TRV
Translation
King James Version
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.
Complete Jewish Bible
It was these three plagues that killed a third of mankind — the fire, smoke and sulfur issuing from the horses’ mouths.
Berean Standard Bible
A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur that proceeded from their mouths.
American Standard Version
By these three plagues was the third part of men killed, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone, which proceeded out of their mouths.
World English Bible Messianic
By these three plagues were one third of mankind killed: by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur, which proceeded out of their mouths.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Of these three was the thirde part of men killed, that is, of the fire, and of the smoke, and of the brimstone, which came out of their mouthes.
Young's Literal Translation
by these three were the third of men killed, from the fire, and from the smoke, and from the brimstone, that is proceeding out of their mouth,
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In the KJVVerse 30,859 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Revelation 9 verses 13–21
13 ¶ And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.
15 And 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.
16 And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
17 And 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.
18 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.
19 For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.
20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
Here let us consider the preface to this vision, and then the vision itself.
I. The preface to this vision: A voice was heard from the horns of the golden altar, Rev 9:13, Rev 9:14. Here observe, 1. The power of the church's enemies is restrained till God gives the word to have them turned loose. 2. When nations are ripe for punishment, those instruments of God's anger that were before restrained are let loose upon them, Rev 9:14. 3. The instruments that God makes use of to punish a people may sometimes lie at a great distance from them, so that no danger may be apprehended from them. These four messengers of divine judgment lay bound in the river Euphrates, a great way from the European nations. Here the Turkish power had its rise, which seems to be the story of this vision.
II. The vision itself: And the four angels that had been bound in the great river Euphrates were now loosed, Rev 9:15, Rev 9:16. And here observe, 1. The time of their military operations and executions is limited to an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year. Prophetic characters of time are hardly to be understood by us; but in general the time is fixed to an hour, when it shall begin and when it shall end; and how far the execution shall prevail, even to a third part of the inhabitants of the earth. God will make the wrath of man praise him, and the remainder of wrath he will restrain. 2. The army that was to execute this great commission is mustered, and the number found to be of horsemen two hundred thousand thousand; but we are left to guess what the infantry must be. In general, it tells us, the armies of the Mahomedan empire should be vastly great; and so it is certain they were. 3. Their formidable equipage and appearance, Rev 9:17. As the horses were fierce, like lions, and eager to rush into the battle, so those who sat upon them were clad in bright and costly armour, with all the ensigns of martial courage, zeal, and resolution. 4. The vast havoc and desolation that they made in the Roman empire, which had now become antichristian: A third part of them were killed; they went as far as their commission suffered them, and they could go no further. 5. Their artillery, by which they made such slaughter, described by fire, smoke, and brimstone, issuing out of the mouths of their horses, and the stings that were in their tails. It is Mr. Mede's opinion that this is a prediction of great guns, those instruments of cruelty which make such destruction: he observes, These were first used by the Turks at the siege of Constantinople, and, being new and strange, were very terrible, and did great execution. However, here seems to be an allusion to what is mentioned in the former vision, that, as antichrist had his forces of a spiritual nature, like scorpions poisoning the minds of men with error and idolatry, so the Turks, who were raised up to punish the antichristian apostasy, had their scorpions and their stings too, to hurt and kill the bodies of those who had been the murderers of so many souls. 6. Observe the impenitency of the antichristian generation under these dreadful judgments (Rev 9:20); the rest of the men who were not killed repented not, they still persisted in those sins for which God was so severely punishing them, which were, (1.) Their idolatry; they would not cast away their images, though they could do them no good, could not see, nor hear, nor walk. (2.) Their murders (Rev 9:21), which they had committed upon the saints and servants of Christ. Popery is a bloody religion, and seems resolved to continue such. (3.) Their sorceries; they have their charms, and magic arts, and rites in exorcism and other things. (4.) Their fornication; they allow both spiritual and carnal impurity, and promote it in themselves and others. (5.) Their thefts; they have by unjust means heaped together a vast deal of wealth, to the injury and impoverishing of families, cities, princes, and nations. These are the flagrant crimes of antichrist and his agents; and, though God has revealed his wrath from heaven against them, they are obstinate, hardened, and impenitent, and judicially so, for they must be destroyed.
III. From this sixth trumpet we learn, 1. God can make one enemy of the church to be a scourge and plague to another. 2. He who is the Lord of hosts has vast armies at his command, to serve his own purposes. 3. The most formidable powers have limits set them, which they cannot transgress. 4. When God's judgments are in the earth, he expects the inhabitants thereof should repent of sin, and learn righteousness. 5. Impenitency under divine judgments is an iniquity that will be the ruin of sinners; for where God judges he will overcome.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 13–21. Public domain.
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Caesarius of ArlesAD 542
EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 9:18-19, HOMILY 7
[The smoke, fire, and sulphur from their mouths] are the blasphemies that proceed from their mouths against God. “Their tails are like serpents.” The leaders [of the heretics] we call “tails,” and the rulers of the world we call “heads.” It is through these that the devil does his harm, and without these he is not able to do harm. For either irreligious kings do harm by an evil exercise of authority, or worldly prelates do harm by teaching badly.
Andreas of CaesareaAD 614
COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 9:17-19
“The fire that proceeds with smoke and sulfur from their mouths,” through which one third of humankind is killed, signifies those sins that consume the fruits of the heart by means of the poisonous assaults and instigations of the demons. Or the fire signifies the devastation of cities by fire and by the shedding of blood, which God allows to be done through the hands of the barbarians.
Alcuin of YorkAD 804
COMMENTARY ON REVELATION
And thus I saw the horses in the vision: and they that sat on them, had breastplates of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone. These horses, that is preachers of errors, in whom the seduced people are also understood, have demons as riders, not to guide them, but to make them fall headlong. By the name of breastplates are symbolized the torments of the wicked, hard and impossible to get rid of with any prayer. By of hyacinth we should understand “of smoke,” for out of fire comes smoke. The very color of hyacinth also indicates this, as it has the appearance of air. And the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions. The heads of the horses are initiators of errors, who are both strong at crushing the weak and full of bad smells; whence it is rightly said after that, and from their mouths proceeded fire, and smoke, and brimstone. By these three plagues was slain the third part of men, by the fire and by the smoke and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. This is because bad people's preaching prepares eternal torments for its followers, and these torments are metaphorically symbolized by this preaching, the effect being represented by the cause.
OecumeniusAD 990
Commentary on Revelation
Then the vision varies and exalts the power of the holy angels, warning against "lions" and "fire", "smoke" and divine beings and serpents, through all of which their terrible and incredible nature is signified.
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 9:18 describes a horrifying outcome of the sixth trumpet judgment, where a third of humanity is killed by a supernatural plague. This devastating loss of life is attributed to "fire, smoke, and brimstone" that issues forth from the mouths of the demonic cavalry, highlighting the immense scale and terrifying nature of God's righteous judgment against a rebellious world.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Revelation 9:18 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message. Symbolism is paramount, with "fire, smoke, and brimstone" serving as powerful symbols of divine wrath, judgment, and the destructive consequences of sin, drawing heavily on Old Testament imagery (e.g., the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah). The "third part of men killed" is also symbolic, representing a massive, catastrophic loss of life that is widespread but not utterly annihilating, signifying a severe yet partial judgment. The horses themselves are symbolic of demonic power and the instruments of God's judgment. The vivid and terrifying imagery used throughout the description of the demonic cavalry and their destructive output aims to evoke a sense of horror and awe at the magnitude of God's power and the severity of His judgment. Furthermore, the passage contains strong allusion to Old Testament accounts of divine retribution, reinforcing the continuity of God's character and His consistent response to human rebellion.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Revelation 9:18 stands as a stark reminder of God's unwavering justice and the dire consequences of persistent human rebellion. It underscores that God is not merely a loving Father but also a righteous Judge who will, in His appointed time, execute wrath upon sin. The scale of the judgment—a third of humanity—reveals the gravity of human unrepentance and the depth of God's righteous anger. This verse challenges any notion of a passive deity, affirming God's active involvement in the unfolding of history and His sovereign control over even the most terrifying events. It serves as a profound call to take sin seriously and to recognize the urgency of turning to God before such judgments are fully unleashed.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Revelation 9:18, while depicting a future apocalyptic event, carries profound implications for our present lives. It compels us to confront the reality of divine judgment and the holiness of God, who cannot tolerate sin indefinitely. This passage should cultivate a healthy fear of the Lord, not a paralyzing dread, but a reverent awe that leads to obedience and a desire to live in accordance with His will. The unrepentance of humanity in the face of such overwhelming devastation serves as a sobering warning: suffering alone does not guarantee a change of heart. True repentance is a gift of God, and this verse should stir within us a deep compassion for those who remain spiritually blind and an urgent desire to share the good news of salvation. It reminds us that our hope is not in escaping suffering, but in being found in Christ, who delivers us from the wrath to come.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is the "third part of men" a literal number, or is it symbolic?
Answer: While some interpreters take the number literally, many scholars view the numbers in Revelation, particularly "one-third," as symbolic. In apocalyptic literature, numbers often convey qualitative rather than strictly quantitative meaning. "One-third" signifies a massive, devastating loss of life that is widespread and catastrophic, yet not total annihilation. It emphasizes the severity of God's judgment, indicating a significant portion of humanity will perish, but also implies that a remnant remains, providing a stark warning and a final opportunity for repentance before the ultimate consummation of judgment.
What is the significance of "fire, smoke, and brimstone" in this verse?
Answer: The imagery of "fire, smoke, and brimstone" is deeply rooted in Old Testament narratives of divine judgment. Most notably, it recalls God's destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19:24, where these elements symbolized God's righteous wrath against profound wickedness. In Revelation 9:18, these elements signify the terrifying and purifying nature of God's judgment against a rebellious world. They are instruments of divine wrath, highlighting the supernatural and inescapable consequences of persistent sin and unrepentance, often associated with the very essence of hell itself (Revelation 14:10-11).
Are these judgments described in Revelation 9 literal events, or are they purely symbolic?
Answer: The interpretation of Revelation's judgments, including those in Revelation 9, varies widely among scholars. Some hold a futurist view, believing these describe literal events that will occur before Christ's second coming. Others see them as symbolic representations of spiritual realities, historical events, or ongoing principles of divine judgment throughout history. Regardless of whether one interprets the details as literal or symbolic, the core theological message remains consistent: God is sovereign, sin has severe consequences, and divine judgment is a reality. The vivid imagery serves to convey the terrifying nature and devastating impact of God's righteous wrath against human rebellion and unrepentance.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Revelation 9:18 vividly portrays the terrifying reality of God's wrath against a sinful world, its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment is found not in the judgment itself, but in the provision of salvation from that judgment through Jesus Christ. The "fire, smoke, and brimstone" speak to the righteous anger of God that humanity deserves due to its rebellion. However, the good news of the Gospel is that God, in His infinite love, sent His Son, Jesus, to bear this very wrath on the cross. Romans 5:9 declares that "having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him." Christ became the ultimate substitute, taking upon Himself the judgment due to humanity, so that those who believe in Him might be spared from the consuming fire of God's justice. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and His atoning sacrifice is the only means by which humanity can escape the terrifying judgments described in Revelation. Thus, even in the midst of prophecies of destruction, the cross of Christ stands as the ultimate demonstration of God's love and the sole refuge from the wrath to come.