Revelation 16:4
New International Version
The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.

New Living Translation
Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs, and they became blood.

English Standard Version
The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood.

Berean Standard Bible
And the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they turned to blood.

Berean Literal Bible
And the third poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of the waters, and they became blood.

King James Bible
And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.

New King James Version
Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.

New American Standard Bible
Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood.

NASB 1995
Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood.

NASB 1977
And the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters, and they became blood.

Amplified Bible
Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water; and they turned into blood.

Christian Standard Bible
The third poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The third poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood.

American Standard Version
And the third poured out his bowl into the rivers and the fountains of the waters; and it became blood.

Contemporary English Version
The third angel emptied his bowl into the rivers and streams. At once they turned to blood.

English Revised Version
And the third poured out his bowl into the rivers and the fountains of the waters; and it became blood.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The third angel poured his bowl over the rivers and the springs. They turned into blood.

Good News Translation
Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into blood.

International Standard Version
The third angel poured his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into blood.

Majority Standard Bible
And the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they turned to blood.

NET Bible
Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into blood.

New Heart English Bible
The third poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.

Weymouth New Testament
The third angel poured his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.

World English Bible
The third poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And the third messenger poured out his bowl into the rivers, and into the fountains of the waters, and there came blood,

Berean Literal Bible
And the third poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of the waters, and they became blood.

Young's Literal Translation
And the third messenger did pour out his vial to the rivers, and to the fountains of the waters, and there came blood,

Smith's Literal Translation
And the third angel poured out his vial into the rivers, and into the fountains of waters; and it was blood.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the third poured out his vial upon the rivers and the fountains of waters; and there was made blood.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the third Angel poured out his bowl upon the rivers and the sources of water, and these became blood.

New American Bible
The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water. These also turned to blood.

New Revised Standard Version
The third angel poured his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And the third Angel poured his vessel into the rivers and into the springs of water, and they became blood.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And the third angel poured out his cup on the rivers and the fountains of waters; and they became blood.

Godbey New Testament
And the third poured out his bowl upon the rivers and fountains of the waters; and they became blood.

Haweis New Testament
And the third angel poured out his vase upon the rivers and upon the fountains of waters; and they became blood.

Mace New Testament
The THIRD angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains; and they became blood.

Weymouth New Testament
The third angel poured his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood.

Worrell New Testament
And the third poured out his bowl into the rivers and fountains of waters; and it became blood.

Worsley New Testament
And the third angel poured out his vial on the rivers and on the fountains of waters; and they became blood.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The First Six Bowls of Wrath
3And the second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it turned to blood like that of the dead, and every living thing in the sea died. 4And the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and springs of water, and they turned to blood. 5And I heard the angel of the waters say: “Righteous are You, O Holy One, who is and was, because You have brought these judgments.…

Cross References
Exodus 7:20-21
Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded; in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials, Aaron raised the staff and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was turned to blood. / The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. And there was blood throughout the land of Egypt.

Exodus 17:6
Behold, I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. And when you strike the rock, water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.

Psalm 78:44
He turned their rivers to blood, and from their streams they could not drink.

Psalm 105:29
He turned their waters to blood and caused their fish to die.

Isaiah 15:9
The waters of Dimon are full of blood, but I will bring more upon Dimon—a lion upon the fugitives of Moab and upon the remnant of the land.

Isaiah 50:2
Why was no one there when I arrived? Why did no one answer when I called? Is My hand too short to redeem you? Or do I lack the strength to deliver you? Behold, My rebuke dries up the sea; I turn the rivers into a desert; the fish rot for lack of water and die of thirst.

Jeremiah 9:15
Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I will feed this people wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink.

Jeremiah 23:15
Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts says concerning the prophets: “I will feed them wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink, for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has spread throughout the land.”

Ezekiel 7:17-19
Every hand will go limp, and every knee will turn to water. / They will put on sackcloth, and terror will overwhelm them. Shame will cover all their faces, and all their heads will be shaved. / They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will seem unclean. Their silver and gold cannot save them in the day of the wrath of the LORD. They cannot satisfy their appetites or fill their stomachs with wealth, for it became the stumbling block that brought their iniquity.

Ezekiel 32:6
I will drench the land with the flow of your blood, all the way to the mountains—the ravines will be filled.

Zephaniah 1:17
I will bring such distress on mankind that they will walk like the blind, because they have sinned against the LORD. Their blood will be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung.

Zechariah 14:8
And on that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it toward the Eastern Sea and the other half toward the Western Sea, in summer and winter alike.

John 2:7-9
Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. / “Now draw some out,” He said, “and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, / and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not know where it was from, but the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside

John 4:10-14
Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” / “Sir,” the woman replied, “You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where then will You get this living water? / Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock?” ...

John 7:37-38
On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. / Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’”


Treasury of Scripture

And the third angel poured out his vial on the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.

upon.

Revelation 8:10,11
And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; …

and they.

Revelation 16:5
And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.

Revelation 14:7
Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

Exodus 7:20
And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.

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Angel Blood Bowl Fountains Messenger Pour Poured Rivers Springs Third Vessel Vial Water Waters
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Angel Blood Bowl Fountains Messenger Pour Poured Rivers Springs Third Vessel Vial Water Waters
Revelation 16
1. The angels pour out their bowls of wrath.
6. The plagues that follow.
16. Armageddon.














Then the third angel
The phrase "Then the third angel" introduces the third of seven angels tasked with pouring out the bowls of God's wrath. The number three often symbolizes completeness or divine perfection in biblical numerology. Angels, as messengers of God, are depicted throughout Scripture as executing divine judgment or delivering God's messages. The presence of the third angel signifies a continuation of God's sovereign plan, emphasizing the orderly and purposeful nature of divine judgment.

poured out his bowl
The act of pouring out the bowl signifies the execution of God's judgment. In the context of Revelation, bowls are symbolic of God's wrath being fully dispensed upon the earth. The imagery of pouring suggests a deliberate and complete action, leaving no part untouched. This reflects the thoroughness of God's justice, ensuring that His righteous judgment is fully realized.

into the rivers and springs of water
Rivers and springs are sources of life and sustenance, essential for human survival. In biblical times, water was a precious resource, often associated with life, purity, and blessing. The targeting of these water sources indicates a direct assault on the necessities of life, symbolizing the withdrawal of God's provision and blessing due to humanity's persistent rebellion and sin.

and they became blood
The transformation of water into blood is reminiscent of the first plague in Egypt (Exodus 7:17-21), where the Nile River was turned to blood as a sign of God's power and judgment against Pharaoh's hardened heart. Blood, in this context, represents death and judgment. The imagery is stark and unsettling, serving as a powerful reminder of the consequences of sin and the seriousness of divine judgment. It underscores the theme of retribution, where the life-giving water is turned into a symbol of death, highlighting the severity of God's response to unrepentant sin.

(4) And the third angel . . .--The third vial resembles the second in its effects. As it is poured out on the rivers and springs of waters, they become blood. It is not only the great sea which becomes blood, but all the merry streams and babbling brooks which carry their tribute of water seawards also turn corrupt. And this plague is acknowledged by heavenly voices as a just retribution (Revelation 16:5-7). The streams and rivers feed the sea; they are the powers and influences which go to the making up of the great popular sentiment; these are smitten by the same corruption. Men cannot worship worldliness or earthliness without degrading even those who contribute to their instruction, their recreations, and their joys, to the same level. When the public taste grows corrupt, the literature will, for example, become so in a more or less degree; the up-flowing tide will colour the down-coming stream. "The morality of a nation's art," writes a modern critic. "always rises to the level of morality in a nation's manners. Morality takes care of itself, and always revenges any outrage which art may put upon its laws by either lowering the art that so offends, or extinguishing it" (Dallas, Gay Science, Vol. II., 16). It is true in even a wider sense. The loftier powers of imagination, the range of poetical elevation, are cramped and killed in a base, world-worshipping age. The streams of life grow putrid, the fresh and bright gifts of God are polluted, when the ocean of public thought is unwholesome.

Verse 4. - And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. Omit "angel" (see on ver. 3). "Into the rivers," etc., as in the previous cases. The singular ἐγένετο, probably on account of the neuter ψ῞δατα being understood. The idea of the second vial is carried on here (cf. on ver. 3). Note the corresponding judgment of the third trumpet. In addition to the interpretation of the second vial given above, it is probable that the blood signifies the slaughter and death which is part of God's vengeance on the wicked (cf. ver. 6). The divisions adopted in the first four vials correspond to those in Revelation 14, which designate the whole of God's created world, "heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
Then
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.

third [angel]
τρίτος (tritos)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5154: Third. Ordinal from treis; third; neuter a third part, or a third time, thirdly.

poured out
ἐξέχεεν (execheen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1632: Or ekchuno ek-khoo'-no from ek and cheo; to pour forth; figuratively, to bestow.

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.

bowl
φιάλην (phialēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5357: A shallow and flat bowl. Of uncertain affinity; a broad shallow cup.

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

the
τοὺς (tous)
Article - Accusative 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.

rivers
ποταμοὺς (potamous)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
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.

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

springs
πηγὰς (pēgas)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural
Strong's 4077: A fountain, spring, well, issue, flow. Probably from pegnumi; a fount, i.e. Source or supply.

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

water,
ὑδάτων (hydatōn)
Noun - Genitive Neuter Plural
Strong's 5204: Water. And genitive case, hudatos, etc. From the base of huetos; water literally or figuratively.

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

they turned to
ἐγένετο (egeneto)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1096: A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude.

blood.
αἷμα (haima)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 129: Blood, literally, figuratively or specially; by implication, bloodshed, also kindred.


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NT Prophecy: Revelation 16:4 The third poured out his bowl into (Rev. Re Apocalypse)
Revelation 16:3
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