Text -- Revelation 16:1-13 (NET)

The Bowls of God’s Wrath

16:1 Then 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.” 16:2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth. Then ugly and painful sores appeared on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image. 16:3 Next, the second angel 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 the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into blood. 16:5 Now I heard the angel of the waters saying: “You are just– the one who is and who was, the Holy One– because you have passed these judgments, 16:6 because they poured out the blood of your saints and prophets, so you have given them blood to drink. They got what they deserved!” 16:7 Then I heard the altar reply, “Yes, Lord God, the All-Powerful, your judgments are true and just!” 16:8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was permitted to scorch people with fire. 16:9 Thus people were scorched by the terrible heat, yet they blasphemed the name of God, who has ruling authority over these plagues, and they would not repent and give him glory. 16:10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast so that darkness covered his kingdom, and people began to bite their tongues because of their pain. 16:11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their sufferings and because of their sores, but nevertheless they still refused to repent of their deeds. 16:12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and dried up its water to prepare the way for the kings from the east. 16:13 Then I saw three unclean spirits that looked like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Rev 16:1

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

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

NET Notes: Rev 16:2

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the directions given by the voice from the temple.

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

³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

⁴ tn Or “ulcerated sores”; the term in the Greek text is singular but is probably best understood as a collective singular.

⁵ tn Grk ‘the men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women.

NET Notes: Rev 16:3

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “next” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

² tn Grk “the second”; the referent (the second angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

NET Notes: Rev 16:4

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

² tn Grk “the third”; the referent (the third angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

NET Notes: Rev 16:5

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the somewhat parenthetical nature of the remarks that follow.

² tn Or “righteous,” although the context favors justice as the theme.

³ tn Or “because you have judged these things.” The pronoun ταῦτα (tauta) is neuter gender.

NET Notes: Rev 16:6

¹ 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.

² tn Grk “They are worthy”; i.e., of this kind of punishment. By extension, “they got what they deserve.”

NET Notes: Rev 16:7

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

² tn Grk “the altar saying.”

³ 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.”

NET Notes: Rev 16:8

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

² tn Grk “the fourth”; the referent (the fourth angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³ tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women.

NET Notes: Rev 16:9

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “thus” to indicate the implied result of the bowl poured on the sun.

² tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women.

³ 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.”

⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

⁵ tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.

NET Notes: Rev 16:10

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

² tn Grk “the fifth”; the referent (the fifth angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so that” to indicate the implied result of the fifth bowl being poured out.

⁴ tn Grk “his kingdom became dark.”

⁵ tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women.

⁶ tn On this term BDAG 620 s.v. μασάομαι states, “bite w. acc. τὰς γλώσσας bite their tongues Rv 16:10.”

⁷ tn The preposition ἐκ (ek) has been translated here and twice in the following verse with a causal sense.

NET Notes: Rev 16:11

¹ tn Grk “pains” (the same term in Greek [πόνος, ponos] as the last word in v. 11, here translated “sufferings” because it is plural). BDAG 852 s.v. 2 states, “ἐκ τοῦ π. in pain…Rv 16:10; pl. (Gen 41:51; Jos., C. Ap. 2, 146; Test. Jud. 18:4) ἐκ τῶν π. …because of their sufferings vs. 11.”

² tn Or “ulcerated sores” (see 16:2).

³ tn Grk “and they did not repent.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but nevertheless” to express the contrast here.

⁴ tn Grk “they did not repent” The addition of “still refused” reflects the hardness of people’s hearts in the context.

NET Notes: Rev 16:12

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

² tn Grk “the sixth”; the referent (the sixth angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³ tn Grk “and its water was dried up.” Here the passive construction has been translated as an active one.

⁴ tn Grk “in order that the way might be prepared.” Here the passive construction has been translated as an active one.

⁵ tn Grk “from the rising of the sun.” BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατολή 2.a takes this as a geographical direction: “ἀπὸ ἀ. ἡλίου…from the east Rv 7:2; 16:12; simply ἀπὸ ἀ. …21:13.”

NET Notes: Rev 16:13

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

² sn According to the next verse, these three unclean spirits are spirits of demons.