Tree of Life Version
Revelation 9:5
5And they were permitted not to kill them, but to torment them for five months—and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a person.
Revelation 9:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
- New International Version (NIV)They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes.
- English Standard Version (ESV)They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man.
Context of Revelation 9:5
3Then from the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given to them like the scorpions have power over the earth. 4They were told to do no harm to the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only the people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. And they were permitted not to kill them, but to torment them for five months—and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings a person. 6In those days, people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will flee from them. 7Now the appearance of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were something like crowns of gold, and their faces were like human faces.
Read all of Revelation 9Revelation 9:5 word by word
καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς ἵνα μὴ ἀποκτείνωσιν αὐτούς, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα βασανισθήσονται μῆνας πέντε, καὶ ὁ βασανισμὸς αὐτῶν ὡς βασανισμὸς σκορπίου ὅταν παίσῃ ἄνθρωπον.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- to themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- it was givenδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- they shouldἀποκτείνωapokteinō · to killG615
- notμήmē · notG3361
- butἀλλάalla · butG235
- they should be tormentedβασανίζωbasanizō · to torture: tortureG928
- fiveπέντεpente · fiveG4002
- monthsμήνmēn · monthG3376
- tormentὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- tormentβασανισμόςbasanismos · tormentG929
- asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- of a scorpionσκορπίοςskorpios · scorpionG4651
- whenὅτανhotan · when(-ever)G3752
- he strikethπαίωpaiō · to strikeG3817
- a manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
Cross-references for Revelation 9:5
- Revelation 13:5The beast was given a mouth uttering great boasts and blasphemies. It was given authority to act for forty-two months.
- Daniel 5:18Your majesty, God Most High gave your father Nebuchadnezzar the kingdom, as well as greatness, glory, and splendor.
- Daniel 7:6“After that I looked, and behold, there was another one like a leopard. On its back it had four wings like those of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.
- John 19:11Yeshua answered, “You would have no authority over Me if it hadn’t been given to you from above. For this reason, the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.”
- Revelation 11:7When they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the abyss will make war on them, and overcome them and kill them.
- Job 2:6Adonai said to the satan, “Very well, he is in your hand—only spare his life!”
- Revelation 9:10They have tails like scorpions with stingers; and in their tails is their power to harm people for five months.
- Revelation 9:3Then from the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given to them like the scorpions have power over the earth.
Commentaries on Revelation 9:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5To them it was given - That is, they were permitted. That they should be tormented five months - Some take these months literally, and apply them to the conduct of the Zealots who, from May to September, in the year of the siege, produced dreadful contests among the people; or to the afflictions brought upon the Jews by Cestius Gallus, when he came against Jerusalem, before which he lay one whole summer, or nearly five months - See Joseph., Bell. Jud., l…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5And to them it was given - There is here the same indefiniteness as in the former verse, the impersonal verb being here also used. The writer does not say by whom this power was given, whether by God, or by the leader of the host. It may be admitted, however, that the most natural interpretation is to suppose that it was given them by God, and that this was the execution of his purpose in this case. Still it is remarkable that this is not directly…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5torment them for five months: This time period is a symbolically complete number based on the fingers on a hand. It is also the normal life span of locusts, suggesting that their entire purpose was to torture people.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. they ... they--The subject changes: the first "they" is the locusts; the second is the unsealed. five months--the ordinary time in the year during which locusts continue their ravages. their torment--the torment of the sufferers. This fifth verse and Re 9:6 cannot refer to an invading army. For an army would kill, and not merely torment.Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 9:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Revelation 9
- 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
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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