Revelation 12:15
New International Version
Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent.

New Living Translation
Then the dragon tried to drown the woman with a flood of water that flowed from his mouth.

English Standard Version
The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood.

Berean Standard Bible
Then from the mouth of the serpent spewed water like a river to overtake the woman and sweep her away in the torrent.

Berean Literal Bible
And out of his mouth the serpent cast water as a river after the woman, so that he might cause her to be carried away by a flood.

King James Bible
And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

New King James Version
So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood.

New American Standard Bible
And the serpent hurled water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood.

NASB 1995
And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood.

NASB 1977
And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood.

Amplified Bible
And the serpent hurled water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood.

Christian Standard Bible
From his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river flowing after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
From his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river flowing after the woman, to sweep her away in a torrent.

American Standard Version
And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water as a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream.

Contemporary English Version
The snake then spewed out water like a river to sweep the woman away.

English Revised Version
And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water as a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The snake's mouth poured out a river of water behind the woman in order to sweep her away.

Good News Translation
And then from his mouth the dragon poured out a flood of water after the woman, so that it would carry her away.

International Standard Version
From its mouth the serpent spewed water like a river behind the woman in order to sweep her away with the flood.

Majority Standard Bible
Then from the mouth of the serpent spewed water like a river to overtake the woman and sweep her away in the torrent.

NET Bible
Then the serpent spouted water like a river out of his mouth after the woman in an attempt to sweep her away by a flood,

New Heart English Bible
The serpent spewed water out of his mouth after the woman like a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood.

Weymouth New Testament
And the serpent poured water from his mouth--a very river it seemed--after the woman, in the hope that she would be carried away by its flood.

World English Bible
The serpent spewed water out of his mouth after the woman like a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and the serpent cast forth out of his mouth water as a river after the woman, that he may cause her to be carried away by the river,

Berean Literal Bible
And out of his mouth the serpent cast water as a river after the woman, so that he might cause her to be carried away by a flood.

Young's Literal Translation
and the serpent did cast forth after the woman, out of his mouth, water as a river, that he may cause her to be carried away by the river,

Smith's Literal Translation
And the serpent cast after the woman water out of his mouth as a river, that he might make her torn away by a river.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman, water as it were a river; that he might cause her to be carried away by the river.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the serpent sent out from his mouth, after the woman, water like a river, so that he might cause her to be carried away by the river.

New American Bible
The serpent, however, spewed a torrent of water out of his mouth after the woman to sweep her away with the current.

New Revised Standard Version
Then from his mouth the serpent poured water like a river after the woman, to sweep her away with the flood.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Then the serpent sent a flood of water out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away by the flood.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And The Serpent cast water like a river out of its mouth after the woman, to cause her to be taken by the waters.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And the serpent threw out of his mouth water like a river, after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the river.

Godbey New Testament
And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water like a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the river.

Haweis New Testament
And the serpent cast out after the woman, from his mouth water, as a river, that he might sweep her away with the flood.

Mace New Testament
and the serpent spouted from his throat a flood of water, after the woman, in order to drown her with the flood.

Weymouth New Testament
And the serpent poured water from his mouth--a very river it seemed--after the woman, in the hope that she would be carried away by its flood.

Worrell New Testament
And the serpent cast out of his mouth, after the woman, water as a river, that he might cause her to be borne away by the river.

Worsley New Testament
And the serpent threw water out of his mouth, like a river, after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Woman Persecuted
14But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle to fly from the presence of the serpent to her place in the wilderness, where she was nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. 15Then from the mouth of the serpent spewed water like a river to overtake the woman and sweep her away in the torrent. 16But the earth helped the woman and opened its mouth to swallow up the river that had poured from the dragon’s mouth.…

Cross References
Genesis 3:15
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Exodus 15:9-10
The enemy declared, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake. I will divide the spoils; I will gorge myself on them. I will draw my sword; my hand will destroy them.’ / But You blew with Your breath, and the sea covered them. They sank like lead in the mighty waters.

Isaiah 59:19
So shall they fear the name of the LORD where the sun sets, and His glory where it rises. For He will come like a raging flood, driven by the breath of the LORD.

Jeremiah 46:7-8
Who is this, rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters churn? / Egypt rises like the Nile, and its waters churn like rivers, boasting, ‘I will rise and cover the earth; I will destroy the cities and their people.’

Daniel 9:26
Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and will have nothing. Then the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood, and until the end there will be war; desolations have been decreed.

Matthew 2:13-16
When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.” / So he got up, took the Child and His mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt, / where he stayed until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” ...

Matthew 24:15-16
So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), / then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

Luke 10:18
So He told them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

John 7:38
Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’”

John 8:44
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

Romans 16:20
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

2 Corinthians 11:3
I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ.

Ephesians 6:11-12
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. / For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

1 Thessalonians 2:18
For we wanted to come to you—indeed I, Paul, tried again and again—but Satan obstructed us.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-10
The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder, / and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them.


Treasury of Scripture

And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

cast.

Revelation 17:15
And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

Psalm 18:4
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.

Psalm 65:7
Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.

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Carried Cast Cause Flood Forth Hope Mouth Overtake Poured River Seemed Serpent Snake Spewed Stream Sweep Swept Torrent Water
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Carried Cast Cause Flood Forth Hope Mouth Overtake Poured River Seemed Serpent Snake Spewed Stream Sweep Swept Torrent Water
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.














Then from the mouth of the serpent
The "serpent" here is a direct reference to Satan, as identified earlier in Revelation 12:9. The imagery of the serpent is deeply rooted in biblical history, harking back to the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3), where the serpent deceived Eve. The "mouth" signifies the source of deceit and lies, as Satan is often depicted as the father of lies (John 8:44). This phrase suggests an aggressive and direct attack from Satan, emphasizing his role as the adversary of God's people.

spewed water like a river
The act of spewing "water like a river" symbolizes a powerful and overwhelming force. In biblical literature, water can represent chaos and destruction, as seen in the flood narrative of Genesis. The Greek word for "spewed" (ἐβάλεν) conveys a forceful expulsion, indicating the intensity of the attack. This imagery suggests an attempt by Satan to drown or overwhelm the woman, representing the people of God, with trials, persecutions, or false teachings.

to overtake the woman
The "woman" in this context is often interpreted as a symbol of God's faithful people, possibly representing Israel or the Church. The serpent's intention "to overtake" her indicates a pursuit to conquer or destroy. Historically, God's people have faced numerous attempts by evil forces to undermine their faith and existence, from the oppression in Egypt to the persecutions in the early Church. This phrase underscores the relentless nature of spiritual warfare against the faithful.

and sweep her away in the torrent
The "torrent" signifies a violent and uncontrollable flood, further emphasizing the destructive intent of the serpent. The Greek word for "torrent" (ποταμός) can also mean a river or stream, but in this context, it conveys the idea of a deluge meant to carry away and obliterate. This imagery is reminiscent of the trials and tribulations faced by believers, where the forces of evil seek to erode their faith and commitment to God. However, the broader narrative of Revelation assures believers of God's ultimate victory and protection over such adversities.

(15) And the serpent . . .--Translate, And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water as a river, that he might make her to be carried away by the river. The foe of the woman was described as a dragon for his cruelty and fierceness--as a serpent for his subtlety. The first attack on the woman is pictured as persecution by the dragon: from this she escapes by flight; but the subtlety of the enemy finds another device: the foe (now described as a serpent) pours forth water as a river to sweep away the woman. The emblem is nut uncommon in the Bible. Invasion is described as "an overflowing flood" (Jeremiah 46:7-8; Jeremiah 47:2; comp. Isaiah 8:7-8) The same emblem is used in Psalm 74:2-6 to describe the uprising of a people's ill-will. The floods, the rivers, the waves of the sea, are employed to express popular movements. The woman that cannot be destroyed by positive persecution may be swept away by a hostile public opinion. It is not the rulers alone who stand up against the Lord and His Church: an infuriated populace may be stirred up against them. The temper of the mob occasioned as much suffering and as many deaths in early Christian days as did the political authorities. Ill-regulated popular impulses, leading to violence and unwise action, whether nominally for Christianity or against it, have done enough of the devil's work in the world.

Verse 15. - And the serpent cast out of his month water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood; cast out of his mouth after the woman water as a river... carried away by the river. A flood, in the Old Testament, has several significations. It frequently expresses overwhelming misfortune. Thus Psalm 69:15, "Let not the waterflood overflow me;" Psalm 90:5, "Thou carriest them away as with a flood" (cf. also Daniel 9:26; Daniel 11:22; Isaiah 59:19; Jeremiah 46:7; Amos 9:5, etc.). The flood is typical of every form of destruction with which the devil seeks to overwhelm the Church of God. At the period of the writing of the Apocalypse, it plainly symbolized the bitter persecutions to which Christians were subjected; but its meaning need not be limited to this one form of destruction. Thus all those writers are correct, so far as they go, who interpret the flood of the Mohammedan power, of heresy, of the Gothic invasion, etc.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Then
Καὶ (Kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

from
ἐκ (ek)
Preposition
Strong's 1537: From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive 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.

mouth
στόματος (stomatos)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Singular
Strong's 4750: The mouth, speech, eloquence in speech, the point of a sword.

of 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.

serpent
ὄφις (ophis)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3789: Probably from optanomai; a snake, figuratively, an artful malicious person, especially Satan.

spewed
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.

water
ὕδωρ (hydōr)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5204: Water. And genitive case, hudatos, etc. From the base of huetos; water literally or figuratively.

like
ὡς (hōs)
Adverb
Strong's 5613: Probably adverb of comparative from hos; which how, i.e. In that manner.

a river
ποταμόν (potamon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4215: A river, torrent, stream. Probably from a derivative of the alternate of pino; a current, brook or freshet, i.e. Running water.

to overtake
ὀπίσω (opisō)
Preposition
Strong's 3694: Behind, after; back, backwards. From the same as opisthen with enclitic of direction; to the back, i.e. Aback.

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.

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

sweep
ποιήσῃ (poiēsē)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4160: (a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

her
αὐτὴν (autēn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative 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.

away in the torrent.
ποταμοφόρητον (potamophorēton)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4216: Carried away by a stream. From potamos and a derivative of phoreo; river-borne, i.e. Overwhelmed by a stream.


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NT Prophecy: Revelation 12:15 The serpent spewed water out of his (Rev. Re Apocalypse)
Revelation 12:14
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