Revelation 12

1A magnificent sign appeared in the heavens! A glorious woman stood clothed with the brilliant sun. The glowing moon rested under her feet. A royal crown of twelve stars circled her head.

2She was pregnant and cried out in intense labor pain. She groaned in agony as she prepared to give birth.

3Then another startling sign appeared across heaven. Look! A monstrous fiery red dragon appeared! He had seven heads, ten horns, and seven royal crowns.

4His massive tail swept one-third of the stars from heaven. He hurled them violently down to the earth! The dragon crouched directly in front of the laboring woman. He intended to devour her baby the instant it was born!

5She gave birth to a Son, a male Child. He is destined to rule all nations with an iron rod! Suddenly, God snatched the Child straight up to His throne!

6The woman ran away into the desert, to a place God had prepared for her, where she would be taken care of for 1,260 days.

7Then violent war erupted in heaven! Michael and his holy angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his rebellious angels fought back fiercely.

8The dragon lost the war, and heaven evicted them!

9Heaven threw that massive monster violently down to earth. He is that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan. He is the deceiver who misleads the entire world. God hurled him and his fallen angels down to the earth!

10A thundering voice in heaven declared: Now God's salvation, power, and eternal kingdom have arrived! The supreme authority of His Christ has come! For the prosecutor accusing our brothers and sisters has been cast down! He accused them before our God day and night.

11Our brothers and sisters conquered him by the blood of the Lamb! They conquered him by the word of their bold testimony. They did not love their physical lives even facing death!

12Rejoice, you heavens, and everyone who lives there! Terror strikes the earth and the sea! The devil plunged down to you, burning with furious rage. He knows his remaining time is very short!

13The dragon realized God had thrown him down to earth. So he pursued the woman who bore the male Child.

14God gave the woman two powerful wings of a great eagle. She flew into the desert to her prepared place of safety. There God nourishes her for three and a half years. She stays completely safe from the serpent's reach!

15The serpent spewed a torrent of water like a raging river. He tried to sweep her away in the flood!

16The earth helped the woman and opened wide its mouth. The ground swallowed the river the dragon spewed!

17Enraged, the dragon went off to wage war against her remaining children. They are the believers who obey God and hold fast to Jesus!