Rev 12 | NETfull | STEP | Then a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and with the moon under her feet, and on her head was a crown of twelve stars.

Revelation of John 12

The Woman, the Child, and the Dragon

1 Then ^{▼▼ Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.} a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and with the moon under her feet, and on her head was a crown of twelve stars. ^{▼▼ Sun…moon…stars. This imagery is frequently identified with the nation Israel because of Joseph’s dream in Gen 37.} 2 She ^{▼▼ Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.} was pregnant and was screaming in labor pains, struggling ^{▼▼ Grk “and being tortured,” though βασανίζω (basanizō) in this context refers to birth pangs. BDAG 168 s.v. 2.b states, “Of birth-pangs (Anth. Pal. 9, 311 βάσανος has this mng.) Rv 12:2.” The καί (kai) has not been translated.} to give birth. 3 Then ^{▼▼ Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.} another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon that had seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadem crowns. ^{▼▼ For the translation of διάδημα (diadēma) as “diadem crown” see L&N 6.196.} ^{▼▼ Diadem crowns were a type of crown used as a symbol of the highest ruling authority in a given area, and thus often associated with kingship.} 4 Now ^{▼▼ Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate that this remark is virtually parenthetical.} the dragon’s ^{▼▼ Grk “its”; the referent (the dragon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth. Then ^{▼▼ Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.} the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child as soon as it was born. 5 So ^{▼▼ Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the conclusion of the anticipated birth.} the woman gave birth to a son, a male child, ^{▼▼ On this term BDAG 135 s.v. ἄρσην states: “male…The neut. ἄρσεν Rv 12:5, difft. vs. 13, comes fr. Is 66:7 and is in apposition to υἱόν. On the juxtaposition s. FBoll, ZNW 15, 1914, 253; BOlsson, Glotta 23, ’34, 112.”} who is going to rule ^{▼▼ Grk “shepherd.”} over all the nations ^{▼▼ Or “all the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).} with an iron rod. ^{▼▼ Or “scepter.” The Greek term ῥάβδος (rhabdos) can mean either “rod” or “scepter.”} ^{▼▼ An allusion to Ps 2:9 (see also Rev 2:27; 19:15).} Her ^{▼▼ Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.} child was suddenly caught up to God and to his throne, 6 and she ^{▼▼ Grk “and the woman,” which would be somewhat redundant in English.} fled into the wilderness ^{▼▼ Or “desert.”} where a place had been prepared for her ^{▼▼ Grk “where she has there a place prepared by God.”} by God, so she could be taken care of ^{▼▼ Grk “so they can take care of her.”} for 1,260 days.

War in Heaven

7 Then ^{▼▼ Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.} war broke out in heaven: Michael ^{▼▼ The archangel Michael had a special role in protecting the nation of Israel in the OT (Dan 10:13, 21; 12:1; see also Jude 9).} and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But ^{▼▼ Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the implied contrast.} the dragon was not strong enough to prevail, ^{▼▼ The words “to prevail” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.} so there was no longer any place left ^{▼▼ Grk “found.”} in heaven for him and his angels. ^{▼▼ Grk “for them”; the referent (the dragon and his angels, v. 7) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} 9 So ^{▼▼ Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the war in heaven.} that huge dragon – the ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world – was thrown down to the earth, and his angels along with him. 10 Then ^{▼▼ Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.} I heard a loud voice in heaven saying,

“The salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God,
and the ruling authority ^{▼▼ Or “the right of his Messiah to rule.” See L&N 37.35.} of his Christ, ^{▼▼ Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”} have now come,
because the accuser of our brothers and sisters, ^{▼▼ Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited). The translation “fellow believer” would normally apply (L&N 11.23), but since the speaker(s) are not specified in this context, it is not clear if such a translation would be appropriate here. The more generic “brothers and sisters” was chosen to emphasize the fact of a relationship without specifying its type.}
the one who accuses them day and night ^{▼▼ Or “who accuses them continually.”} before our God,
has been thrown down.
11 But ^{▼▼ Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast.} they overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony,
and they did not love their lives ^{▼▼ They did not love their lives. See Matt 16:25; Luke 17:33; John 12:25.} so much that they were afraid to die.
12 Therefore you heavens rejoice, and all who reside in them!
But ^{▼▼ The word “But” is not in the Greek text, but the contrast is clearly implied. This is a case of asyndeton (lack of a connective).} woe to the earth and the sea
because the devil has come down to you!
He ^{▼▼ Grk “and is filled,” a continuation of the previous sentence. Because English tends to use shorter sentences (especially when exclamations are involved), a new sentence was started here in the translation.} is filled with terrible anger,
for he knows that he only has a little time!”
13 Now ^{▼▼ Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” because the clause it introduces is clearly resumptive.} when the dragon realized ^{▼▼ Grk “saw.”} that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 But ^{▼▼ Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present here.} the woman was given the two wings of a giant eagle so that she could fly out into the wilderness, ^{▼▼ Or “desert.”} to the place God ^{▼▼ The word “God” is supplied based on the previous statements made concerning “the place prepared for the woman” in 12:6.} prepared for her, where she is taken care of – away from the presence of the serpent – for a time, times, and half a time. ^{▼▼ The reading “and half a time” (καὶ ἥμισυ καιροῦ, kai {ēmisu kairou) is lacking in the important uncial C. Its inclusion, however, is supported by {Ƥ⁴⁷ א A and the rest of the ms tradition}. There is apparently no reason for the scribe of C to intentionally omit the phrase, and the fact that the word “time” (καιρὸν καὶ καιρούς, kairon kai kairous) appears twice before may indicate a scribal oversight.} ^{▼▼ The parallel statement in Rev 12:6 suggests that the phrase a time, times, and half a time equals 1,260 days (three and a half years of 360 days each).} 15 Then ^{▼▼ Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.} the serpent spouted water like a river out of his mouth after the woman in an attempt to ^{▼▼ Grk “so that he might make her swept away.”} sweep her away by a flood, 16 but ^{▼▼ Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present here.} the earth came to her rescue; ^{▼▼ Grk “the earth helped the woman.”} the ground opened up ^{▼▼ Grk “the earth opened its mouth” (a metaphor for the ground splitting open).} and swallowed the river that the dragon had spewed from his mouth. 17 So ^{▼▼ Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the woman’s escape.} the dragon became enraged at the woman and went away to make war on the rest of her children, ^{▼▼ Grk “her seed” (an idiom for offspring, children, or descendants).} those who keep ^{▼▼ Or “who obey.”} God’s commandments and hold to ^{▼▼ Grk “and having.”} the testimony about Jesus. ^{▼▼ Grk “the testimony of Jesus,” which may involve a subjective genitive (“Jesus’ testimony”) or, more likely, an objective genitive (“testimony about Jesus”).} 18 And the dragon ^{▼▼ Grk “he”; the referent (the dragon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} stood ^{▼▼ Grk ἐστάθη (estaqē, “he stood”). The reading followed by the translation is attested by the better mss (Ƥ⁴⁷ א A C 1854 2344 2351 pc lat sy^h) while the majority of mss (051 Maj. vg^mss sy^phco) have the reading ἐστάθην (estaqēn, “I stood”). Thus, the majority of mss make the narrator, rather than the dragon of 12:17, the subject of the verb. The first person reading is most likely an assimilation to the following verb in 13:1, “I saw.” The reading “I stood” was introduced either by accident or to produce a smoother flow, giving the narrator a vantage point on the sea’s edge from which to observe the beast rising out of the sea in 13:1. But almost everywhere else in the book, the phrase καὶ εἶδον (kai eidon, “and I saw”) marks a transition to a new vision, without reference to the narrator’s activity. On both external and internal grounds, it is best to adopt the third person reading, “he stood.”} on the sand ^{▼▼ Or “sandy beach” (L&N 1.64).} of the seashore. ^{▼▼ The standard critical texts of the Greek NT, NA²⁷ and UBS⁴, both include this sentence as 12:18, as do the RSV and NRSV. Other modern translations like the NASB and NIV include the sentence at the beginning of 13:1; in these versions chap. 12 has only 17 verses.}