Revelation 12:2
1 And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed in the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.
She was pregnant and crying out in the pain and agony of giving birth.
3 Then 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.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- She was pregnant and crying out in the pain and agony of giving birth.
- KJV
- And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.
- WEB
- She was with child. She cried out in pain, laboring to give birth.
- ASV
- and she was the child; and she crieth out, travailing in birth, and in pain to be delivered.
- DARBY
- and being with child she cried, [being] in travail, and in pain to bring forth.
- BLB
- and having in womb. And she cries out, being in labor, and being in pain to bring forth.
- ÅB
- og hun var fruktsommelig og skrek i barnsnød og fødsels-veer.
- OTB
- Hun var med barn og ropte i veer og fødselsmerter.
- B1930
- og hun var fruktsommelig og skrek i barnsnød og fødsels-veer.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
John 16:21
A woman has pain in childbirth because her time has come; but when she brings forth her child, she forgets her anguish because of her joy that a child has been born into the world.
Read in contextGalatians 4:19
My children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,
Read in contextRevelation 12:4
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.
Read in contextIsaiah 66:7–9
“Before she was in labor, she gave birth; before she was in pain, she delivered a boy.
Read in contextMicah 5:3
Therefore Israel will be abandoned until she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of His brothers will return to the children of Israel.
Read in contextIsaiah 53:11
After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.
Read in contextGalatians 4:27
For it is written: “Rejoice, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.”
Read in contextIsaiah 54:1
“Shout for joy, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth in song and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD.
Read in context