Revelation 16:18
What does Revelation 16:18 mean?
A plain-English look at Revelation 16:18 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Revelation 16:18 means
The outpouring is marked by lightning, voices, and thunder—familiar signs of God’s manifest presence—culminating in an earthquake greater than any since humanity existed. Creation convulses under the weight of divine judgment. The unprecedented quake signals that the end of this cycle is not incremental but cataclysmic. No human structure or scheme can withstand the Lord’s shaking. These phenomena recall earlier scenes where similar signs attended God’s throne, but here they are intensified to their utmost degree, proclaiming that the day of tolerance is over and the verdict announced in heaven is now executed on earth.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since there were men upon the earth, so great an earthquake, so mighty.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since there were men upon the earth, so great an earthquake, so mighty.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And there were flames and voices and thunders; and there was a great earth-shock so that never, from the time when men were on the earth, had there been so great an earth-shock, so full of power.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and there came voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and a great earthquake came, such as came not since men came upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake--so great!
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And there were lightnings and voices and thunders: and there was a great earthquake, such an one as never had been since men were upon the earth, such an earthquake, so great.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And there were lightnings, and voices, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, such an earthquake, so great.
Context
This verse provides the sensory frame for the seventh bowl’s results. The next verses will detail the quake’s impact on human civilization and geography: the fracturing of the great city, the collapse of the nations’ cities, Babylon’s cup of wrath, the disappearance of islands and mountains, and the bombardment of great hail. The order shows that God’s judgment touches both centers of power and the very contours of the earth.
v.17And the seventh poured out his bowl upon the air; and there came forth a great voice out of the temple, from the throne, saying, It is done:
v.18This passage
v.19And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and Babylon the great was remembered in the sight of God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Matthew 24:21
for then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be.
- Revelation 11:13
And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell; and there were killed in the earthquake seven thousand persons: and the rest were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.
- Daniel 12:1
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
- Revelation 6:12
And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the whole moon became as blood;
- Revelation 11:19
And there was opened the temple of God that is in heaven; and there was seen in his temple the ark of his covenant; and there followed lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and an earthquake, and great hail.
- Revelation 8:5
And the angel taketh the censer; and he filled it with the fire of the altar, and cast it upon the earth: and there followed thunders, and voices, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
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