New Living Translation
Revelation 16:15
15“Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.”
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 three evil spirits that looked like frogs leap from the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. 14They are demonic spirits who work miracles and go out to all the rulers of the world to gather them for battle against the Lord on that great judgment day of God the Almighty. “Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.” 16And the demonic spirits gathered all the rulers and their armies to a place with the Hebrew name Armageddon. 17Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air. And a mighty shout came from the throne in the Temple, saying, “It is finished!”
Read all of Revelation 16Revelation 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 3:3Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.
- Matthew 24:43Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:2For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night.
- 2 Peter 3:10But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.
- Matthew 24:42“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.
- Matthew 25:13“So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.
- Matthew 26:41Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”
- Mark 13:33And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert!
- Mark 14:38Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”
- Luke 12:37The servants who are ready and waiting for his return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, he himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat!
- Luke 21:36Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.”
- Acts 20:31Watch out! Remember the three years I was with you—my constant watch and care over you night and day, and my many tears for you.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:6So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.
- 1 Peter 4:7The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.
- Revelation 3:4“Yet there are some in the church in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes with evil. They will walk with me in white, for they are worthy.
- Exodus 32:25Moses saw that Aaron had let the people get completely out of control, much to the amusement of 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
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
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