Revelation 9:17

¹⁵ So the four angels who had been prepared for this hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind.

¹⁶ And the number of mounted troops was two hundred million; I heard their number.

Now the horses and riders in my vision looked like this: The riders had breastplates the colors of fire, sapphire, and sulfur. The heads of the horses were like the heads of lions, and out of their mouths proceeded fire, smoke, and sulfur.

¹⁸ A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur that proceeded from their mouths.

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.

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: Now the horses and riders in my vision looked like this: The riders had breastplates the colors of fire, sapphire, and sulfur. The heads of the horses were like the heads of lions, and out of their mouths proceeded fire, smoke, and sulfur.
KJV: And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.
WEB: Thus I saw the horses in the vision and those who sat on them, having breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the horses’ heads resembled lions’ heads. Out of their mouths proceed fire, smoke, and sulfur.
ASV: And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates [as] of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone: and the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceedeth fire and smoke and brimstone.
DARBY: And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and those that sat upon them, having breastplates of fire and jacinth and brimstone; and the heads of the horses [were] as heads of lions, and out of their mouths goes out fire and smoke and brimstone.
BLB: And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and those sitting on them, having fiery and hyacinthine and sulfurous breastplates. And the heads of the horses [were] like heads of lions, and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and sulfur.

ÅB: Og slik så jeg hestene i mitt syn, og dem som satt på dem: de hadde ildrøde og mørkerøde og svovelgule brynjer, og hestenes hoder var som løvehoder, og av deres munn gikk det ut ild og røyk og svovel.
OTB: Slik så jeg hestene og rytterne i min visjon: rytterne hadde brynjer av ildrødt, mørkeblått og svovelgult. Hestene hadde hoder som løvehoder, og ut av munnen deres kom ild, røyk og svovel.
B1930: Og således så jeg hestene i mitt syn, og dem som satt på dem: de hadde ildrøde og mørkerøde og svovelgule brynjer, og hestenes hoder var som løvehoder, og av deres munn gikk det ut ild og røk og svovel.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Revelation 9:18
A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur that proceeded from their mouths.
Read in context
Revelation 14:10
he too will drink the wine of God’s anger, poured undiluted into the cup of His wrath. And he will be tormented in fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb.
Read in context
1 Chronicles 12:8
Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the desert. They were mighty men of valor, trained for battle, experts with the shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions and who were as swift as gazelles on the mountains:
Read in context
Revelation 21:8
But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”
Read in context
Revelation 19:20
But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
Read in context
Genesis 19:24
Then the LORD rained down sulfur and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the LORD out of the heavens.
Read in context
Isaiah 30:33
For Topheth has long been prepared; it has been made ready for the king. Its funeral pyre is deep and wide, with plenty of fire and wood. The breath of the LORD, like a torrent of burning sulfur, sets it ablaze.
Read in context
Revelation 20:10
And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, into which the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Read in context