God’s Word Translation
Revelation 8:12
12When the fourth angel blew his trumpet, one-third of the sun, one-third of the moon, and one-third of the stars were struck so that one-third of them turned dark. There was no light for one-third of the day and one-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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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.
Context of Revelation 8:12
10When the third angel blew his trumpet, a huge star flaming like a torch fell from the sky. It fell on one-third of the rivers and on the springs. 11That star was named Wormwood. One-third of the water turned into wormwood, and many people died from this water because it had turned bitter. When the fourth angel blew his trumpet, one-third of the sun, one-third of the moon, and one-third of the stars were struck so that one-third of them turned dark. There was no light for one-third of the day and one-third of the night. 13I saw an eagle flying overhead, and I heard it say in a loud voice, “Catastrophe, catastrophe, catastrophe for those living on earth, because of the remaining trumpet blasts which 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 his bowl on the sun. The sun was allowed to burn people with fire.
- Isaiah 13:10The stars in the sky and their constellations won’t show their light anymore. The sun will be dark when it rises. The moon won’t shine.
- Isaiah 24:23The moon will be embarrassed. The sun will be ashamed, because the Lord of Armies will rule on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem. He will be glorious in the presence of his respected leaders.
- Jeremiah 4:23I see the earth. It’s formless and empty. I see the sky. Its lights are gone.
- Ezekiel 32:7“ ‘When I put out your light, I will cover the sky and darken the stars. I will cover the sun with clouds, and the moon won’t shine anymore.
- Joel 2:10The earth quakes in their presence, and the sky shakes. The sun and the moon turn dark, and the stars no longer shine.
- Amos 8:9On that day, declares the Almighty Lord, I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.
- Matthew 24:29“Immediately after the misery of those days, the sun will turn dark, the moon will not give light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the universe will be shaken.
- Matthew 27:45At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.
- Mark 13:24“Now, after the misery of those days, the sun will turn dark, the moon will not give light,
- Mark 15:33At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.
- Luke 21:25“Miraculous signs will occur in the sun, moon, and stars. The nations of the earth will be deeply troubled and confused because of the roaring and tossing of the sea.
- Luke 23:44Around noon darkness came over the entire land and lasted until three in the afternoon.
- Acts 2:20The sun will become dark, and the moon will become as red as blood before the terrifying day of the Lord comes.
- Exodus 10:21Then the Lord said to Moses, “Lift your hand toward the sky, and a darkness ⌞so thick⌟ that it can be felt will come over Egypt.”
- 2 Corinthians 4:4The god of this world has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. As a result, they don’t see the light of the Good News about Christ’s glory. It is Christ who is God’s image.
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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