Revelation 12 3

Revelation 12:3 kjv

And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

Revelation 12:3 nkjv

And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.

Revelation 12:3 niv

Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads.

Revelation 12:3 esv

And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems.

Revelation 12:3 nlt

Then I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads.

Revelation 12 verses

Revelation 12 3 Meaning

Revelation 12:3 presents the vision of a formidable adversary appearing in the heavenly realm: a great, fiery red dragon. This figure is distinguished by seven heads and ten horns, with seven diadems (kingly crowns) adorning its heads. This "sign" vividly introduces the central antagonist in the cosmic conflict against God's purposes and His people, depicting an entity of immense power, malevolence, and widespread dominion, symbolically revealed to be Satan.

Revelation 12 3 Context

Revelation chapter 12 introduces a grand cosmic conflict that serves as the backdrop for many of the subsequent events in the book. It pivots from the seven trumpets to a series of symbolic visions depicting the spiritual warfare between God's chosen people and the forces of evil. The immediate context of verse 3 is the appearance of two great "signs" (σημεῖον) in heaven: first, a woman clothed with the sun (symbolizing God's people, likely Israel and/or the Church), and then, "another sign," the great fiery red dragon. This dragon is introduced as the direct antagonist of the woman and her male child (who ascends to heaven). Historically, this vision resonates with ancient Near Eastern and Greco-Roman myths of cosmic serpents or beasts of chaos, but Revelation reframes this imagery within a biblical theological framework, identifying the dragon clearly as Satan, an ancient adversary striving against God's divine plan of salvation through His Messiah.

Revelation 12 3 Word analysis

• καὶ (kai): "And." This simple conjunction signifies continuation from the previous verse, linking the vision of the dragon directly to the preceding vision of the woman. It emphasizes that this is a successive and equally significant "sign."
• ὤφθη (ophthē): "Was seen," "appeared." This Greek aorist passive verb indicates that the dragon was visibly presented to John, emphasizing a clear divine revelation of its presence and characteristics. It wasn't imagined but shown.
• ἄλλο (allo): "Another." This word highlights that a new and distinct symbol is being introduced, separate from the woman previously described, but integral to the overall divine narrative.
• σημεῖον (sēmeion): "Sign." In Revelation, a "sign" denotes a symbolic manifestation or a figure used to convey spiritual or prophetic truth, rather than a literal object. It signals a deeper meaning behind the appearance.
• ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ (en tō ouranō): "In the heaven." This specifies the location of the vision, indicating the spiritual realm or the expanse above, not necessarily earthly space. It underscores the cosmic, spiritual dimension of the conflict depicted.
• ἰδοὺ (idou): "Behold!" "Look!" An imperative often used to draw immediate attention to something startling or profoundly important, compelling the reader to fix their gaze on the upcoming revelation.
• δράκων (drakōn): "Dragon." This term denotes a large, monstrous serpent, often mythical. In biblical typology, it harks back to the "serpent" in Gen 3 and is explicitly identified as Satan in Rev 12:9 and 20:2, signifying an ancient, powerful, and deceptive evil.
• πυρρός (pyrros): "Fiery red." The color red (from pyr, fire) universally symbolizes destruction, war, bloodshed, intense anger, and divine wrath, or often, evil itself. For this "dragon," it points to his malevolent, destructive nature and association with chaos.
• μέγας (megas): "Great." This adjective stresses the dragon's immense power, size, and influence, indicating that this is a primary, formidable foe, not a minor adversary.
• ἔχων (echōn): "Having." Indicates possession or characteristic features.
• κεφαλὰς ἑπτὰ (kephalas hepta): "Heads seven." Seven often represents completeness or perfection. In this context of evil, it symbolizes the dragon's complete, multifaceted wisdom, intellect, or perhaps universal authority and the entirety of evil power through which he operates. Rev 17:9-10 later associates the heads with seven mountains and seven kings/kingdoms.
• κέρατα δέκα (kerata deka): "Horns ten." Horns symbolize power, strength, and authority, particularly kingly or political power, reminiscent of Daniel's visions (Dan 7:7, 20). Ten signifies universal or complete earthly dominion (similar to "many" or "all"), referring to the totality of secular political power controlled or influenced by the dragon.
• καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτοῦ ἑπτὰ διαδήματα (kai epi tas kephalas autou hepta diadēmata): "and on his heads seven crowns." "Diadema" specifically refers to royal crowns, a sign of kingly power or dominion, as opposed to stephanos (a victor's wreath or civic crown). The seven diadems on his seven heads reinforce the idea of full, usurped, tyrannical royal authority claimed over the earth's systems or seven specific power centers, indicating that the dragon reigns with full authority over these heads. This contrasts with the legitimate kingly crowns of Christ.

Revelation 12 3 Bonus section

The imagery of a dragon with multiple heads and horns draws on existing symbolic language found in ancient Near Eastern mythology and Old Testament prophecy (e.g., Leviathan, Rahab, Daniel's beasts). By employing this, John grounds the symbolic presentation in familiar apocalyptic terms, but imbues it with new theological significance, definitively identifying this powerful cosmic force as Satan, the arch-enemy. This not only provided an immediate spiritual framework for early Christian believers enduring persecution (the dragon empowers earthly adversaries) but also unveiled the ultimate spiritual source of opposition. The focus on 'seven' and 'ten' as numerical components (heads, horns, crowns) highlights a pseudo-completeness and false totality to the dragon's power, suggesting that while his authority seems comprehensive and imposing, it is ultimately finite and under the sovereign control of God, awaiting final judgment. The fact that the crowns are on his heads, rather than on the beast's (Rev 13:1), signifies that he is the ultimate, originating source of power, directly possessing royal claims, even if he delegates that authority to an earthly beast.

Revelation 12 3 Commentary

Revelation 12:3 introduces the visual embodiment of Satan as the cosmic adversary. The "great fiery red dragon" depicts an entity of overwhelming destructive power (red, great) and ancient malevolence (dragon). His seven heads represent his complete intellectual cunning, his ability to control all facets of earthly governance, or perhaps the series of empires throughout history that have opposed God's people. The ten horns further amplify his widespread, universal political authority, often understood as representing the sum total of earthly powers or a final confederation of hostile kingdoms through which he exerts influence. The presence of "seven crowns" (diadems) on his heads powerfully signifies his claim to usurped, absolute royal authority over these dominions, distinct from the righteous authority of God and Christ. This vision underscores that the cosmic conflict revealed in Revelation is fundamentally a spiritual war initiated and directed by Satan, who masquerades as a legitimate king over earthly systems.