By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.
Parallel translations
- WEB By these three plagues were one third of mankind killed: by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur, which proceeded out of their mouths.
- BSB A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur that proceeded from their mouths.
- NKJV By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths.
- NASB A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire, the smoke, and the brimstone which came out of their mouths.
- NLT One-third of all the people on earth were killed by these three plagues—by the fire and smoke and burning sulfur that came from the mouths of the horses.
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
These three plagues—fire, smoke, and sulfur—kill a third of mankind. The judgment is severe yet still limited to a portion.
Overview
The death of a third repeats the restrained scope seen throughout the trumpets, distinguishing these warnings from the final, complete judgments of the bowls (Revelation 16). The "plagues" language deliberately echoes Egypt, framing this as God contending with a hardened world. Even amid such loss, the partial measure leaves room for repentance. The verse confronts the reader with the deadly cost of persistent rebellion against God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- Rev 9:17And 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.
- Rev 9:15And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 9:18 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.