New King James Version
Revelation 16:3
3Then 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse. And everything in the sea died.
Context of Revelation 16:3
1Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.” 2So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. 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. 4Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. 5And I heard the angel of the waters saying: “You are righteous, O Lord, The One who is and who was and who is to be, Because You have judged these things.
Read all of Revelation 16Revelation 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 8:8Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood.
- Revelation 10:2He had a little book open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,
- Revelation 13:1Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name.
- Revelation 11:6These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
- Exodus 7:17Thus says the Lord: “By this you shall know that I am the Lord. Behold, I will strike the waters which are in the river with the rod that is in my hand, and they shall be turned to blood.
- Psalms 78:44Turned their rivers into blood, And their streams, that they could not drink.
- Psalms 105:29He turned their waters into blood, And killed their fish.
- Ezekiel 16:38And I will judge you as women who break wedlock or shed blood are judged; I will bring blood upon you in fury and jealousy.
- Revelation 8:9And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
- Genesis 7:22All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, all that was on the dry land, 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
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries