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.
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.
- 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.
- 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 8:8–9The second angel sounded, and something like a great burning mountain was thrown into the sea. One third of the sea became blood,
- Exod 7:17–21Yahweh says, “In this you shall know that I am Yahweh. Behold, I will strike with the rod that is in my hand on the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.
- Rev 11:6These have the power to shut up the sky, that it may not rain during the days of their prophecy. They have power over the waters, to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.
- Ps 78:44he turned their rivers into blood, and their streams, so that they could not drink.
- Ps 105:29He turned their waters into blood, and killed their fish.
- Ezek 16:38I will judge you, as women who break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy.
- Gen 7:22All on the dry land, in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, died.
- Rev 10:2He had in his hand a little open book. He set his right foot on the sea, and his left on the land.
- Rev 13:1Then I stood on the sand of the sea. I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads. On his horns were ten crowns, and on his heads, blasphemous names.
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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.