> [[revelation-11|← Previous]] | [[revelation-00|TOC]] | [[revelation-13|Next →]] --- # Revelation, Chapter 12 ## Chapter 12 **The Woman and the Dragon.** 1 A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. ^revelation-12-1 2 She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth. ^revelation-12-2 3 Then another sign appeared in the sky; it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadems. ^revelation-12-3 4 Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky and hurled them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child when she gave birth. ^revelation-12-4 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne. ^revelation-12-5 6 The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God, that there she might be taken care of for twelve hundred and sixty days. ^revelation-12-6 7 Then war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels battled against the dragon. The dragon and its angels fought back, ^revelation-12-7 8 but they did not prevail and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. ^revelation-12-8 9 The huge dragon, the ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, who deceived the whole world, was thrown down to earth, and its angels were thrown down with it. ^revelation-12-9 10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ^revelation-12-10 “Now have salvation and power come, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed. For the accuser of our brothers is cast out, who accuses them before our God day and night. 11 They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb ^revelation-12-11 and by the word of their testimony; love for life did not deter them from death. 12 Therefore, rejoice, you heavens, ^revelation-12-12 and you who dwell in them. But woe to you, earth and sea, for the Devil has come down to you in great fury, for he knows he has but a short time.” 13 When the dragon saw that it had been thrown down to the earth, it pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. ^revelation-12-13 14 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle, so that she could fly to her place in the desert, where, far from the serpent, she was taken care of for a year, two years, and a half-year. ^revelation-12-14 15 The serpent, however, spewed a torrent of water out of his mouth after the woman to sweep her away with the current. ^revelation-12-15 16 But the earth helped the woman and opened its mouth and swallowed the flood that the dragon spewed out of its mouth. ^revelation-12-16 17 Then the dragon became angry with the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring, those who keep God’s commandments and bear witness to Jesus. ^revelation-12-17 18 It took its position on the sand of the sea. ^revelation-12-18 \* (12:1] – [14:20) This central section of Revelation portrays the power of evil, represented by a dragon, in opposition to God and his people. First, the dragon pursues the woman about to give birth, but her son is saved and “caught up to God and his throne” ([Rv 12:5]). Then Michael and his angels cast the dragon and his angels out of heaven ([Rv 12:7] – [9]). After this, the dragon tries to attack the boy indirectly by attacking members of his church ([Rv 12:13] – [17]). A beast, symbolizing the Roman empire, then becomes the dragon’s agent, mortally wounded but restored to life and worshiped by all the world ([Rv 13:1] – [10]). A second beast arises from the land, symbolizing the antichrist, which leads people astray by its prodigies to idolize the first beast ([Rv 13:11] – [18]). This is followed by a vision of the Lamb and his faithful ones, and the proclamation of imminent judgment upon the world in terms of the wine of God’s wrath ([Rv 14:1] – [20]). \* (12:1] – [6) The woman adorned with the sun, the moon, and the stars (images taken from [Gn 37:9] – [10]) symbolizes God’s people in the Old and the New Testament. The Israel of old gave birth to the Messiah ([Rv 12:5]) and then became the new Israel, the church, which suffers persecution by the dragon ([Rv 12:6], [13] – [17]); cf. [Is 50:1]; [66:7]; [Jer 50:12]. This corresponds to a widespread myth throughout the ancient world that a goddess pregnant with a savior was pursued by a horrible monster; by miraculous intervention, she bore a son who then killed the monster. \* (12:2) Because of Eve’s sin, the woman gives birth in distress and pain ([Gn 3:16]; cf. [Is 66:7] – [14]). \* (12:3) Huge red dragon: the Devil or Satan (cf. [Rv 12:9]; [20:2]), symbol of the forces of evil, a mythical monster known also as Leviathan ([Ps 74:13] – [14]) or Rahab ([Jb 26:12] – [13]; [Ps 89:11]). Seven diadems: these are symbolic of the fullness of the dragon’s sovereignty over the kingdoms of this world; cf. Christ with many diadems ([Rv 19:12]). \* (12:5) Rule,iron rod: fulfilled in [Rv 19:15]; cf. ([[psalm-02|Ps 2]]:9]. Was caught up to God: reference to Christ’s ascension. \* (12:6) God protects the persecuted church in the desert, the traditional Old Testament place of refuge for the afflicted, according to the typology of the Exodus; see note on [Rv 11:2]. \* (12:7] – [12) Michael, mentioned only here in Revelation, wins a victory over the dragon. A hymn of praise follows. \* (12:7) Michael: the archangel, guardian and champion of Israel; cf. [Dn 10:13], [21]; [12:1]; [Jude 9]. In Hebrew, the name Michael means “Who can compare with God?”; cf. [Rv 13:4]. \* (12:9) The ancient serpent: who seduced Eve ([Gn 3:1] – [6]), mother of the human race; cf. [Rv 20:2]; [Eph 6:11] – [12]. Was thrown down: allusion to the expulsion of Satan from heaven; cf. ([[luke-10|Lk 10]]:18]. \* (12:10) The accuser: the meaning of the Hebrew word “Satan,” found in [Rv 12:9]; [Jb 1] – [2]; [Zec 3:1]; [[1-chronicles-21|1 Chr 21]]:1; he continues to accuse Christ’s disciples. \* (12:14) Great eagle: symbol of the power and swiftness of divine help; cf. ([[exodus-19|Ex 19]]:4]; [Dt 32:11]; [Is 40:31]. \* (12:15) The serpent is depicted as the sea monster; cf. [Rv 13:1]; [Is 27:1]; [Ez 32:2]; [Ps 74:13] – [14]. \* (12:17) Although the church is protected by God’s special providence ([Rv 12:16]), the individual Christian is to expect persecution and suffering. \* (12:18) It took its position: many later manuscripts and versions read “I took my position,” thus connecting the sentence to the following paragraph. a. (12:1) [Gn 37:9]. b. (12:3) [Dn 7:7]. c. (12:4) [Dn 8:10]. d. (12:5) [Is 66:7] / ([[psalm-02|Ps 2]]:9]. e. (12:9) [Gn 3:1] – [4]; ([[luke-10|Lk 10]]:18]. f. (12:13) [Gn 3:15]. g. (12:14) ([[exodus-19|Ex 19]]:4]; [Dn 7:25]; [12:7]. h. (12:17) [Gn 3:15]. --- _New American Bible, revised edition_ (2010, 1991, 1986, 1970) Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. > [[revelation-11|← Previous]] | [[revelation-00|TOC]] | [[revelation-13|Next →]]