Revelation 12:4

2 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.

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.

5 And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was caught up to God and to His throne.

6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place for her to be nourished for 1,260 days.

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
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.
KJV
And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
WEB
His tail drew one third of the stars of the sky, and threw them to the earth. The dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child.
ASV
And his tail draweth the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon standeth before the woman that is about to be delivered, that when she is delivered he may devour her child.
DARBY
and his tail draws the third part of the stars of the heaven; and he cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bring forth, in order that when she brought forth he might devour her child.
BLB
And his tail drags a third of the stars of heaven, and he cast them to the earth. And the dragon stands before the woman being about to bring forth, so that when she should bring forth, he might devour her child.
ÅB
og dens stjert dro tredjedelen av himmelens stjerner med seg og kastet dem på jorden. Og dragen sto foran kvinnen som skulle føde, for å sluke hennes barn når hun hadde født.
OTB
Halen dens feide med seg en tredjedel av stjernene på himmelen og kastet dem ned på jorden. Dragen stod foran kvinnen som skulle føde, for å sluke barnet hennes så snart det var født.
B1930
og dens stjert drog tredjedelen av himmelens stjerner med sig og kastet dem på jorden. Og dragen stod foran kvinnen som skulde føde, for å sluke hennes barn når hun hadde født.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Daniel 8:9–12

    From one of these horns a little horn emerged and grew extensively toward the south and the east and toward the Beautiful Land.

    Read in context
  • Revelation 12:9

    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.

    Read in context
  • 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.

    Read in context
  • Revelation 12:2–3

    She was pregnant and crying out in the pain and agony of giving birth.

    Read in context
  • Revelation 8:7

    Then the first angel sounded his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, along with a third of the trees and all the green grass.

    Read in context
  • Revelation 9:19

    For the power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; indeed, their tails were like snakes, having heads with which to inflict harm.

    Read in context
  • Revelation 9:10

    They had tails with stingers like scorpions, which had the power to injure people for five months.

    Read in context
  • 1 Peter 5:8

    Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

    Read in context