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

13And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; 14for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the entire world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. (“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and people will not see his shame.”) 16And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon. 17Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “It is done.”

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

• Beholdἰδούidou · look!G2400
• I am comingἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
• likeὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
• a thiefκλέπτηςkleptēs · thiefG2812
• Blessedμακάριοςmakarios · blessedG3107
• is the one who staysγρηγορέωgrēgoreuō · to keep watchG1127
• and keepsτηρέωtēreō · to keep: protectG5083
• his clothesἱμάτιονhimation · clothingG2440
• soἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
• he will not walkπεριπατέωperipateō · to walkG4043
• nakedγυμνόςgumnos · nakedG1131
• will not seeβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
• his shameἀσχημοσύνηaschēmosunē · indecencyG808

Cross-references for Revelation 16:15

• Revelation 3:3So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Then if you are not alert, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.
• Matthew 24:43But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:2For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night.
• 2 Peter 3:10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be discovered.
• Matthew 24:42“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.
• Matthew 25:13Be on the alert then, because you do not know the day nor the hour.
• Matthew 26:41Keep watching and praying, so that you do not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
• Mark 13:33“Watch out, stay alert; for you do not know when the appointed time is.
• Mark 14:38Keep watching and praying, so that you will not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
• Luke 12:37Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will prepare himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and he will come up and serve them.
• Luke 21:36But stay alert at all times, praying that you will have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
• Acts 20:31Therefore, be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:6so then, let’s not sleep as others do, but let’s be alert and sober.
• 1 Peter 4:7The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer.
• Revelation 3:4But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
• Exodus 32:25Now when Moses saw that the people were out of control--for Aaron had let them get out of control to the point of being an object of ridicule among their enemies--

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