And 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.
Parallel translations
- WEB The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man. Every living thing in the sea died.
- KJV And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.
- NKJV Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died.
- NASB The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living thing in the sea died.
- NLT Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse. And everything in the sea died.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The second bowl turns the sea to blood, killing every living thing in it. Judgment touches the whole created order under human rebellion.
Overview
Recalling the Nile turned to blood (Exodus 7), the sea becomes like a dead man's blood, and all sea life perishes. The escalating plagues display the comprehensive scope of God's judgment on a world that worships the beast. Creation itself groans and bears witness against humanity's idolatry.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Rev 8:8–9Then the second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned to blood,
- Exod 7:17–21This is what the LORD says: By this you will know that I am the LORD. Behold, with the staff in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will turn to blood.
- Rev 11:6These witnesses have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall during the days of their prophecy, and power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish.
- Ps 78:44He turned their rivers to blood, and from their streams they could not drink.
- Ps 105:29He turned their waters to blood and caused their fish to die.
- Ezek 16:38And I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery and those who shed blood; so I will bring upon you the wrath of your bloodshed and jealousy.
- Gen 7:22Of all that was on dry land, everything that had the breath of life in its nostrils died.
- Rev 10:2He held in his hand a small scroll, which lay open. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land.
- Rev 13:1Then I saw a beast with ten horns and seven heads rising out of the sea. There were ten royal crowns on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.
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Christ at the center
Revelation ends the story with the slain-yet-standing Lamb who is worthy, the Lion of Judah, the Alpha and Omega, the returning King who makes all things new and dwells with his people forever.
How Revelation 16:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.