Revelation 11:18
And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
Study Note
Study Note
The heavenly anthem 'the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets' condenses the entire eschatological program into a single celebration of divine historical coherence. The sequence — national anger, divine wrath, resurrection-judgment, reward of prophets, destruction of earth-destroyers — mirrors Daniel 7's court scene and provides the macrostructural outline for Revelation's remaining chapters. The phrase 'them that destroy the earth' (diaphtheirai tēn gēn) has generated ecological readings that find in Revelation a divine condemnation of environmental destruction, though the original context focuses on spiritual and political devastation rather than environmental. The verse celebrates what Psalm 2:1-12 declared: the nations' rage against God is met by divine laughter (2:4) and ultimately by his kingdom installed in Zion.
Other Translations
And the nations were wroth, and thy wrath came, and the time of the dead to be judged, and the time to give their reward to thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and to them that fear thy name, the small and the great; and to destroy them that destroy the earth.
and the nations were angry, and Thine anger did come, and the time of the dead, to be judged, and to give the reward to Thy servants, to the prophets, and to the saints, and to those fearing Thy name, to the small and to the great, and to destroy those who are destroying the land.'
And the nations were angry, and your wrath has come, and the time for the dead to be judged, and the time of reward for your servants, the prophets, and for the saints, and for those in whom is the fear of your name, small and great, and the time of destruction for those who made the earth unclean.
Cross References
Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.
He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great.
The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children.
The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.
Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall …