Revelation 8:13 Meaning and Explanation
“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!”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →John sees an angel flying overhead, crying woe three times upon the earth's inhabitants because of the three trumpets still to sound.
What Does Revelation 8:13 Mean?
After four trumpets, the vision pauses on a solemn herald. An angel flies through the midst of heaven, crying with a loud voice a threefold woe upon those who dwell on the earth. The cry warns of the three remaining trumpets, whose judgments will be graver still than the four already sounded.
The triple woe is a sound of grief as much as warning. Heaven does not announce coming judgment with cold indifference but with a cry, as one who would still turn hearts away from harm. The angel's loud voice reaches across the sky so that none need be caught unaware. There is mercy even in the warning, for a woe foretold is a woe that may yet be escaped. The God who sends the herald longs for the inhabitants of the earth to hear, to turn, and to find shelter before the trumpets sound again.
Revelation 8:13 in the Original Language
ouai (οὐαί), 'woe' -- a cry of grief and warning, lamenting coming sorrow while there is still time to turn.
Frequently Asked Questions About Revelation 8:13
What does Revelation 8:13 mean?
John sees an angel flying overhead, crying woe three times upon the earth's inhabitants because of the three trumpets still to sound.