Revelation 16:14
in Revelation 16These are demonic spirits that perform signs and go out to all the kings of the earth, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
for they are spirits of demons, working signs; which go forth unto the kings of the whole world, to gather them together unto the war of the great day of God, the Almighty.
KJV
For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
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This verse in Revelation 16
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For they are the spirits of devils - On the meaning of the word used here, see the notes on Rev 9:20. It is used here, as it is in Rev 9:20, in a bad sense, as denoting evil spirits. Compare the notes on Mat 4:1-2, Mat 4:24. Working miracles - Working what seemed to be miracles; that is, such wonders as to deceive the world with the belief that they were miracles.
This site's exposition
the kings of the East
on Revelation 16:12-14
The sixth bowl dries up the Euphrates to prepare the way for the kings of the East. The dragon, the beast, and the false prophet are named together here for the first time. Frogs were unclean under Leviticus 11:10 and were Egypt's second plague at Exodus 8:1-15.
This site's exposition
the great day of God the Almighty
These spirits do what the false prophet did at 13:13 and 14, working signs that deceive. Albert Barnes reads the miracles as wonders that seemed real enough to persuade the world. The battle they gather for is told at 19:19.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
And he says that it is a kind of wonder-working of the demons to bring the kings together against one another in war at the time of the end, and he calls that day great, that is, that season; for truly that day is called …
We are to believe that these will do wonders even as was the case through the magicians of Pharaoh. Not without reason did he recollect their deeds at the mention of the frogs, so that he might foretell that the ministers of Satan will themselves …
The Medieval Church3 voices
The false signs produced by the demons will cause those who follow them to make war on the "great and terrible day of God, the Judge of the living and the dead." On that day, those who fight against God will be utterly defeated and, …
For they are the spirits of demons performing signs. Just as through Pharaoh's magicians, they are believed to perform signs. It is not without reason that the mention of frogs is made, unless to proclaim that the ministers of Satan will then also perform similar …
And they go forth to the kings of the whole earth, to gather them for battle, etc. Just as there are holy kings, for whom, with the Euphrates dried up, the way is prepared for the East, so also the wicked are called kings of …
2 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
For they are the spirits of devils,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
devils--Greek, "demons." working miracles--Greek, "signs." go forth unto--or "for," that is, to tempt them to the battle with Christ. the kings of the earth and, &c.--A, B, Syriac, and ANDREAS omit "of the earth and," which clause is not in any manuscript.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
The words behind it
27 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| εἰσὶν | eisin | they are | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| πνεύματα | pneumata | spirits | G4151 → | 378 times |
| δαιμονίων | daimonion | of demons | G1140 → | 61 times |
| ποιοῦντα | poiounta | performing | G4160 → | 569 times |
| σημεῖα | semeia | signs | G4592 → | 75 times |
| ἃ | ha | which | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἐκπορεύεται | ekporeuetai | go forth | G1607 → | 33 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | to | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| βασιλεῖς | basileis | kings | G935 → | 114 times |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οἰκουμένης | oikoumenes | inhabited [world] | G3625 → | 15 times |
| ὅλης | holes | whole | G3650 → | 109 times |
| συναγαγεῖν | sunagagein | to gather together | G4863 → | 59 times |
| αὐτοὺς | autous | them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| εἰς | eis | unto | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| πόλεμον | polemon | battle | G4171 → | 18 times |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἡμέρας | hemeras | day | G2250 → | 389 times |
| τῆς | tes | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μεγάλης | megales | great [day] | G3173 → | 243 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 |
εἰσὶνthey are
eisinG1510 →2333 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
πνεύματαspirits
pneumataG4151 →378 times
δαιμονίωνof demons
daimonionG1140 →61 times
ποιοῦνταperforming
poiountaG4160 →569 times
σημεῖαsigns
semeiaG4592 →75 times
ἃwhich
haG3739 →1405 times
ἐκπορεύεταιgo forth
ekporeuetaiG1607 →33 times
ἐπὶto
epiG1909 →883 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
βασιλεῖςkings
basileisG935 →114 times
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
οἰκουμένηςinhabited [world]
oikoumenesG3625 →15 times
ὅληςwhole
holesG3650 →109 times
συναγαγεῖνto gather together
sunagageinG4863 →59 times
αὐτοὺςthem
autousG846 →5565 times
εἰςunto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
πόλεμονbattle
polemonG4171 →18 times
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
ἡμέραςday
hemerasG2250 →389 times
τῆςthe
tesG3588 →19766 times
μεγάληςgreat [day]
megalesG3173 →243 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
1 Timothy 4:1Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons,
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 3:1–9
But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come.
- 2 Peter 2:1
Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on…
- 2 Corinthians 11:13–15
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ.
- Jude 1:18
when they said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow after their own ungodly desires.”
- 2 Thessalonians 2:3–12
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.
- 2 Timothy 3:1–9
Through
James 3:15Such wisdom does not come from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
it leads to
- James 3:17
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.
- James 3:17
Through
Revelation 17:14They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen…
it leads to
- Romans 8:30
And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.
- 1 Timothy 6:15
which the blessed and only Sovereign One—the King of kings and Lord of lords—will bring about in His own time.
- Romans 8:30
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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About Revelation

This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Andreas of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16:14; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; 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); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation and Ticonius, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 16:14.
