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

1Then I heard a mighty voice from the Temple say to the seven angels, “Go your ways and pour out on the earth the seven bowls containing God’s wrath.” 2So the first angel left the Temple and poured out his bowl on the earth, and horrible, malignant sores broke out on everyone who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. 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. 4Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs, and they became blood. 5And I heard the angel who had authority over all water saying, “You are just, O Holy One, who is and who always was, because you have sent these judgments.

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 8:8Then the second angel blew his trumpet, and a great mountain of fire was thrown into the sea. One-third of the water in the sea became blood,
• Revelation 10:2And in his hand was a small scroll that had been opened. He stood with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land.
• Revelation 13:1Then I saw a beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God.
• Revelation 11:6They have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall for as long as they prophesy. And they have the power to turn the rivers and oceans into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish.
• Exodus 7:17So this is what the Lord says: “I will show you that I am the Lord.” Look! I will strike the water of the Nile with this staff in my hand, and the river will turn to blood.
• Psalms 78:44For he turned their rivers into blood, so no one could drink from the streams.
• Psalms 105:29He turned their water into blood, poisoning all the fish.
• Ezekiel 16:38I will punish you for your murder and adultery. I will cover you with blood in my jealous fury.
• Revelation 8:9one-third of all things living in the sea died, and one-third of all the ships on the sea were destroyed.
• Genesis 7:22Everything that breathed and lived on 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

• 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