Revelation – Chapter 9

New Testament21 Verses

Chapter Summary

"And the fifth angel sounded the trumpet: and I saw a star fall from heaven upon the earth. And there was given to him the key of the…" — so begins Revelation 9. Across its 21 verses, two threads run through the text: repentance and conversion and God's kingdom and kingship. Read slowly, this chapter rewards the kind of prayerful attention the Church calls lectio divina.

1And the fifth angel sounded the trumpet: and I saw a star fall from heaven upon the earth. And there was given to him the key of the bottomless pit.

2And he opened the bottomless pit: and the smoke of the pit arose, as the smoke of a great furnace. And the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke of the pit.

3And from the smoke of the pit there came out locusts upon the earth. And power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power.

4And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth nor any green thing nor any tree: but only the men who have not the sign of God on their foreheads.

5And it was given unto them that they should not kill them: but that they should torment them five months. And their torment was as the torment of a scorpion when he striketh a man.

6And in those days, men shall seek death and shall not find it. And they shall desire to die: and death shall fly from them.

7And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle. And on their heads were, as it were, crowns like gold: and their faces were as the faces of men.

8And they had hair as the hair of women: and their teeth were as lions.

9And they had breastplates as breastplates of iron: and the noise of their wings was as the noise of chariots and many horses running to battle.

10And they had tails like to scorpions: and there were stings in their tails. And their power was to hurt men, five months. And they had over them

11A king, the angel of the bottomless pit (whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek Apollyon, in Latin Exterminans).

12One woe is past: and behold there come yet two woes more hereafter.

13And the sixth angel sounded the trumpet: and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before the eyes of God,

14Saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet: Loose the four angels who are bound in the great river Euphrates.

15And the four angels were loosed, who were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year: for to kill the third part of men.

16And the number of the army of horsemen was twenty thousand times ten thousand. And I heard the number of them.

17And thus I saw the horses in the vision. And they that sat on them had breastplates of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone. And the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions: and from their mouths proceeded fire and smoke and brimstone.

18And by these three plagues was slain the third part of men, by the fire and by the smoke and by the brimstone which issued out of their mouths.

19For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails. For, their tails are like to serpents and have heads: and with them they hurt.

20And the rest of the men, who were not slain by these plagues, did not do penance from the works of their hands, that they should not adore devils and idols of gold and silver and brass and stone and wood, which neither can see nor hear nor walk:

21Neither did they penance from their murders nor from their sorceries nor from their fornication nor from their thefts.

Important Verses in Revelation 9

And the fifth angel sounded the trumpet: and I saw a star fall from heaven upon the earth. And there was given to him the key of the bottomless pit.

Revelation 9:1

And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth nor any green thing nor any tree: but only the men who have not the sign of God on their foreheads.

Revelation 9:4

And the sixth angel sounded the trumpet: and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before the eyes of God,

Revelation 9:13

Neither did they penance from their murders nor from their sorceries nor from their fornication nor from their thefts.

Revelation 9:21

Historical Context

Revelation belongs to the New Testament and was composed for persecuted churches, lifted to see Christ's final victory. Chapter 9 of 22 stands in the central portion of the book, where decisive events or teachings take shape. It is a apocalyptic vision revealing God's ultimate victory over evil with 21 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. It opens with the line: "And the fifth angel sounded the trumpet: and I saw a star fall from heaven upon the earth. And there was given to him…" The chapter ends with: "Neither did they penance from their murders nor from their sorceries nor from their fornication nor from their thefts. " The wider setting of Revelation is this: Written to seven churches of Asia suffering under Rome's demand for emperor worship, Revelation unveils history's hidden meaning through visions of heavenly liturgy: the Lamb who was slain stands victorious, and every… The book's material reflects the era summarized as follows: About AD 95, under the persecution of Emperor Domitian.

Who Wrote It

John, exiled on the island of Patmos; tradition identifies him with the Apostle

When It Was Written

About AD 95, under the persecution of Emperor Domitian

Catholic Commentary

Apocalyptic language here speaks of judgment, hope, and the fulfillment of God's promises. A pivotal line is verse 1: "And the fifth angel sounded the trumpet: and I saw a star fall from heaven upon the earth. And there was given to him the key of the bottomless pit." The passage repeatedly touches on repentance and conversion.

The Church teaches that every passage of Scripture must be read in light of Christ and the Magisterium (CIC 2105). Here, Revelation reveals the Church's ultimate destiny (CIC 1042-1050). The spiritual sense invites believers to recognize repentance and conversion as part of God's pedagogy of salvation.

For Christians today, the chapter's lesson is clear: True conversion means turning away from sin and returning to God with our whole heart.. The Church invites us to receive this word not as antiquarian information but as living Scripture proclaimed at Mass and prayed in lectio divina.

Main Teachings

  • True conversion means turning away from sin and returning to God with our whole heart.
  • God's kingdom is not of this world; every earthly throne stands under His eternal reign.
  • Worship is the heart of the covenant: giving God the praise and adoration that are His due.

Reflection for Today

Sacred Scripture presents Revelation Chapter 9 as a unique stage in salvation history, not merely as background to other books.

St. Gregory the Great and other Fathers of the Church meditated on texts like this one, seeing in them instruction for the spiritual life. Revelation reveals the Church's ultimate destiny (CIC 1042-1050). The passage calls believers to grasp that Behold, I am making all things new.

May your reading of Revelation Chapter 9 become true lectio divina: read the words, meditate on their meaning, respond in prayer, and rest in God's presence. Ask the Holy Spirit to show how Behold, I am making all things new applies to your life today.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Revelation Chapter 9 about?

Revelation 9 contains 21 verses. It opens with "And the fifth angel sounded the trumpet: and I saw a star fall from heaven upon the earth. And there was given to him…" and closes with "Neither did they penance from their murders nor from their sorceries nor from their fornication nor from their thefts. ". The book as a whole is apocalyptic prophecy and epistle.

What is a key verse in Revelation 9?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "And the fifth angel sounded the trumpet: and I saw a star fall from heaven upon the earth. And there was given to him the key of the bottomless pit." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who wrote Revelation and when?

John, exiled on the island of Patmos; tradition identifies him with the Apostle. About AD 95, under the persecution of Emperor Domitian.

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