Revelation 12:1-4

The Woman, the Child, and the Dragon

12:1 Then ¹  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. ²  12:2 She ³  was pregnant and was screaming in labor pains, struggling ⁴  to give birth. 12:3 Then ⁵  another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon that had seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadem crowns. ⁶  12:4 Now ⁷  the dragon’s ⁸  tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth. Then ⁹  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.

[12:1]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[12:1]  ² sn Sun…moon…stars. This imagery is frequently identified with the nation Israel because of Joseph’s dream in Gen 37.

[12:2]  ³ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[12:2]  ⁴ tn Grk “and being tortured,” though βασανίζω (basanizw) 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.

[12:3]  ⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[12:3]  ⁶ tn For the translation of διάδημα (diadhma) as “diadem crown” see L&N 6.196.

[12:4]  ⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate that this remark is virtually parenthetical.

[12:4]  ⁸ tn Grk “its”; the referent (the dragon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:4]  ⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.