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Pour the seven bowls of God’s anger over the earth.” 2The first angel poured his bowl over the earth. Horrible, painful sores appeared on the people who had the brand of the beast and worshiped its statue. The second angel poured his bowl over the sea. The sea turned into blood like the blood of a dead man, and every living thing in the sea died. 4The third angel poured his bowl over the rivers and the springs. They turned into blood. 5Then I heard the angel of the water say, “You are fair. You are the one who is and the one who was, the holy one, because you have judged 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 8:8When the second angel blew his trumpet, something like a huge mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea. One-third of the sea turned into blood,
• Revelation 10:2He held a small, opened scroll in his hand. He set his right foot on the sea and his left on the land.
• Revelation 13:1I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns, seven heads, and ten crowns on its horns. There were insulting names on its heads.
• Revelation 11:6These witnesses have authority to shut the sky in order to keep rain from falling during the time they speak what God has revealed. They have authority to turn water into blood and to strike the earth with any plague as often as they want.
• Exodus 7:17Here is what the Lord says: This is the way you will recognize that I am the Lord: With this staff in my hand, I’m going to strike the Nile, and the water will turn into blood.
• Psalms 78:44He turned their rivers into blood so that 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 punish you the same way that those who are guilty of prostitution and murder are punished. I will give you the death penalty in my fury and burning anger.
• Revelation 8:9one-third of the creatures that were living in the sea died, and one-third of the ships were destroyed.
• Genesis 7:22Everything on dry land (every living, breathing creature) 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