Revelation 12:8 kjv
And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
Revelation 12:8 nkjv
but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer.
Revelation 12:8 niv
But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.
Revelation 12:8 esv
but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.
Revelation 12:8 nlt
And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven.
Revelation 12 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 3:15 | "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring..." | Proto-evangelium: ultimate defeat of Satan's seed by Christ. |
| Job 1:6, 7 | "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them..." | Satan's prior access to God's presence as an accuser. |
| Job 2:1, 2 | "Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them..." | Reinforces Satan's previous access and accusatory role. |
| Isa 14:12 | "How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn!" | Poetic lament describing Lucifer's prideful fall. |
| Ezek 28:16-17 | "...I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God... your heart was proud because of your beauty..." | Parallel account of spiritual being's fall due to pride. |
| Dan 10:13 | "...Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me..." | Michael as a heavenly warrior in spiritual battles. |
| Dan 10:21 | "...there is none who upholds me against these except Michael, your prince." | Michael's specific role in defending God's people. |
| Zec 3:1-2 | "Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him." | Satan as "the accuser" in heavenly court, before his expulsion. |
| Lk 10:18 | "And he said to them, 'I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.'" | Jesus' direct statement about Satan's fall/defeat. |
| John 12:31 | "Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out." | Christ's work precipitates the casting out of Satan. |
| John 16:33 | "I have overcome the world." | Christ's victory foundational for Satan's defeat. |
| Rom 16:20 | "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet." | Ultimate crushing of Satan through God's power. |
| Col 2:15 | "He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him." | Christ's cross-victory disarmed spiritual powers. |
| Heb 2:14 | "...He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil..." | Christ's death destroys Satan's power. |
| Jas 4:7 | "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." | Our role in resisting the defeated foe. |
| 1 Pet 5:8-9 | "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion... Resist him..." | Satan, though defeated in heaven, remains active on earth. |
| 2 Pet 2:4 | "For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell..." | Divine judgment on sinful angels. |
| Jude 1:6 | "And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day..." | Rebellious angels reserved for judgment, signifying their loss of place. |
| Rev 12:7 | "Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought..." | The immediate preceding context, detailing the battle. |
| 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." | Confirms the literal act of expulsion. |
| Rev 12:10 | "Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, 'Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down...' " | Declares the reason for heavenly rejoicing: Satan's defeat and end of his accusations. |
| Rev 20:10 | "and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever." | Satan's ultimate and eternal doom. |
Revelation 12 verses
Revelation 12 8 Meaning
Revelation 12:8 portrays the conclusive defeat of the dragon, Satan, and his rebellious angels in a cosmic battle waged in the heavens by Michael and his angelic host. They lacked the strength to overcome, signifying a complete loss of power and influence. Consequently, they were permanently expelled from the heavenly courts, forfeiting any right or presence they once had there, indicating an irreversible cessation of their access.
Revelation 12 8 Context
Revelation chapter 12 introduces a cosmic vision featuring a pregnant woman, a great red dragon, and a male child. The woman, symbolizing God's people (Israel from whom Christ came, and by extension, the church), gives birth to the Messiah. The dragon, identified as Satan, seeks to devour the child. Following the child's ascension to God's throne, a heavenly war erupts. Revelation 12:7-9 describes this decisive conflict between Michael and his angels and the dragon and his angels. Verse 8 marks the critical turning point: the dragon and his forces are unequivocally defeated and cast out from heaven. This expulsion is profoundly linked to Christ's victorious work on the cross, His resurrection, and ascension. Through these events, Satan's power to accuse believers before God was decisively broken, ending his access to the heavenly courts.
Revelation 12 8 Word analysis
- but (οὐδὲ - oude): This conjunction signals a strong contrast or continuation from the previous clause, emphasizing the absolute failure and exclusion that follows the conflict.
- they did not prevail (οὐκ ἴσχυσαν - ouk ischysan):
- οὐκ (ouk): The absolute negative particle, meaning "not at all."
- ἴσχυσαν (ischysan): From the verb ἰσχύω (ischyō), meaning "to have strength, to be strong, to be able, to prevail, to overcome." The aorist indicative form signifies a past action completed with a decisive outcome. It asserts that despite their effort or malicious intent, they utterly lacked the power or capability to win the battle or maintain their standing against God's forces.
- nor was a place found (οὐδὲ τόπος εὑρέθη - oude topos heurethē):
- οὐδὲ (oude): "Nor," strengthening the negation from "did not prevail," indicating another absolute absence or non-occurrence.
- τόπος (topos): Meaning "place, space, dwelling, ground." Here it implies a position, standing, or legitimate domain.
- εὑρέθη (heurethē): From the verb εὑρίσκω (heuriskō), meaning "to find, discover, procure." The aorist passive indicative implies that no place, standing, or right to be in heaven was found for them by anyone, suggesting a divine, judicial determination. It denotes their total absence of tenure.
- for them (αὐτοῖς - autois): Refers explicitly to the dragon (Satan) and his angels, who are the antagonists in the heavenly conflict described in Revelation 12:7.
- in heaven (ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ - en tō ouranō): Refers to the divine realm, specifically the heavenly courts where Satan previously had access as an accuser (e.g., Job 1-2, Zech 3). This is not a geographical location as humans understand it, but the sphere of God's dwelling and spiritual authority, where spiritual beings operate.
- any longer (οὐκ ἔτι - ouk eti):
- οὐκ (ouk): "Not."
- ἔτι (eti): Meaning "still, yet, already, as yet." Combined with the negation, "not any longer" indicates a complete cessation. This emphasizes that their previous, albeit limited, access or presence in the heavenly court (where Satan accused believers) has come to an absolute end, highlighting the definitive and irreversible nature of their expulsion.
Words-group analysis
- "but they did not prevail": This phrase succinctly declares the dragon and his angels' overwhelming defeat. It signifies their failure to overpower or gain victory in the celestial combat against Michael and God's sovereign authority. Their efforts to challenge divine order were futile and met with definitive suppression.
- "nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer": This is a powerful statement of ultimate, permanent expulsion and disqualification. It implies not merely a loss of a battle, but a judicial decree that revoked their standing, privilege, or right to exist or function in the heavenly realm. It highlights the irreversible nature of their eviction and the cessation of their access, especially in their capacity as "accuser of the brethren" (Rev 12:10).
Revelation 12 8 Bonus section
- The heavenly war depicted in Revelation 12, culminating in Satan's expulsion, is understood as a consequence and manifestation of Christ's finished work on the cross. His atonement dismantled Satan's power over humanity and stripped him of his position as the accuser, solidifying the victory that Michael enacts.
- Michael, meaning "Who is like God?", stands as the archangel specifically designated to combat Satan in spiritual warfare. His victory signifies God's own triumph and unwavering power over evil, reflecting the truth that no one can withstand God's authority.
- Satan's "fall" has multiple dimensions in biblical thought: his initial moral defection from God's will due to pride (implied in Isa 14, Ezek 28), his direct spiritual combat defeat here in Revelation 12, and his ultimate banishment to the lake of fire (Rev 20). This specific verse speaks to the definitive end of his access to God's presence for accusation.
Revelation 12 8 Commentary
Revelation 12:8 describes a pivotal spiritual reality: the conclusive, absolute defeat of Satan and his demonic forces by Michael and God’s power. The phrase "did not prevail" underscores the total lack of strength of the rebellious angels when confronted by divine might. More profoundly, the declaration that "nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer" signifies an irreversible judicial decree. Prior to this event, Satan functioned as an accuser in God's heavenly court (Job 1-2; Zech 3). This verse, understood in light of Christ's cross, resurrection, and ascension, marks the end of his legal standing and privilege to accuse God’s people before His throne. Christ's perfect sacrifice nullified Satan's claims against believers, disarming his power and casting him out. While Satan’s direct access to heaven ceased, this led to his intensified malevolence on earth, knowing his time is short. The expulsion assures believers of their victory in Christ and the cessation of celestial accusations against them, grounding their salvation and eternal security in God's unassailable decree.