Revelation 12

King James Version

Full text for Revelation Chapter 12

1¶ And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

2And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

3And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

4And 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.

5And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and [to] his throne.

6And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred [and] threescore days.

7And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,

8And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.

9And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

10And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

11And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

12¶ Therefore rejoice, [ye] heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

13And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man [child].

14And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

15And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

16And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

17And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

A celestial woman, pregnant with a man child, is threatened by a great red dragon. The child is caught up to God, and a war in heaven ensues, resulting in Michael casting the dragon, identified as Satan, to the earth. The dragon then persecutes the woman, who is divinely protected, and subsequently makes war with her faithful offspring.

Medium Summary

Revelation chapter 12 presents a vision of a woman, clothed with the sun and crowned with stars, travailing in birth. A great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, stands ready to devour her child. The woman gives birth to a man child destined to rule all nations, who is immediately caught up to God's throne. Following this, war erupts in heaven, with Michael and his angels battling the dragon, identified as the Devil and Satan. The dragon and his angels are defeated and cast down to earth, leading to a heavenly proclamation of salvation and the downfall of the accuser. On earth, the enraged dragon persecutes the woman, who is given eagle's wings to flee to a divinely prepared wilderness for a specific period. The earth aids the woman by swallowing a flood cast by the serpent, leading the dragon to turn his wrath towards the remnant of her seed who uphold God's commandments and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Long Summary

The chapter opens with a celestial vision of a woman adorned with the sun, the moon under her feet, and a crown of twelve stars, who is pregnant and in the pains of childbirth. Simultaneously, a great red dragon appears, characterized by seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns, whose tail draws a third of the stars from heaven. This dragon positions himself to devour the woman's child upon its birth. The woman brings forth a man child, destined to rule all nations with a rod of iron, who is swiftly caught up to God and His throne. Subsequently, the woman flees into the wilderness, where a place prepared by God ensures her sustenance for a period of one thousand two hundred and threescore days. A monumental conflict then unfolds in heaven, as Michael and his angels engage in war against the dragon and his angels. The dragon and his forces are defeated, losing their place in heaven, and are cast down to the earth. A loud voice from heaven proclaims the arrival of salvation, strength, and the kingdom of God, celebrating the downfall of the accuser, Satan, who relentlessly accused the brethren. This heavenly voice emphasizes that the brethren overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony, and their willingness to face death. The heavens are called to rejoice, but a woe is pronounced upon the earth and sea, for the Devil has descended with great wrath, knowing his time is short. The dragon, now on earth, intensifies his persecution of the woman. She is granted two wings of a great eagle, enabling her to fly to her wilderness refuge, where she is nourished for "a time, and times, and half a time," echoing the earlier specified duration. The serpent then attempts to overwhelm the woman with a flood of water from his mouth, but the earth intervenes, opening to swallow the deluge. Frustrated and enraged, the dragon then turns his attention to make war with the remnant of her seed, those who keep the commandments of God and hold the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Core Concepts

  • The Woman and Her ChildA symbolic figure representing the people of God from whom the Messiah, the man child destined to rule, is born. Her child is immediately taken to God's throne, signifying divine protection and exaltation.
  • The Great Red DragonIdentified as the Devil and Satan, this powerful adversary seeks to destroy the Messiah and persecute God's people. His seven heads and ten horns denote his immense power and authority.
  • War in HeavenA cosmic battle between Michael and his angels against the dragon and his angels, resulting in the decisive defeat and expulsion of Satan from heaven. This event marks a significant turning point in the spiritual conflict.
  • Satan's Expulsion and WrathCast down to earth, Satan is identified as the accuser of the brethren. Knowing his time is short, he descends with great wrath, intensifying his persecution of the woman and her offspring.
  • Divine Protection and Wilderness RefugeThe woman is supernaturally aided, first by fleeing to a divinely prepared place in the wilderness for a specific period, and later by the earth itself, which swallows the dragon's destructive flood.
  • Overcoming the AccuserBelievers are shown to overcome Satan through the atoning "blood of the Lamb," the power of their "testimony," and their unwavering commitment, even to the point of "not loving their lives unto the death."
  • Persecution of the RemnantAfter failing to destroy the woman, the dragon directs his wrath toward "the remnant of her seed," those who remain faithful to God's commandments and the testimony of Jesus Christ, signifying ongoing spiritual warfare.