Revelation 19:15
in Revelation 19And from His mouth proceeds a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And out of his mouth proceedeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God, the Almighty.
KJV
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
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This verse in Revelation 19
Commentary
14 notes on this verseWho will ply the sword without practising the contraries to lenity and justice; that is, guile, and asperity, and injustice, proper (of course) to the business of battles? See we, then, whether that which has another action be not another sword,-that is, the Divine word of God, doubly sharpened with the two Testaments of the ancient law and the new law; sharpened by the equity of its own wisdom; rendering to each one according to his own action.
This site's exposition
proceeds a sharp sword
on Revelation 19:15-16
The sword from His mouth is the word of Hebrews 4:12 and 1:16, judgment by speech. He will rule them with an iron scepter answers the promise at 2:26-27, and the winepress draws on Isaiah 63:1-3. KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS is the Lamb's title at 17:14.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
A commentator
Caesarius of ArlesEXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:15, HOMILY 17 · Written before 542.
proposed
The two-edged sharp sword is the power of Christ by which the righteous are defended and the unrighteous are punished. The rod of iron is the righteousness of God by which the humble are instructed but the proud are broken to pieces as though they …
A commentator
Primasius of HadrumetumCOMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:15 · Written before 560.
proposed
The sharp sword symbolizes either the two Testaments or what we read concerning wisdom, "She carries law and kindness on her tongue," namely, judgment and mercy. On the other hand, the rod of iron symbolizes the unbending standard of justice.… As the action of threshing …
The sharp sword that issues from his mouth is the authority of the law and the severity of the judge. It remains sharp for justice, so that he might separate all things and reckon the deeds of every person. Then it says, "so that he …
And out of his mouth, namely of the commander-in-chief, a sword proceeds. Therefore the divine prophet gives the sword to the Lord's thigh for use placed a little before (Ps. 44:4); but the vision, writing more precisely, presents it at the mouth. By which it …
The Medieval Church1 voice
And from his mouth proceeds a sharp sword. Thus Isaiah says: And he made my mouth like a sharp sword (Isa. 49). And the Apostle: And the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Eph. 6).
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
And he treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. He treads now also, until he treads it outside the city.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword,.... The Complutensian edition, and all the Oriental versions, with the Vulture Latin, read, "a sharp twoedged sword". The word of God, or the judiciary sentence of Christ according to it, and which he will fully execute, to the utter destruction of all his enemies; See Gill on Rev 1:16 that with it he should smite the nations; the Gentiles, the Papists, the antichristian states, those that have adhered to Babylon, and have drunk of the wine of her fornication.
He now appears, not as a child, but as a victorious warrior. The nations have long ago felt his "iron rod," partly while the heathen Romans, after their savage persecution of the Christians, themselves groaned under numberless plagues and calamities, by his righteous vengeance; partly, while other heathens have been broken in pieces by those who bore the Christian name.
), with which he smites the nations, either the threatenings of the written word, which now he is going to execute, or rather his word of command calling on his followers to take a just revenge on his and their enemies, who are now put into the wine-press of the wrath of God, to be trodden under foot by him.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword - See the notes on Rev 1:16. In that place the sword seems to be an emblem of his words or doctrines, as penetrating the hearts of people; here it is the emblem of a work of destruction worked on his foes. That with it he should smite the nations - The nations that were opposed to him; to wit, those especially who were represented by the beast and the false prophet, Rev 19:18-
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Heb 4:12, 13, where also the judicial keenness of the sword-like word is included). The Father commits the judgment to the Son. he shall rule--The HE is emphatic, He and none other, in contrast to the usurpers who have misruled on earth. "Rule," literally, "tend as a shepherd"; but here in a punitive sense.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword - See on Rev 1:16 (note). This appears to mean the word of the Gospel, by which his enemies are confounded, and his friends supported and comforted. With a rod of iron - He shall execute the severest judgment on the opposers of his truth. He treaded the winepress - As the grapes are trodden to express the juice, so his enemies shall be bruised and beaten, so that their life’s blood shall be poured out.
The words behind it
36 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐκ | ek | out of | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| στόματος | stomatos | mouth | G4750 → | 78 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐκπορεύεται | ekporeuetai | goes forth | G1607 → | 33 times |
| ῥομφαία | rhomphaia | a sword | G4501 → | 7 times |
| ὀξεῖα, | oxeia | sharp, | G3691 → | 8 times |
| ἵνα | ina | so that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| ἐν | en | with | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| αὐτῇ | autea | it | G846 → | 5565 times |
| πατάξῃ | pataxe | He may strike down | G3960 → | |
| τὰ | ta | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἔθνη. | ethne | nations. | G1484 → | 161 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| αὐτὸς | autos | He himself | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ποιμανεῖ | poimanei | will shepherd | G4165 → | 11 times |
| αὐτοὺς | autous | them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐν | en | with | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ῥάβδῳ | rhabdo | a rod | G4464 → | 12 times |
| σιδηρᾷ | sidera | of iron | G4603 → | 5 times |
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| αὐτὸς | autos | He himself | G846 → | 5565 times |
| πατεῖ | patei | treads | G3961 → | 5 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ληνὸν | lenon | press | G3025 → | 5 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οἴνου | oinou | wine | G3631 → | 34 times |
| τοῦ | tou | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θυμοῦ | thumou | fury | G2372 → | 18 times |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὀργῆς | orges | wrath | G3709 → | 36 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ | theou | of God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| παντοκράτορος. | pantokratoros | Almighty. | G3841 → | 10 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐκout of
ekG1537 →911 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
στόματοςmouth
stomatosG4750 →78 times
αὐτοῦof Him
autouG846 →5565 times
ἐκπορεύεταιgoes forth
ekporeuetaiG1607 →33 times
ῥομφαίαa sword
rhomphaiaG4501 →7 times
ὀξεῖα,sharp,
oxeiaG3691 →8 times
ἵναso that
inaG2443 →668 times
ἐνwith
enG1722 →2738 times
αὐτῇit
auteaG846 →5565 times
πατάξῃHe may strike down
pataxeG3960 →
τὰthe
taG3588 →19766 times
ἔθνη.nations.
ethneG1484 →161 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
αὐτὸςHe himself
autosG846 →5565 times
ποιμανεῖwill shepherd
poimaneiG4165 →11 times
αὐτοὺςthem
autousG846 →5565 times
ἐνwith
enG1722 →2738 times
ῥάβδῳa rod
rhabdoG4464 →12 times
σιδηρᾷof iron
sideraG4603 →5 times
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
αὐτὸςHe himself
autosG846 →5565 times
πατεῖtreads
pateiG3961 →5 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
ληνὸνpress
lenonG3025 →5 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
οἴνουwine
oinouG3631 →34 times
τοῦof the
touG3588 →19766 times
θυμοῦfury
thumouG2372 →18 times
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
ὀργῆςwrath
orgesG3709 →36 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦof God
theouG2316 →1312 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
παντοκράτορος.Almighty.
pantokratorosG3841 →10 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 2:9You will break them with an iron scepter; You will shatter them like pottery.”
it leads to
- Revelation 12:5
And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was caught up to God and to His throne.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Revelation 2:26–27
And to the one who overcomes and continues in My work until the end, I will give authority over the nations.
- Revelation 12:5
Through
Revelation 1:16He held in His right hand seven stars, and a sharp double-edged sword came from His mouth. His face was like the sun shining at its brightest.
it leads to
- Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
- Revelation 2:12
To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of the One who holds the sharp, double-edged sword.
- Revelation 2:16
Therefore repent! Otherwise I will come to you shortly and wage war against them with the sword of My mouth.
- Hebrews 4:12
Through
Revelation 2:27He will rule them with an iron scepter and shatter them like pottery—just as I have received authority from My Father.
it leads to
- Psalms 2:8–9
Ask Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance, the ends of the earth Your possession.
- Psalms 2:8–9
Through
2 Thessalonians 2:8And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and annihilate by the majesty of His arrival.
it leads to
- 2 Thessalonians 2:3
Let no one deceive you in any way, for it will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness—the son of destruction—is revealed.
- Revelation 19:20–21
But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and…
- 2 Thessalonians 2:3
Where this verse is studied
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About Revelation

This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Apringius of Beja, TRACTATE ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:15-16; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Caesarius of Arles, EXPOSITION ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:15, HOMILY 17; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation; Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 19:15 and Tertullian, An Answer to the Jews.
