Revelation 12:2 kjv
And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
Revelation 12:2 nkjv
Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.
Revelation 12:2 niv
She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.
Revelation 12:2 esv
She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth.
Revelation 12:2 nlt
She was pregnant, and she cried out because of her labor pains and the agony of giving birth.
Revelation 12 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 3:15 | I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring... | Protoevangelium; conflict between serpent & woman's seed (Messiah). |
| Gen 3:16 | To the woman he said, "I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing..." | Pain of childbirth as a consequence of sin. |
| Gen 37:9-10 | Joseph's dream: "the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me." | Heavenly bodies representing Israel (Jacob's family), connecting to the woman in Rev 12:1. |
| Isa 7:14 | "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son..." | Prophecy of Messiah's birth from a virgin. |
| Isa 26:17-18 | "Like a pregnant woman, when she draws near to giving birth, who writhes and cries out in her pangs..." | Metaphor of suffering and travail experienced by God's people. |
| Isa 66:7-8 | "Before she was in labor she gave birth; before her pain came, she delivered a male child... A nation born in a day." | Zion (God's people) miraculously bringing forth new life/nation. |
| Jer 30:6-7 | "Why do I see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman in labor... it is a time of distress for Jacob..." | "Time of Jacob's Trouble," linked to birth pangs as end-time tribulation. |
| Hos 13:13 | "The pangs of childbirth come for him, but he is an unwise son. For at the proper time he does not present himself at the opening of the womb." | Unreadiness and consequence for failing to bring forth fruit, metaphorical pains. |
| Mic 4:9-10 | "Why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in you?... like a woman in labor. Be in anguish... go to Babylon..." | Suffering (like birth pangs) of Judah/Israel leading to exile, but also to restoration. |
| Matt 1:18 | "Mary was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit." | The literal pregnancy of Mary with Jesus. |
| Lk 1:24 | After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived... | Literal pregnancy (John the Baptist's mother) mirroring sacred births. |
| Lk 2:5 | Joseph went to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. | Literal historical pregnancy of Jesus' mother, emphasizing her full term. |
| Matt 24:8 | "All these are but the beginning of the birth pains." | End-time tribulations preceding the return of Christ, called "birth pains." |
| Mark 13:8 | "...there will be earthquakes... these are but the beginning of the birth pains." | Parallel to Matthew, suffering leading to the end of the age. |
| John 16:21 | "When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish..." | Illustrates sorrow followed by joy, parallel to disciples' grief turning to joy after Christ's resurrection. |
| Rom 8:22 | "For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now." | Universal suffering and anticipation for final redemption. |
| Gal 4:19 | "My little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!" | Paul's spiritual agony in nurturing believers into Christ-likeness. |
| 1 Thes 5:3 | "Then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape." | Sudden judgment likened to unexpected labor pains. |
| Rev 1:9 | "I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus..." | General context of tribulation and suffering endured by believers. |
| Deut 32:18 | "You forgot the Rock who gave you birth, and you ceased to remember God who bore you." | God as the one who brings forth and sustains Israel. |
Revelation 12 verses
Revelation 12 2 Meaning
Revelation 12:2 portrays a woman in the throes of intense labor, crying out in severe distress and torment as she is about to give birth. This imagery symbolizes a period of profound struggle, pain, and expectation faced by God's faithful people before the arrival of a pivotal redemptive event, specifically the birth of the Messiah. The pain underscores the severity of the spiritual conflict surrounding this imminent birth and the significant impact it holds for both cosmic and human history.
Revelation 12 2 Context
Revelation 12 initiates a new segment within John’s apocalyptic visions, focusing on a profound cosmic conflict. The preceding chapters have detailed the opening of seals and sounding of trumpets, indicating divine judgments upon the earth. Chapter 12 acts as a parenthetical vision, offering the theological backdrop for the tribulations that follow.Verse 2 specifically describes the condition of the woman introduced in Rev 12:1, who is presented as a magnificent celestial figure, "clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars." This rich symbolism ties her identity to God's chosen people, encompassing both Old Testament Israel (from whom the Messiah arose, symbolized by the twelve tribes/patriarchs/apostles) and the faithful community of God (the Church). Her pregnancy signifies the culmination of divine promise and anticipation of a momentous event – the birth of the Christ. The subsequent verses reveal the "great red dragon" (Satan) poised to devour her child, establishing the central spiritual battle that plays out throughout Revelation and human history. The "birth pains" set the tone for the ensuing cosmic drama and the intense spiritual warfare God's people face.
Word Analysis
- She was pregnant (ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσα - en gastri echousa):
- ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσα: Literally, "having in belly" or "in womb having." This phrasal expression unequivocally means "to be pregnant."
- Significance: It highlights her full term, indicating the immediacy and inevitability of the birth. It points to a divine purpose being carried to full fruition. Biblically, pregnancy often signifies divine promise and impending fulfillment (e.g., Lk 1:24, 2:5).
- and cried out (ἔκραζεν - ekrazen):
- ἔκραζεν: Imperfect tense of κράζω (krazō), meaning "to cry out," "to shout." The imperfect tense suggests a continuous, persistent, and agonizing cry.
- Significance: It implies a public and distressed outcry, not a private groan. This intense crying communicates extreme distress, suffering, and urgent pleading, indicative of profound agony or protest. It links to expressions of deep human or prophetic anguish.
- in birth pains (ὠδίνουσα - ōdinousa):
- ὠδίνουσα: Present participle of ὠδίνω (ōdinō), meaning "to suffer the pains of childbirth," "to travail." The root ὠδίς (ōdis) refers specifically to the "pang," "agony," or "distress" of childbirth.
- Significance: Directly names the specific type of suffering. "Birth pains" are a common biblical metaphor for intense suffering, affliction, and tribulation, often associated with the coming of the Day of the Lord or the Messianic era (e.g., Matt 24:8, 1 Thes 5:3, Jer 30:6-7). They denote necessary suffering leading to new life or a new epoch.
- and the agony (καὶ βασανιζομένη - kai basanizomenē):
- βασανιζομένη: Present passive participle of βασανίζω (basanizō), meaning "to torment," "to torture," "to afflict severely," "to distress."
- Significance: This term intensifies "birth pains," indicating extreme and prolonged distress. The passive voice ("being tormented") implies that the suffering is inflicted upon her, suggesting an external force or overwhelming internal state of anguish. It goes beyond natural labor pain to an experience of being actively distressed or tortured, highlighting the severe opposition.
- of giving birth (τεκεῖν - tekein):
- τεκεῖν: Aorist infinitive of τίκτω (tiktō), meaning "to give birth," "to bring forth."
- Significance: This identifies the specific purpose or object of her suffering – the act of parturition itself. Despite the torment, the goal is successful delivery. It underlines that all the agony is directed towards the singular event of bringing forth the child.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "She was pregnant and cried out in birth pains": This phrase establishes the woman's critical condition – on the verge of birth, actively experiencing labor. The cry connects her suffering to the natural human process of childbearing, making the experience relatable, yet the symbolic nature elevates it. This emphasizes her expectant and suffering state leading to a crucial divine fulfillment.
- "and the agony of giving birth": This clause deepens the previous description by adding an intensified layer of suffering, using "agony" (βάσανος - basanos) which implies torture or severe distress. It stresses the severity of the opposition or trials encountered just prior to the bringing forth of what is spiritually significant. It indicates the profound difficulty and immense pain that accompanies the actual moment of this spiritual "birth," emphasizing the severity of the crisis point she endures.
Revelation 12 2 Bonus section
The "birth pains" can be interpreted both retrospectively and prospectively. Retrospectively, they point to the millennia of Israel's struggles, prophecies, and expectations that culminated in the birth of Jesus Christ. Prospectively, they can signify the ongoing tribulations faced by the Church as it anticipates the full manifestation of Christ's kingdom and His return, akin to the "Messianic woes" or end-time "birth pains" mentioned in other prophetic passages. The detailed description of pain highlights the cosmic forces opposing God's plan, yet it also underscores the unstoppable nature of that divine purpose which triumphs even through agony. The anguish is a testament to the magnitude and significance of what is being "birthed."
Revelation 12 2 Commentary
Revelation 12:2 paints a vivid picture of extreme suffering that precedes a divine triumph. The woman, symbolic of God's people throughout salvation history, from Old Testament Israel to the New Testament Church, is undergoing labor pains. These are not merely physical pangs but profound anguish and torment (represented by basanizomenē), reflective of the persecutions, tribulations, and spiritual warfare faced by the faithful who anticipate and bring forth the Messiah and His kingdom.This verse highlights the intensity of the spiritual conflict surrounding the Incarnation and subsequent establishment of Christ's rule. Just as literal childbirth involves suffering, this symbolic birth implies immense struggle for God's purposes to come to fruition in the world. This suffering is portrayed as necessary and purposeful, directed toward the inevitable arrival of the promised Deliverer. It shows that great spiritual breakthroughs often emerge from periods of intense struggle and prayer within the community of faith, affirming that suffering is a part of God's redemptive plan.