Revelation 12:1-8

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. 12:5 So ¹⁰  the woman gave birth to a son, a male child, ¹¹  who is going to rule ¹²  over all the nations ¹³  with an iron rod. ¹⁴  Her ¹⁵  child was suddenly caught up to God and to his throne, 12:6 and she ¹⁶  fled into the wilderness ¹⁷  where a place had been prepared for her ¹⁸  by God, so she could be taken care of ¹⁹  for 1,260 days.

War in Heaven

12:7 Then ²⁰  war broke out in heaven: Michael ²¹  and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 12:8 But ²²  the dragon was not strong enough to prevail, ²³  so there was no longer any place left ²⁴  in heaven for him and his angels. ²⁵ 

[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.

[12:5]  ¹⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the conclusion of the anticipated birth.

[12:5]  ¹¹ tn 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.”

[12:5]  ¹² tn Grk “shepherd.”

[12:5]  ¹³ tn Or “all the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).

[12:5]  ¹⁴ tn Or “scepter.” The Greek term ῥάβδος (rJabdo") can mean either “rod” or “scepter.”

[12:5]  ¹⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[12:6]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “and the woman,” which would be somewhat redundant in English.

[12:6]  ¹⁷ tn Or “desert.”

[12:6]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “where she has there a place prepared by God.”

[12:6]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “so they can take care of her.”

[12:7]  ²⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[12:7]  ²¹ sn 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).

[12:8]  ²² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the implied contrast.

[12:8]  ²³ tn The words “to prevail” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[12:8]  ²⁴ tn Grk “found.”

[12:8]  ²⁵ tn Grk “for them”; the referent (the dragon and his angels, v. 7) has been specified in the translation for clarity.