Revelation 12:4
New International Version
Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born.

New Living Translation
His tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky, and he threw them to the earth. He stood in front of the woman as she was about to give birth, ready to devour her baby as soon as it was born.

English Standard Version
His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it.

Berean Standard Bible
His tail swept a third of the stars from the sky, tossing them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, ready to devour her child as soon as she gave birth.

Berean Literal Bible
And his tail drags a third of the stars of heaven, and he cast them to the earth. And the dragon stands before the woman being about to bring forth, so that when she should bring forth, he might devour her child.

King James Bible
And 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.

New King James Version
His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.

New American Standard Bible
And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and hurled them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her Child.

NASB 1995
And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.

NASB 1977
And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven, and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.

Legacy Standard Bible
And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.

Amplified Bible
And his tail swept [across the sky] and dragged away a third of the stars of heaven and flung them to the earth. And the dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.

Christian Standard Bible
Its tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth. And the dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she did give birth it might devour her child.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
His tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth. And the dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she did give birth he might devour her child.

American Standard Version
And his tail draweth the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon standeth before the woman that is about to be delivered, that when she is delivered he may devour her child.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And its tail dragged the third of the stars that are in the Heavens and cast them upon The Earth; and the Dragon was standing before the woman who was ready to give birth, that when she had delivered, it would devour her Son.

Contemporary English Version
With its tail, it dragged a third of the stars from the sky and threw them down to the earth. Then the dragon turned toward the woman, because it wanted to eat her child as soon as it was born.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to be delivered; that, when she should be delivered, he might devour her son.

English Revised Version
And his tail draweth the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was about to be delivered, that when she was delivered he might devour her child.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Its tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky and threw them down to earth. The serpent stood in front of the woman who was going to give birth so that it could devour her child when it was born.

Good News Translation
With his tail he dragged a third of the stars out of the sky and threw them down to the earth. He stood in front of the woman, in order to eat her child as soon as it was born.

International Standard Version
Its tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky and knocked them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth so that it could devour her child when it was born.

Literal Standard Version
and his tail draws the third of the stars of the sky, and he cast them to the earth; and the dragon stood before the woman who is about to bring forth, that when she may bring forth, he may devour her child;

Majority Standard Bible
His tail swept a third of the stars from the sky, tossing them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, ready to devour her child as soon as she gave birth.

New American Bible
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.

NET Bible
Now the dragon's tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child as soon as it was born.

New Revised Standard Version
His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bear a child, so that he might devour her child as soon as it was born.

New Heart English Bible
His tail drew one third of the stars of the sky, and threw them to the earth. The serpent stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.

Webster's Bible Translation
And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to be delivered, to devour her child as soon as it was born.

Weymouth New Testament
His tail was drawing after it a third part of the stars of Heaven, and it dashed them to the ground. And in front of the woman who was about to become a mother, the Dragon was standing in order to devour the child as soon as it was born.

World English Bible
His tail drew one third of the stars of the sky, and threw them to the earth. The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.

Young's Literal Translation
and his tail doth draw the third of the stars of the heaven, and he did cast them to the earth; and the dragon did stand before the woman who is about to bring forth, that when she may bring forth, her child he may devour;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Woman and the Dragon
3Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven royal crowns on his heads. 4 His tail swept a third of the stars from the sky, tossing them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, ready to devour her child as soon as she gave birth. 5And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was caught up to God and to His throne.…

Cross References
Isaiah 27:1
In that day the LORD will take His sharp, great, and mighty sword, and bring judgment on Leviathan the fleeing serpent--Leviathan the coiling serpent--and He will slay the dragon of the sea.

Daniel 8:10
It grew as high as the host of heaven, and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the earth, and trampled them.

Matthew 2:16
When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi.

Revelation 8:7
Then the first angel sounded his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, along with a third of the trees and all the green grass.

Revelation 8:8
Then the second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned to blood,

Revelation 8:9
a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

Revelation 8:10
Then the third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star burning like a torch fell from heaven and landed on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water.


Treasury of Scripture

And 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.

his tail.

Revelation 9:10,19
And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months…

Daniel 8:9-12
And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land

of the.

Revelation 17:18
And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

the dragon.

Revelation 12:2
And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.

Exodus 1:16
And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.

Matthew 2:3-16
When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him…

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Bear Birth Born Cast Child Dashed Delivered Devour Dragon Drawing Drew Earth Flung Forth Front Ground Heaven Mother Order Part Pulling Ready Sky Soon Standeth Standing Stars Stood Swept Tail Third Threw
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Revelation 12
1. A woman clothed with the sun travails.
4. The great red dragon stands before her, ready to devour her child;
6. when she is delivered she flees into the desert.
7. Michael and his angels fight with the dragon, and prevail.
13. The dragon, being cast down into the earth, persecutes the woman.














(4) And his tail . . .--Translate, And his tail drags (or, sweeps) away the third part of the stars of the heaven, and casts them to the earth. The stars are the light- bearers, the illustrious of earth, who were given by God high place that they might be burning and shining lights for Him. A large proportion of these are drawn away in the train of evil; they are cast down from their high position of noble opportunities of good work and great work; they are dragged down from the height of the grandest possibilities of good to the low level of a life enslaved to evil.

And the dragon.--Translate, And the dragon stands (not "stood") before the woman who is about to bring forth, that whenever she has brought forth he may devour her child. The spirit of evil is represented as ever on the watch to destroy the first tokens of better things. Our minds go back to the hatred and fear of Pharaoh, setting a watch for the offspring of Israel and ordering their destruction; and even more are we reminded of the jealous hatred of Herod seeking the life of the infant Christ. It seems clear that it is on this last incident that the present vision is primarily built up; but its meaning is much wider than this. It shows us that evermore, as Herod waited to destroy Christ, the devil, the old spirit whose malignity wrought through the fears of Pharaoh and of Herod, is on the watch to destroy every token of good and every resemblance to Christ in the world. The mission of the Church is to bring forth in her members this life of Christ before men: the aim of the wicked spirit is to destroy that life. The same hostility which was shown to the infant Christ is active against His children: "If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you."

Verse 4. - And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth; draweth (Revised Version). Not the stars with which the woman is crowned (see ver. 1), but other stars. In describing the vast power of the devil, St. John seems to allude to the tremendous result of his rebellious conduct in heaven, in effecting the fall of other angels with himself (Jude 1:6). The seer does not here interrupt his narrative to explain the point, but returns to it after ver. 6, and there describes briefly the origin and cause of the enmity of the devil towards God. The third part (as in Revelation 8:7, et seq.) signifies a considerable number, but not the larger part. And the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born; which was about to be delivered, that when she was delivered, he might devour her child (Revised Version). A graphic picture of what is true of Christ himself of the Church, both Jewish and Christian, and of every individual member of the Church. This is another example of the personal history of Christ being repeated in the history of his Church. The devil, in the person of Herod, attempts to prevent the salvation of the world; through Pharaoh he endeavours to crush the chosen people of God, through whom the Messiah was to bless all the earth; by means of the power of Rome he labours to exterminate the infant Church of Christ.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

tail
οὐρὰ (oura)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3769: A tail. Apparently a primary word; a tail.

swept
σύρει (syrei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4951: To draw, drag, force away. Probably akin to haireomai; to trail.

a
τὸ (to)
Article - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

third
τρίτον (triton)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5154: Third. Ordinal from treis; third; neuter a third part, or a third time, thirdly.

of the
τῶν (tōn)
Article - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

stars
ἀστέρων (asterōn)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 792: A star. Probably from the base of stronnumi; a star, literally or figuratively.

from
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

[the] sky,
οὐρανοῦ (ouranou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3772: Perhaps from the same as oros; the sky; by extension, heaven; by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel.

tossing
ἔβαλεν (ebalen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 906: (a) I cast, throw, rush, (b) often, in the weaker sense: I place, put, drop. A primary verb; to throw.

them
αὐτοὺς (autous)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

to
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

earth.
γῆν (gēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1093: Contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe.

And
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

the
(ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

dragon
δράκων (drakōn)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 1404: A dragon or huge serpent; met: Satan. Probably from an alternate form of derkomai; a fabulous kind of serpent.

stood
ἕστηκεν (hestēken)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2476: A prolonged form of a primary stao stah'-o; to stand, used in various applications.

before
ἐνώπιον (enōpion)
Preposition
Strong's 1799: Neuter of a compound of en and a derivative of optanomai; in the face of.

the
τῆς (tēs)
Article - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

woman
γυναικὸς (gynaikos)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 1135: A woman, wife, my lady. Probably from the base of ginomai; a woman; specially, a wife.

as she was about
μελλούσης (mellousēs)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 3195: A strengthened form of melo; to intend, i.e. Be about to be, do, or suffer something.

to give birth,
τεκεῖν (tekein)
Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active
Strong's 5088: A strengthened form of a primary teko tek'-o; to produce, literally or figuratively.

ready to
ἵνα (hina)
Conjunction
Strong's 2443: In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.

devour
καταφάγῃ (kataphagē)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2719: To eat up, eat till it is finished, devour, squander, annoy, injure. From kata and esthio; to eat down, i.e. Devour.

her
αὐτῆς (autēs)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Feminine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

child
τέκνον (teknon)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5043: A child, descendent, inhabitant. From the base of timoria; a child.

as soon as
ὅταν (hotan)
Conjunction
Strong's 3752: When, whenever. From hote and an; whenever; also causatively inasmuch as.

He was born.
τέκῃ (tekē)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 5088: A strengthened form of a primary teko tek'-o; to produce, literally or figuratively.


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NT Prophecy: Revelation 12:4 His tail drew one third (Rev. Re Apocalypse)
Revelation 12:3
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