Revelation 16:15 kjv
Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
Revelation 16:15 nkjv
"Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame."
Revelation 16:15 niv
"Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed."
Revelation 16:15 esv
("Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!")
Revelation 16:15 nlt
"Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed."
Revelation 16 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mt 24:42-44 | "Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this... for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." | Christ's unexpected return like a thief. |
| Lk 12:39-40 | "And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come... Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not." | Emphasizes readiness for the sudden return. |
| 1 Thes 5:2-4 | "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night... but ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief." | The Day of the Lord as a thief for the unprepared, not for believers. |
| 2 Pet 3:10 | "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away..." | Confirms the thief-like nature of the Day of the Lord. |
| Rev 3:2-3 | "Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die... if therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief..." | Direct warning of Christ's thief-like coming for a church lacking watchfulness. |
| Mk 13:33-37 | "Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is... what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch." | Call to constant watchfulness for Christ's return. |
| Lk 21:36 | "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things... and to stand before the Son of man." | Watchfulness for endurance through tribulations. |
| 1 Cor 16:13 | "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong." | Exhortation to vigilance in the Christian life. |
| Col 4:2 | "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving..." | Connecting watchfulness with prayer and gratitude. |
| 1 Pet 4:7 | "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer." | Sobriety and vigilance in light of the approaching end. |
| Rev 3:4-5 | "Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments... They shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy." | Promise of white garments (purity) for those who have kept themselves undefiled. |
| Rev 7:13-14 | "What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?... These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." | Symbolism of white robes representing cleansing and righteousness through Christ. |
| Isa 61:10 | "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD... for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness..." | Figurative language of God clothing believers with salvation and righteousness. |
| Zech 3:3-5 | "Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments... take away the filthy garments from him... Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment." | Symbolic change of garments representing removal of sin and spiritual cleansing. |
| Rom 13:14 | "But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof." | "Putting on Christ" as a spiritual garment, implying His character and righteousness. |
| Gal 3:27 | "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." | Baptism as a symbol of being clothed with Christ. |
| Gen 3:7-10 | "And they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons... hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God... I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself." | Original nakedness and shame after sin, hiding from God. |
| Isa 47:3 | "Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen..." | Prophetic judgment leading to public exposure and shame. |
| Eze 16:37 | "Behold, therefore I will gather all thy lovers... and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness." | God exposing spiritual prostitution, leading to public shame. |
| Hos 2:3 | "Lest I strip her naked, and set her as in the day when she was born, and make her as a wilderness..." | God's judgment resulting in exposure and desolation. |
| Nah 3:5 | "Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts; and I will discover thy skirts upon thy face, and I will show the nations thy nakedness, and the kingdoms thy shame." | Another prophetic declaration of judgment leading to public disgrace. |
| Rev 1:3 | "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein..." | The first of the seven beatitudes in Revelation. |
| Rev 14:13 | "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours..." | Another beatitude, blessing martyrs and faithful believers. |
| Rev 22:7 | "Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book." | A concluding beatitude emphasizing obedience to the prophecy. |
Revelation 16 verses
Revelation 16 15 Meaning
This verse is a direct interjection from Jesus Christ within the pouring out of the seven bowls of wrath. It functions as a beatitude, declaring a blessing upon those who remain spiritually alert and pure in preparation for His sudden return. The "coming as a thief" signifies the unexpected and unannounced nature of His arrival for those who are unprepared. To "watch" implies spiritual vigilance and discernment, while "keeping his garments" symbolizes maintaining righteousness, purity, and the identity bestowed by Christ. The consequence of failing to do so is to "walk naked" and have "his shame" seen, indicating spiritual exposure and disgrace before divine judgment.
Revelation 16 15 Context
Revelation 16:15 is an unexpected divine interjection situated amidst the intensely unfolding events of the seven bowls of God's wrath, a period of unprecedented divine judgments leading to the final confrontation with evil. Specifically, it follows the pouring out of the sixth bowl, which dries up the River Euphrates to prepare the way for "the kings of the east" (Rev 16:12). Immediately after this verse, three unclean spirits emerge to gather the kings of the whole world to Armageddon (Rev 16:16). This makes Christ's warning a significant pause and direct appeal to believers to maintain spiritual vigilance right before the climax of the final battle. Historically, the audience would have been enduring severe persecution under Roman imperial cult and intense moral pressure, urging them to stay distinct and steadfast. The warning about keeping garments reflects concerns about moral purity and remaining undefiled, contrasting with the rampant idolatry and wickedness of the age.
Revelation 16 15 Word analysis
- Behold (Ἰδοὺ - Idou): An exclamation, meaning "Lo!", "See!", or "Look!" It serves to draw immediate attention to an important, often surprising, announcement or declaration. Here, it highlights the solemnity and urgency of Christ's forthcoming statement.
- I come (ἔρχομαι - erchomai): The present tense indicates not just a future arrival but a certainty, imminence, and potentially an ongoing process of His redemptive and judgmental activity in the world, leading to His definitive advent. The "I" refers to Jesus Christ.
- as a thief (ὡς κλέπτης - hōs kleptēs): "As a" indicates a comparison. A thief arrives unannounced and at an unexpected time, often in the night, to seize what is unprepared or unguarded. This metaphor is consistently used in the New Testament to describe the suddenness of Christ's return, specifically for the world or for those caught unawares, not for the prepared believer who anticipates His coming. It does not imply malicious intent, but surprising timing.
- Blessed (Μακάριος - Makarios): One of the seven Beatitudes found in the book of Revelation. It signifies a state of profound well-being, happiness, and divine favor that is independent of circumstances, a spiritual blessedness. It is pronounced upon those who possess a certain character or engage in specific actions.
- he that watcheth (ὁ γρηγορῶν - ho grēgorōn): This is a present active participle, meaning "the one continually watching" or "the one who is awake." It implies spiritual vigilance, alertness, and wakefulness, in contrast to spiritual slumber or complacency. It means to be mentally and spiritually prepared and anticipating the Lord's return.
- and keepeth (καὶ τηρῶν - kai tērōn): Also a present active participle, meaning "and continually keeping" or "guarding." It implies active preservation, diligent safeguarding, and faithful maintenance.
- his garments (τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ - ta himatia autou): Refers to outer robes or clothing. In biblical and ancient Near Eastern contexts, garments symbolized identity, social status, purity, and spiritual condition (e.g., priests wore sacred garments for ministry, mourners wore sackcloth, wedding guests wore appropriate attire). Here, they metaphorically represent one's spiritual character, righteous deeds, salvation, or perhaps the "wedding garment" of Christ's righteousness (Mt 22:11-12). To "keep" them means to maintain one's spiritual integrity and not soil or lose the righteous standing gifted by God.
- lest he walk naked (ἵνα μὴ γυμνὸς περιπατῇ - hina mē gymnos peripatē): "So that he may not walk naked/bare." Nakedness in the Bible often denotes vulnerability, exposure, poverty, or spiritual disgrace and shame (Gen 3:7-10, Rev 3:17-18). It implies a lack of spiritual covering, a revealed moral impurity, or being found without the appropriate "wedding garment" for the Lord's coming. To "walk" suggests a lifestyle or condition of being.
- and they see his shame (καὶ βλέπωσιν τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτοῦ - kai blepōsin tēn aschēmosynēn autou): "And they may see his indecency/disgrace/ignominy." This refers to the public exposure of one's spiritual failure or moral inadequacy. "They" could refer to fellow believers, the heavenly hosts, or even the unrighteous who might witness the divine judgment. The emphasis is on the humiliation of being revealed as spiritually unprepared or morally bankrupt at Christ's sudden appearing.
Revelation 16 15 Bonus section
This verse stands as a unique beatitude strategically placed within the climactic series of the bowls of wrath, almost like a compassionate pause from the Judge of the earth. Its placement is highly significant: it intervenes precisely between the drying of the Euphrates (preparing for kings from the east) and the gathering of all nations for the Battle of Armageddon, highlighting that even in the midst of global tribulation and judgment, Christ's focus remains on the spiritual state and readiness of His own. It suggests that Christian watchfulness and purity are not merely ethical ideals, but urgent necessities in the unfolding of prophetic events. This beatitude encapsulates the recurring Revelation theme of steadfast endurance (patience of the saints) and vigilance against apostasy and moral compromise until the very end.
Revelation 16 15 Commentary
Revelation 16:15 acts as a profound divine aside, a direct admonition and encouragement from Christ to His followers amidst the final, severe judgments being poured out upon the earth. The statement "Behold, I come as a thief" echoes earlier warnings from Christ, emphasizing the absolute certainty and unexpected timing of His return for those not vigilant. It is not a warning of a literal theft, but a figurative statement about His swift and unannounced arrival.
The blessing pronounced upon "he that watcheth" underscores the paramount importance of spiritual alertness during these climactic events. Watchfulness means being spiritually awake, sober, discerning, and prepared for the Lord's coming, rather than being engrossed in worldly affairs or spiritual complacency.
To "keep his garments" is a powerful symbolic instruction. Garments in scripture often represent one's spiritual state, character, and righteousness. This command signifies maintaining purity of heart and conduct, adhering to the truths of the Gospel, preserving one's testimony, and not allowing one's spiritual walk to be defiled by the corrupting influences of the world or by spiritual laziness. It is about actively preserving the "white robes" of salvation and righteous deeds gifted through Christ, ensuring one is continually clothed in Him.
The negative consequence, "lest he walk naked, and they see his shame," portrays the devastating outcome of spiritual negligence. To be found "naked" signifies spiritual destitution, exposure of unrighteousness, and public disgrace before God and potentially other beings at the Lord's coming. This spiritual shame is the antithesis of the blessedness promised to the vigilant, highlighting the dire necessity of continual readiness. The verse thus serves as both a solemn warning against complacency and a comforting promise of blessing for perseverance and purity in a time of unprecedented tribulation.