Revelation 12:3 Meaning and Explanation
“And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →A second sign appears: an enormous red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns.
What Does Revelation 12:3 Mean?
A second sign now fills the sky opposite the woman. A great red dragon appears, monstrous with seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns. The colors and the multiplied heads and horns mark him as a creature of violence and grasping power, arrayed against the coming child.
Later in the chapter this dragon is named plainly as the serpent of old, the devil. Here his appearance alone tells the truth about him. The crowns he wears are claims to a rule that was never his to take. Evil can look vast and terrifying, yet the vision frames him as a sign, a creature, never the equal of the One enthroned above. His size is real; his authority is counterfeit.
Revelation 12:3 in the Original Language
drakōn (δράκων), 'dragon' -- a great serpent or sea-monster, an ancient emblem of chaos set against God.
Frequently Asked Questions About Revelation 12:3
What does Revelation 12:3 mean?
A second sign appears: an enormous red dragon with seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns.