Revelation 12

The Woman and the Dragon

1 Then a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.

2 She was pregnant and crying out in pain, about to give birth.

3 Then another crazy sight appeared: a massive red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns on his heads.

4 His tail swept a third of the stars out the sky and threw them to earth. And this dragon was posted up, waiting to snatch the baby soon as the woman gave birth.

5 She had a son, a male child, one who is going to rule all the nations with an iron rod. But her baby was snatched up to God and His throne.

6 The woman ran off into the wilderness to a spot God had set up for her, where she would be safe and taken care of for 1,260 days.

7 Then war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. And the dragon and his squad fought back.

8 But they lost, and they got kicked outta heaven. No place left for them up there.

9 The great dragon was thrown down, the ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world. He was thrown to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, “It is on now! Salvation, power, and God’s kingdom are here, and the authority of His Messiah. Because the accuser of our brothers and sisters, the one who has been running his mouth against them day and night before God, he has been thrown down.

11 They beat him because of the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. They were not afraid to lay down their lives.

12 So celebrate, O heavens, and everyone in them! But watch out, earth and sea, because the devil’s come down to you all, and he is mad, knowing he is only got a little time.”

13 When the dragon saw he had been thrown down to earth, he went after the woman who had given birth to the boy.

14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle to fly off to her place in the wilderness. There she would be safe, away from the dragon, for a time, times, and half a time.

15 Then the dragon tried to drown her by spewing a river of water out his mouth.

16 But the earth stepped in to help the woman, opening up to swallow the river the dragon spit out.

17 So the dragon was furious with the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her kids, those who follow God’s commandments and hold tight to the testimony of Jesus.

18 And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea, ready for the next move.