Revelation 16:5

And I heard the angel of the waters say: “Righteous are You, O Holy One, who is and was, because You have brought these judgments.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The narrator hears the angel of the waters address God directly at the moment the third bowl judgment turns rivers and springs to blood. This declaration occurs immediately after the pouring of the bowl and before the stated reason for the judgment.

The words — The angel uses δίκαιος (dikaios), literally "Righteous," to affirm that God's character justifies the execution of these judgments. The phrase "who is and was" reflects the divine self-existence claims embedded in the Greek text.

The thread — The title "who is and was" parallels Revelation 1:4, Revelation 1:8, and Revelation 11:17, where God's eternal existence is consistently affirmed. These references establish a pattern of recognizing divine sovereignty before and during acts of judgment.

Why it lands — The verse requires acknowledging that God's judgments are grounded in His unchanging nature rather than arbitrary will. It calls the reader to accept divine justice as intrinsically linked to God's eternal identity.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.

Cross-references

Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty.
Revelation 11:17 saying: “We give thanks to You, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign.
Revelation 1:4 John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from Him who is and was and is to come, and from the seven spirits before His throne,
Psalms 145:17 The LORD is righteous in all His ways and kind in all His deeds.
Genesis 18:25 Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”
Psalms 129:4 The LORD is righteous; He has cut me from the cords of the wicked.
Romans 2:5 But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
2 Thessalonians 1:5 All this is clear evidence of God’s righteous judgment. And so you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.
Revelation 4:8 And each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around and within. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”
Revelation 15:3 and they sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb: “Great and wonderful are Your works, O Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the nations!