TRV
Translation
King James Version
And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!
KJV (with Strong's)
And G2532 I beheld G1492, and G2532 heard G191 an G1520 angel G32 flying G4072 through G1722 the midst of heaven G3321, saying G3004 with a loud G3173 voice G5456, Woe G3759, woe G3759, woe G3759, to the inhabiters G2730 of G1909 the earth G1093 by reason of G1537 the other G3062 voices G5456 of the trumpet G4536 of the three G5140 angels G32, which G3588 are yet G3195 to sound G4537!
Complete Jewish Bible
Then I looked, and I heard a lone eagle give a loud cry, as it flew in mid-heaven, “Woe! Woe! Woe to the people living on earth, because of the remaining blasts from the three angels who have yet to sound their shofars!”
Berean Standard Bible
And as I observed, I heard an eagle flying overhead, calling in a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the remaining three angels!”
American Standard Version
And I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a great voice, Woe, woe, woe, for them that dwell on the earth, by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, who are yet to sound.
World English Bible Messianic
I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe for those who dwell on the earth, because of the other voices of the shofars of the three angels, who are yet to sound!”
Geneva Bible (1599)
And I beheld, and heard one Angel flying thorow the middes of heauen, saying with a loude voyce, Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the sounds to come of the trumpet of the three Angels, which were yet to blowe the trumpets.
Young's Literal Translation
And I saw, and I heard one messenger, flying in the mid-heaven, saying with a great voice, `Woe, woe, woe, to those dwelling upon the land from the rest of the voices of the trumpet of the three messengers who are about to sound.'
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Commentary on Revelation 8 verses 7–13
7 ¶ The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
8 And 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;
9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.
10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters;
11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.
12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise.
13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!
Observe, I. The first angel sounded the first trumpet, and the events which followed were very dismal: There followed hail and fire mingled with blood, etc., Rev 8:7. There was a terrible storm; but whether it is to be understood of a storm of heresies, a mixture of monstrous errors falling on the church (for in that age Arianism prevailed), or a storm or tempest of war falling on the civil state, expositors are not agreed. Mr. Mede takes it to be meant of the Gothic inundation that broke in upon the empire in the year 395, the same year that Theodosius died, when the northern nations, under Alaricus, king of the Goths, broke in upon the western parts of the empire. However, here we observe, 1. It was a very terrible storm-fire, and hail, and blood: a strange mixture! 2. The limitation of it: it fell on the third part of the trees, and on the third part of the grass, and blasted and burnt it up; that is, say some, upon the third part of the clergy and the third part of the laity; or, as others who take it to fall upon the civil state, upon the third part of the great men, and upon the third part of the common people, either upon the Roman empire itself, which was a third part of the then known world, or upon a third part of that empire. The most severe calamities have their bounds and limits set them by the great God.
II. The second angel sounded, and the alarm was followed, as in the first, with terrible events: A great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea; and the third part of the sea became blood, Rev 8:8. By this mountain some understand the leader or leaders of the heretics; others, as Mr. Mede, the city of Rome, which was five times sacked by the Goths and Vandals, within the compass of 137 years; first by Alaricus, in the year 410, with great slaughter and cruelty. In these calamities, a third part of the people (called here the sea or collection of waters) were destroyed: here was still a limitation to the third part, for in the midst of judgment God remembers mercy. This storm fell heavy upon the maritime and merchandizing cities and countries of the Roman empire.
III. The third angel sounded, and the alarm had the like effects as before: There fell a great star from heaven, etc., Rev 8:10. Some take this to be a political star, some eminent governor, and they apply it to Augustulus, who was forced to resign the empire to Odoacer, in the year 480. Others take it to be an ecclesiastical star, some eminent person in the church, compared to a burning lamp, and they fix it upon Pelagius, who proved about this time a falling star, and greatly corrupted the churches of Christ. Observe, 1. Where this star fell: Upon a third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters. 2. What effect it had upon them; it turned those springs and streams into wormwood, made them very bitter, that men were poisoned by them; either the laws, which are springs of civil liberty, and property, and safety, were poisoned by arbitrary power, or the doctrines of the gospel, the springs of spiritual life, refreshment, and vigour to the souls of men, were so corrupted and embittered by a mixture of dangerous errors that the souls of men found their ruin where they sought for their refreshment.
IV. The fourth angel sounded, and the alarm was followed with further calamities. Observe, 1. The nature of this calamity; it was darkness; it fell therefore upon the great luminaries of the heaven, that give light to the world - the sun, and the moon, and the stars, either the guides and governors of the church, or of the state, who are placed in higher orbs than the people, and are to dispense light and benign influences to them. 2. The limitation: it was confined to a third part of these luminaries; there was some light both of the sun by day, and of the moon and stars by night, but it was only a third part of what they had before. Without determining what is matter of controversy in these points among learned men, we rather choose to make these plain and practical remarks: - (1.) Where the gospel comes to a people, and is but coldly received, and has not its proper effects upon their hearts and lives, it is usually followed with dreadful judgments. (2.) God gives warning to men of his judgments before he sends them; he sounds an alarm by the written word, by ministers, by men's own consciences, and by the signs of the times; so that, if a people be surprised, it is their own fault. (3.) The anger of God against a people makes dreadful work among them; it embitters all their comforts, and makes even life itself bitter and burdensome. (4.) God does not in this world stir up all his wrath, but sets bounds to the most terrible judgments. (5.) Corruptions of doctrine and worship in the church are themselves great judgments, and the usual causes and tokens of other judgments coming on a people.
V. Before the other three trumpets are sounded here is solemn warning given to the world how terrible the calamities would be that should follow them, and how miserable those times and places would be on which they fell, Rev 8:13. 1. The messenger was an angel flying in the midst of heaven, as in haste, and coming on an awful errand. 2. The message was a denunciation of further and greater woe and misery than the world had hitherto endured. Here are three woes, to show how much the calamities coming should exceed those that had been already, or to hint how every one of the three succeeding trumpets should introduce its particular and distinct calamity. If less judgments do not take effect, but the church and the world grow worse under them, they must expect greater. God will be known by the judgments that he executes; and he expects, when he comes to punish the world, the inhabitants thereof should tremble before him.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 7–13. Public domain.
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Victorinus of PettauAD 304
Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John
"And I saw an angel flying through the midst of heaven." By the angel flying through the midst of heaven is signified the Holy Spirit beating witness in two of the prophets that a great wrath of plagues was imminent. If by any means, even in the last times, any one should be willing to be converted, any one might even still be saved.
TiconiusAD 390
COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8:13
The eagle that he saw flying in mid-heaven is the Word of God, which has free course in the middle of the church and announces openly and publicly the plagues of the last time.
Primasius of HadrumetumAD 560
COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8:13
He speaks of an eagle that moves through the heavens in swift flight out of contempt for the earth. He speaks of the church flying in mid-heaven, for she is going to possess the whole world, and she says, “Our abode is in the heavens.” And he rightly says that she was “in the middle,” for “all who are around him offer gifts,” and God works his way in the midst and “works salvation in the midst of the earth,” and “the Lord is round about his people.”
Andreas of CaesareaAD 614
COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 8:13
This passage shows the sympathy and goodness of the holy angels, who, like God, are merciful toward the transgressors who are being chastised, and especially toward those who do not recognize that their suffering is for the purpose of their conversion. For these especially the “woe” is fitting, since they live upon the earth, think earthly thoughts and exhale dust rather than the perfume that has been poured out for us. For those whose citizenship is in heaven, the sufferings become the cause of unfading crowns and rewards.
BedeAD 735
Commentary on Revelation
And I saw and heard the voice of one eagle flying through the midst of heaven, etc. The voice of this eagle flies daily through the mouths of the eminent doctors in the Church, when they gravely announce to the lovers of the earth the wickedness of the heretics, the savagery of the Antichrist, and the day of judgment to come, saying: In the last days, perilous times will come, and men will be lovers of themselves (II Tim. III); and further: Men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith (Ibid.), and elsewhere: Then shall that Wicked be revealed, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or is worshipped (II Thess. II). And again: The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then sudden destruction will come upon them (I Thess. V).
BedeAD 735
Commentary on Revelation
Concerning the other voices of the three angels. Not that the trumpets of the angels bring plagues to the world, but that each one announces the coming or future events in their own time.
Alcuin of YorkAD 804
COMMENTARY ON REVELATION
And I beheld, and heard the voice of one eagle flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice: Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth: by reason of the rest of the voices of the trumpets of the three angels, who were yet to sound the trumpet. John as well as the eagle and the angels bear the symbol of the Church. It is right for the Church to be called one eagle, because it is based on unity of faith and lifts itself up towards heavenly things after treading earthly pleasures underfoot. So in John it is the Church that sees itself; in the eagle it is the Church that flies; and in the three angels it is the Church that announces the evils to come in the last times. Note also that in a spiritual vision, seeing is the same as hearing. By the fact that the eagle is said to lament not because of the preceding voices but because of those of the following angels, it is shown that the Church laments and proclaims the future plagues of a different calamity at different times. It laments in the eagle and proclaims in the angels. Then it is said to fly through the midst of heaven because it possesses the world on either side, and its preaching is called a great voice because it has resounded in the whole world.
OecumeniusAD 990
Commentary on Revelation
The eagle soaring at midday, lamenting over the calamities on the earth, may be understood as a divine messenger sympathizing with the affliction of humanity.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Revelation 8:13 serves as a dramatic and somber interlude in John's apocalyptic vision, immediately following the initial four trumpet judgments. It depicts a solitary angel, or possibly an eagle, soaring through the zenith of the sky, delivering a triple declaration of "Woe" in a resounding voice. This dire warning is directed at the inhabitants of the earth, signifying the escalating severity and intensified suffering that will accompany the sounding of the final three trumpets, which are yet to be blown. The verse powerfully underscores the divine certainty of impending judgment and sets a foreboding tone for the subsequent, more devastating, phases of God's wrath.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Revelation 8:13 employs several powerful Literary Devices to convey its urgent and ominous message. The most prominent is Repetition, with the threefold cry of "Woe, woe, woe." This emphatic repetition serves to underscore the extreme severity, certainty, and escalating nature of the judgments to come, creating a sense of dread and inevitability. The imagery of an "angel flying through the midst of heaven" functions as Symbolism, representing a divine messenger delivering a universal proclamation that cannot be ignored. The angel's elevated position and loud voice contribute to the Hyperbole of the warning, emphasizing its overwhelming impact. Furthermore, the verse acts as a powerful piece of Foreshadowing, building dramatic tension and preparing the audience for the horrific events of the subsequent trumpet judgments, which are explicitly labeled as "woes." The phrase "inhabiters of the earth" is a form of Metonymy, representing not just people geographically located on the earth, but those whose spiritual allegiance is fundamentally worldly and rebellious against God.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Revelation 8:13 profoundly reinforces the biblical theme of God's righteous judgment against sin and unrepentance. It highlights that divine wrath is not arbitrary but a just response to humanity's persistent rebellion and rejection of His authority. The escalating nature of the judgments, moving from environmental devastation to direct human suffering, underscores the principle that God's patience has limits, and His warnings are to be taken with utmost seriousness. The distinction between "inhabiters of the earth" and God's faithful serves as a theological reminder that there are two spiritual kingdoms, and allegiance to one determines one's destiny in the face of divine reckoning. This verse also emphasizes God's absolute sovereignty over history, demonstrating His control over the timing and nature of these cataclysmic events, all working towards His ultimate redemptive and consummative purposes.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Revelation 8:13, with its stark declaration of "Woe," serves as a profound call to introspection and spiritual discernment for believers today. While the specific prophetic events are debated, the underlying principles are timeless. It reminds us that God is holy and just, and sin has real, severe consequences. The warning to the "inhabiters of the earth" prompts us to examine where our true allegiance lies. Are we living primarily for the fleeting comforts and values of this world, or are our hearts set on the eternal kingdom of God? This verse challenges us to cultivate a posture of repentance, humility, and vigilance, recognizing that life is fragile and the future is ultimately in God's hands. It encourages us to live with an eternal perspective, prioritizing spiritual realities over temporal ones, and to be earnest in sharing the message of hope and salvation found in Christ, which offers an escape from the ultimate "woes" of judgment.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of the angel flying "through the midst of heaven"?
Answer: The phrase "through the midst of heaven" (Greek: mesouránēma) indicates the highest point in the sky, the zenith. This signifies that the angel's proclamation is public, universally visible, and audible to all inhabitants of the earth. It emphasizes the undeniable and inescapable nature of the warning, ensuring that no one can claim ignorance of the impending judgments. It underscores the divine authority and global reach of the message.
Why is "Woe" repeated three times?
Answer: The threefold repetition of "Woe, woe, woe" (Greek: ouaí) is a powerful rhetorical device used to emphasize the extreme severity, certainty, and escalating nature of the judgments that are about to be unleashed. Each "woe" corresponds directly to one of the three remaining trumpet judgments (the fifth, sixth, and seventh trumpets), indicating that these final judgments will be distinctly more intense and devastating than the preceding four. It signals a new, more terrifying phase of divine wrath.
Who are the "inhabiters of the earth" mentioned in this verse?
Answer: In the book of Revelation, the "inhabiters of the earth" (Greek: katoikountes epi tēs gēs) typically refers to those whose primary allegiance is to the worldly system, its values, and its false gods, rather than to the true God. They are characterized by their unrepentance and their opposition to God's reign. This phrase often contrasts with God's faithful people, whose "citizenship is in heaven" (as seen in Philippians 3:20). The judgments are specifically directed at these unrepentant individuals who have rejected God's warnings and persist in their rebellion.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Revelation 8:13 speaks of impending judgment and woe upon the unrepentant "inhabiters of the earth," its Christ-centered fulfillment is found in the profound contrast between divine wrath and divine grace, both mediated through Jesus Christ. The "woes" signify the just consequences of rejecting God's authority, yet Christ Himself is the ultimate answer to such judgment. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, offering an escape from the very wrath described here. Those who are "in Christ" are not counted among the "inhabiters of the earth" destined for woe, but are instead "new creations" (as declared in 2 Corinthians 5:17), whose citizenship is in heaven. Jesus bore the ultimate woe on the cross, experiencing the full weight of God's judgment against sin, so that all who believe in Him might be spared. His sacrifice provides the only true refuge from the coming judgment, transforming the "woe" into eternal life and peace for those who heed His call, fulfilling the promise of salvation and deliverance from the "wrath to come" (as described in 1 Thessalonians 1:10). Thus, Revelation 8:13, while grim, implicitly points to the urgent necessity of turning to Christ for salvation.