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12
1 Then an amazing sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. 2 She was pregnant, and she cried out because of her labor pains, groaning as she was giving birth. 3 Another sign appeared in heaven: a great red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven small crowns* Or “diadems” (also 13:1). The Greek word used here is different to that used in 12:1. on his heads. 4 His tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them down to the earth. The dragon stood right in front of the woman who was giving birth, so that he could eat her child as soon as it was born.
5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all nations with an iron rod.† See Psalms 2:9. Her son was snatched up to God and his throne. 6 The woman ran away into the desert, where God had prepared a place for her, so that she could be looked after for 1,260 days.
7 There was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought with the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought 8 but he was not strong enough, and they could no longer remain in heaven. 9 The great dragon, the ancient serpent called the Devil and Satan who deceives the whole world, was thrown down to the earth, and his angels with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, “Now salvation has come, and power, and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. The Accuser of the believers‡ Literally, “brothers.” has been thrown down—the one who accuses them in God's presence day and night. 11 They conquered him through the blood of the Lamb and through their personal testimony—they did not love their lives so much that they were willing to die if necessary.
12 So celebrate, heaven, and everyone who lives there! Mourn, earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you and is very angry, knowing his time is short.”
13 When the dragon realized he had been thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman that had given birth to the male child. 14 The woman was given the wings of a large eagle so she could fly away to a deserted place where she could be looked after for a time, times, and half a time, protected from the serpent.
15 The serpent spewed water like a river out of his mouth, trying to sweep her away in the flood. 16 The earth came to the woman's aid by opening its mouth and swallowing up the river that the dragon spewed out of his mouth. 17 The dragon was furious with the woman, and went off to attack the rest of her offspring, those who keep God's commandments and have the testimony of Jesus. 18 § Some versions place the first line of verse 1 of the following chapter here as the last verse of chapter 12.

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*12:3 Or “diadems” (also 13:1). The Greek word used here is different to that used in 12:1.

†12:5 See Psalms 2:9.

‡12:10 Literally, “brothers.”

§12:18 Some versions place the first line of verse 1 of the following chapter here as the last verse of chapter 12.

© 2018 Dr. Jonathan Gallagher