Read & explore together
The Woman Persecuted
This vision shows the dragon turning his attack toward the woman and then toward her offspring. The passage uses striking picture language to show conflict, rescue and ongoing opposition against those connected with God and Jesus.
Understanding the passage
The setting of this message
In these verses, the dragon has already been thrown down to the earth and now acts against the woman who gave birth to the male child. The passage stays in vision language, describing wings, a wilderness, a river from the serpent’s mouth, the earth’s help and war against the woman’s offspring.
Revelation 12:13–17Main takeaway
This vision presents fierce opposition from the dragon, yet it also shows the woman receiving help and identifies the woman’s offspring as people who keep God’s commandments and hold Jesus’ testimony.
Explore the message
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01The dragon turns against the womanThe passage begins with the dragon reacting after being thrown down to the earth. He persecutes the woman who gave birth to the male child.
Explanation
The passage begins with the dragon reacting after being thrown down to the earth. He persecutes the woman who gave birth to the male child. Revelation states the action plainly, focusing on hostility toward the woman. It does not explain the woman here beyond that identifying description.
02The woman is given escape and nourishmentThe woman receives “two wings of the great eagle” so that she may fly into the wilderness to her place.
Explanation
The woman receives “two wings of the great eagle” so that she may fly into the wilderness to her place. There she is nourished for “a time, times, and half a time” away from the serpent’s face. The vision stresses provision and protection without explaining the imagery in ordinary terms.
03The serpent sends a flood after herThe serpent responds by spewing water from his mouth like a river after the woman. The purpose given in the vision is to carry her away by the stream.
Explanation
The serpent responds by spewing water from his mouth like a river after the woman. The purpose given in the vision is to carry her away by the stream. This is symbolic vision language, presenting the serpent’s attack as overwhelming and forceful.
04The earth helps, and the dragon attacks her offspringThe earth helps the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river from the dragon. Then the dragon grows angry and goes to make war with the rest of her offspring.
Explanation
The earth helps the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river from the dragon. Then the dragon grows angry and goes to make war with the rest of her offspring. These offspring are identified as those who keep God’s commandments and hold Jesus’ testimony.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What help is given to the woman in this vision?
Look for the two forms of help named in the passage: she is given wings and nourishment, and later the earth helps by swallowing the river.
02How does the serpent try to harm the woman?
Notice the picture used: water pours from the serpent’s mouth like a river with the aim of sweeping her away.
03Who are called the rest of the woman’s offspring?
The verse itself identifies them by what they do: they keep God’s commandments and hold Jesus’ testimony.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Revelation 12:13–17
13When the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child.
14Two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, so that she might be nourished for a time, times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
15The serpent spewed water out of his mouth after the woman like a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream.
16The earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon spewed out of his mouth.
17The dragon grew angry with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep God’s commandments and hold Jesus’ testimony.