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.
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.
- BSB 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.
- 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 8:8–9And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
- Exod 7:17–21Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.
- Rev 11:6These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
- Ps 78:44And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.
- Ps 105:29He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish.
- Ezek 16:38And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy.
- Gen 7:22All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.
- Rev 10:2And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth,
- Rev 13:1And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
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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.