7Then war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, [12:8] but he did not prevail, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. [12:9] The great dragon was thrown down — the ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan, the one who is leading the whole inhabited world astray — he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. [12:10] Then a loud voice in heaven said: "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed have come — because the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who was accusing them before our God day and night. [12:11] They conquered him through the blood of the Lamb and through the word of their testimony; and they did not love their lives up to death. [12:12] Therefore rejoice, O heavens and those dwelling in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you with great fury, knowing that he has little time."
REV 12:7-12
The War in Heaven
In the world it was spoken into
In the first-century Jewish and early Christian worldview, the heavens were understood as the realm where divine and spiritual forces operated, often in conflict. The figure of Michael, the archangel, was already a well-known protector of Israel in Jewish apocalyptic literature (e.g., Daniel 12:1). The dragon, identified as the ancient serpent, evokes the imagery of chaos and rebellion, rooted in Jewish traditions like Isaiah 27:1 and Genesis 3. The term (devil) carried the semantic weight of an accuser or slanderer, often depicted in Jewish thought as one who brings charges against humanity before God. The casting down of Satan to the earth would have resonated with Jewish apocalyptic expectations of cosmic battles preceding the establishment of God’s kingdom. For early listeners, this passage would have been heard within the framework of their lived experience of Roman oppression and spiritual warfare, offering a vision of ultimate divine justice and the defeat of evil forces.
›See the receipts
How other translations render this
REV 12:7
- KJV
- And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
- BSB
- Then a war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.
- Koinōnos
- Then war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back,
REV 12:8
- KJV
- And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
- BSB
- But the dragon was not strong enough, and no longer was any place found in heaven for him and his angels.
- Koinōnos
- but he did not prevail, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven.
REV 12:9
- KJV
- And 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.
- BSB
- And the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
- Koinōnos
- The great dragon was thrown down — the ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan, the one who is leading the whole inhabited world astray — he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
REV 12:10
- KJV
- And 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.
- BSB
- And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ. For the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down— he who accuses them day and night before our God.
- Koinōnos
- Then a loud voice in heaven said: "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed have come — because the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who was accusing them before our God day and night.
REV 12:11
- KJV
- And 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.
- BSB
- They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. And they did not love their lives so as to shy away from death.
- Koinōnos
- They conquered him through the blood of the Lamb and through the word of their testimony; and they did not love their lives up to death.
REV 12:12
- KJV
- 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.
- BSB
- Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea; with great fury the devil has come down to you, knowing he has only a short time.”
- Koinōnos
- Therefore rejoice, O heavens and those dwelling in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you with great fury, knowing that he has little time.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
REV 12:9
- [the] devil:The word translated 'devil' here literally means 'slanderer' or 'accuser.' It emphasizes the adversarial role of this figure as one who brings false charges.
- is deceiving:The term translated 'is deceiving' carries the sense of leading someone astray or causing them to wander from the truth, often through error or delusion.
REV 12:10
- accuser:The word translated 'accuser' refers to someone who brings formal charges or legal accusations against another, often in a public or judicial setting.
REV 12:11
- life:The word translated 'life' can refer to physical life, but also to the inner self, the soul, or one's very being, often implying a deep personal commitment.