Wahyu 16:1-9

The Bowls of God’s Wrath

16:1 Then ¹  I heard a loud voice from the temple declaring to the seven angels: “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls containing God’s wrath.” ²  16:2 So ³  the first angel ⁴  went and poured out his bowl on the earth. Then ⁵  ugly and painful sores ⁶  appeared on the people ⁷  who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.

16:3 Next, ⁸  the second angel ⁹  poured out his bowl on the sea and it turned into blood, like that of a corpse, and every living creature that was in the sea died.

16:4 Then ¹⁰  the third angel ¹¹  poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into blood. 16:5 Now ¹²  I heard the angel of the waters saying:

“You are just ¹³  – the one who is and who was,

the Holy One – because you have passed these judgments, ¹⁴ 

16:6 because they poured out the blood of your saints and prophets,

so ¹⁵  you have given them blood to drink. They got what they deserved!” ¹⁶ 

16:7 Then ¹⁷  I heard the altar reply, ¹⁸  “Yes, Lord God, the All-Powerful, ¹⁹  your judgments are true and just!”

16:8 Then ²⁰  the fourth angel ²¹  poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was permitted to scorch people ²²  with fire. 16:9 Thus ²³  people ²⁴  were scorched by the terrible heat, ²⁵  yet ²⁶  they blasphemed the name of God, who has ruling authority ²⁷  over these plagues, and they would not repent and give him glory.

[16:1]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[16:1]  ² tn Or “anger.” Here τοῦ θυμοῦ (tou qumou) has been translated as a genitive of content.

[16:2]  ³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the directions given by the voice from the temple.

[16:2]  ⁴ tn Grk “the first”; the referent (the first angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:2]  ⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[16:2]  ⁶ tn Or “ulcerated sores”; the term in the Greek text is singular but is probably best understood as a collective singular.

[16:2]  ⁷ tn Grk ‘the men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women.

[16:3]  ⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “next” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[16:3]  ⁹ tn Grk “the second”; the referent (the second angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:4]  ¹⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[16:4]  ¹¹ tn Grk “the third”; the referent (the third angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:5]  ¹² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the somewhat parenthetical nature of the remarks that follow.

[16:5]  ¹³ tn Or “righteous,” although the context favors justice as the theme.

[16:5]  ¹⁴ tn Or “because you have judged these things.” The pronoun ταῦτα (tauta) is neuter gender.

[16:6]  ¹⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate that this judgment is the result of what these wicked people did to the saints and prophets.

[16:6]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “They are worthy”; i.e., of this kind of punishment. By extension, “they got what they deserve.”

[16:7]  ¹⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[16:7]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “the altar saying.”

[16:7]  ¹⁹ tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(ὁ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π. …Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22.”

[16:8]  ²⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[16:8]  ²¹ tn Grk “the fourth”; the referent (the fourth angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:8]  ²² tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women.

[16:9]  ²³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “thus” to indicate the implied result of the bowl poured on the sun.

[16:9]  ²⁴ tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women.

[16:9]  ²⁵ tn On this phrase BDAG 536 s.v. καῦμα states, “burning, heat Rv 7:16…καυματίζεσθαι κ. μέγα be burned with a scorching heat 16:9.”

[16:9]  ²⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[16:9]  ²⁷ tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.