Revelation 12:4 kjv
And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
Revelation 12:4 nkjv
His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.
Revelation 12:4 niv
Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born.
Revelation 12:4 esv
His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it.
Revelation 12:4 nlt
His tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky, and he threw them to the earth. He stood in front of the woman as she was about to give birth, ready to devour her baby as soon as it was born.
Revelation 12 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Rev 12:9 | And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels with him. | Identifies the dragon as Satan, the deceiver, thrown down with his angels. |
| Gen 3:1 | Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast... | The initial biblical depiction of the tempter and deceiver. |
| Isa 14:12 | How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! | Prophecy often linked to Satan's glorious origin and fall from heaven due to pride. |
| Ezek 28:15 | You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you. | Allegory of a proud cherub (often applied to Satan) whose perfection led to fall. |
| Luke 10:18 | And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” | Jesus' personal testimony confirming Satan's precipitous expulsion from heaven. |
| Jude 1:6 | And the angels who did not stay within their own position but left their proper dwelling have been kept by him in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day. | Mentions angels who sinned by leaving their assigned dwelling, now reserved for judgment. |
| 2 Pet 2:4 | For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment... | Confirms God's judgment upon sinful angels, consigning them to Tartarus. |
| Matt 25:41 | Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’ | States eternal punishment is prepared not only for the Devil but also for his angels (demons). |
| Dan 8:10 | It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them. | Symbolic parallel of a tyrannical power bringing down heavenly hosts/stars. |
| Gen 3:15 | I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. | The proto-gospel: earliest prophecy of conflict between the serpent and the Messiah. |
| Mic 5:3 | Therefore he will give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. | Prophecy directly indicating the Messiah's birth through a "woman in labor." |
| Isa 7:14 | Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. | Prophecy of Christ's miraculous virgin birth, a divine sign. |
| Isa 9:6 | For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. | Prophecy foretelling the divine nature and mission of the Messiah child. |
| Matt 2:13 | Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” | Historical account of Herod's attempt to kill the infant Jesus, mirroring Satan's destructive intent. |
| John 1:14 | And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. | The Incarnation of Jesus, God becoming human. |
| Ps 2:7-9 | I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.” | Prophecy of the Messiah's divine sonship and His righteous, unbreakable reign. |
| Heb 1:3 | He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high... | Describes Christ's nature, finished work, and exalted position in heaven. |
| Col 2:15 | He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. | Christ's victory over demonic powers and spiritual adversaries through His cross and resurrection. |
| 1 John 3:8 | The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. | Declares Christ's primary mission was to undo the destructive works of Satan. |
| Eph 6:12 | For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. | Explains the spiritual nature of the ongoing conflict faced by believers. |
| Rev 12:13 | And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. | Continues the narrative, showing the dragon's persistent persecution of God's people after Christ's ascension. |
| Rev 20:2 | And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years... | Prophecy of Satan's eventual and decisive binding and imprisonment. |
Revelation 12 verses
Revelation 12 4 Meaning
Revelation 12:4 graphically portrays the formidable power and malevolent intent of the dragon, identified as Satan, in the cosmic conflict. It depicts his initial success in heavenly rebellion, drawing away a significant portion of angels who became demons and casting them down to the earth. Subsequently, it shows his immediate, watchful malice towards God's redemptive plan, standing ready to destroy the Messiah upon His birth, highlighting Satan's ancient enmity against God and His Anointed One.
Revelation 12 4 Context
Revelation chapter 12 dramatically introduces a foundational cosmic conflict underlying all human history and tribulation. It presents allegorical figures—a woman clothed with the sun, moon, and stars (representing God's faithful people, specifically Israel from whom the Messiah arose), a male child (Jesus Christ), and a great red dragon (Satan). This verse and chapter, strategically placed within John's apocalyptic vision, unveil the unseen spiritual warfare behind the visible struggles faced by believers. For the original audience, who endured intense Roman persecution and confronted pervasive pagan cults, this vision served as profound theological assurance. It illuminated that their suffering was part of a grander, divinely directed battle between God's redemptive purpose and Satan's opposing schemes. The imagery of the dragon's pursuit of the woman and child provided a powerful polemic against any earthly power, including the Roman Empire, asserting that ultimate authority resides with God, and even the most formidable evil powers are merely agents of the defeated Adversary, unable to thwart divine decrees.
Revelation 12 4 Word analysis
And his tail (Καὶ ἡ οὐρὰ αὐτοῦ - Kai hē oura autou): The "tail" metaphorically represents the dragon's subtle, deceptive, and destructive influence, signifying how he draws others into his rebellion. It denotes his power to lead astray through cunning or brute force.
drew (σύρει - syrei): This verb means to drag, pull by force, or sweep away. It emphasizes the forceful, irresistible nature of the dragon's action in securing allies and causing their fall, rather than a mere persuasion. It indicates a violent expulsion.
a third (τὸ τρίτον - to triton): This fraction signifies a substantial portion but not the entirety. It highlights that a significant number of heavenly beings—a minority—chose to join Satan in his rebellion against God, forming the host of fallen angels or demons.
of the stars of heaven (τῶν ἀστέρων τοῦ οὐρανοῦ - tōn asterōn tou ouranou): In biblical symbology, "stars" often represent celestial beings, including angels. In this context, they unequivocally refer to those angels who fell from their holy estate and sided with Satan during his primordial rebellion against God.
and threw them to the earth (καὶ ἔβαλεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν γῆν - kai ebalen autous eis tēn gēn): This describes the definitive act of their expulsion from the divine presence and heavenly realms. "The earth" denotes the new sphere of their operation, marking it as the battleground where their malicious influence would manifest.
And the dragon (Καὶ ὁ δράκων - Kai ho drakōn): This imposing figure is explicitly identified in Rev 12:9 as "that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world." He embodies supreme evil, destructive intent, and unrelenting hostility towards God's plan and His Christ.
stood (ἔστηκεν - hestēken): The perfect active indicative form emphasizes a fixed posture of readiness, vigilance, and strategic anticipation. The dragon is not merely present but poised and resolute in his adversarial position.
before the woman (ἐνώπιον τῆς γυναικὸς - enōpion tēs gynaikos): "Before" indicates a confrontational, obstructive, and actively hostile stance. The dragon strategically positions himself to confront and oppose the woman's crucial action, highlighting his specific malice towards God's chosen channel of salvation.
who was about to give birth (τῆς μελλούσης τεκεῖν - tēs mellousēs tekein): This signifies the imminence and divine certainty of the event—the birth of the Messiah. The Greek denotes something that is destined to happen or is at the point of occurring, reinforcing the predetermined nature of Christ's arrival.
so that he might devour her child (ἵνα ὅταν τέκῃ τὸ τέκνον αὐτῆς καταφάγῃ - hina hotan tekē to teknon autēs kataphagē): The purpose clause reveals Satan's ultimate and immediate aim: to consume, utterly destroy (καταφάγῃ - kataphagē), or swallow the Messiah upon His birth. This unveils the core of his dark strategy against redemption.
Words-group Analysis:
- "His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth": This phrase portrays the dragon's significant initial victory in the cosmic war, demonstrating his deceptive power that led a large contingent of angels into rebellion against God. It signifies their expulsion from their celestial positions and their new domain of influence, the earthly realm, thus establishing the dragon's demonic army.
- "And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child": This segment highlights Satan's direct and relentless hostility toward the fulfillment of God's redemptive promise. It illustrates his strategic, watchful posture, aimed at destroying Jesus Christ the moment of His incarnation, thereby seeking to thwart God's entire plan of salvation. This action undergirds all his historical attempts, like Herod's, to eliminate the Messiah.
Revelation 12 4 Bonus section
This verse encapsulates a pivotal moment in the biblical narrative of salvation history: the pre-Incarnation cosmic conflict and the direct attempt of the spiritual adversary to prevent the physical arrival of the Messiah. It establishes that Satan's power is substantial, affecting heavenly beings and demonstrating his capacity for deception and rebellion. The "third" (a symbolic numerical indicator in Revelation) implies that a large, but not overwhelming, portion of angels joined the rebellion, highlighting the remaining loyalty of the vast majority of angelic hosts to God. The reference to "heavenly stars" falling points to the irreversible degradation of these angelic beings. Furthermore, the scene vividly foreshadows historical events like King Herod's desperate attempt to kill the infant Jesus (Matt 2), confirming that the spiritual war has tangible, real-world manifestations driven by demonic malice. This verse thereby provides the divine perspective on evil, showcasing it not as an abstract concept but as a personal, intelligent force opposed to God and His beloved Son, though ultimately confined and destined for final defeat.
Revelation 12 4 Commentary
Revelation 12:4 provides a crucial revelation of the spiritual warfare that defines history from eternity past to the present. It illustrates Satan's ancient, formidable power and his enduring animosity toward God's plan of redemption. Before the earthly advent of Christ, Satan's rebellion resulted in the corruption and expulsion of a significant portion of the heavenly host, angels who willingly followed him and became demons, establishing the earth as their primary sphere of malicious operation. This verse then sharply focuses on Satan's most audacious and pivotal objective: the direct assault on the promised Messiah, depicted by his predatory stance before the woman about to give birth. His intention to "devour" the child underscores the depth of his hatred and his relentless attempts to prevent God's saving grace from reaching humanity. While the verse details Satan's power and malevolence, its very presence within the book of Revelation implicitly reassures believers that this evil, though potent, is under God's ultimate sovereignty. Despite the dragon's vigilance and power, his schemes were, and always will be, ultimately thwarted by the divine purpose, ensuring the birth and triumph of the Messiah.