7
Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels.
8
And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven.
9
This great dragon - the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world - was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.
10
Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens,
“It has come at last -
salvation and power
and the Kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Christ. 1
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters 2
has been thrown down to earth -
the one who accuses them
before our God day and night.
11
And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb
and by their testimony.
And they did not love their lives so much
that they were afraid to die.
12
Therefore, rejoice, O heavens!
And you who live in the heavens, rejoice!
But terror will come on the earth and the sea,
for the devil has come down to you in great anger,
knowing that he has little time.”
13 When the dragon realized that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 But she was given two wings like those of a great eagle so she could fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness. There she would be cared for and protected from the dragon 3 for a time, times, and half a time. 15 Then the dragon tried to drown the woman with a flood of water that flowed from his mouth. 16 But the earth helped her by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that gushed out from the mouth of the dragon. 17 And the dragon was angry at the woman and declared war against the rest of her children - all who keep God’s commandments and maintain their testimony for Jesus.