Keraia
Revelation 12

Revelation 12:16

The Woman Persecuted · Revelation 12:13–17
Read Revelation 12

Translations

Modern
But the earth helped the woman and opened its mouth to swallow up the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth.
Traditional
And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
Literal
And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river that the dragon cast out of his mouth.
Latin
Et adjuvit terra mulierem, et aperuit terra os suum, et absorbuit flumen, quod misit draco de ore suo.

Original

Greek
English
But the earth helped the woman and opened its mouth to swallow up the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth.

Notes

Revelation 12:15–16

John imagines Satan as Leviathan, a great sea monster (compare Job 41:1), trying to destroy God's people (the woman; see study note on Revelation 12:1). In the vision, the earth protects the woman, and the dangerous waters are held back. This is similar to the way God contained the waters of chaos at creation (compare Genesis 1:2, 6–7, 9–10).

Revelation 12:1–17

Satan is shown as a dragon. He plots to oppose God's plans but fails. After losing a direct battle with God and Christ, he tries to harm God's followers. Three short scenes summarize the story (Revelation 12:1–6), followed by details of the war in heaven (12:7–9) and the war on earth (12:13–17).

Revelation 12:1–14:20

The people of God are pictured as a woman who gives birth to the Messiah. Even though the devil has already been defeated, he continues to attack her and her children (Revelation 12:1–17). With his two followers, the beast and the false prophet, Satan tries to keep controlling the world (Revelation 13:1–18) before the final battle with the Lord (14:1–20).

Theme notes and profiles

Visions

Glossary

Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Book of Revelation Dragon Lucifer

Topics

Vision of John on the Island of Patmos: The Red Dragon