Chapter
Verse
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Revelation 14:19

ESV So the angel swung his sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
NIV The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath.
NASB So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God.
CSB So the angel swung his sickle at the earth and gathered the grapes from the vineyard of the earth, and he threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath.
NLT So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and loaded the grapes into the great winepress of God’s wrath.
KJV And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
NKJV So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.

What does Revelation 14:19 mean?

The angel described in verse 18 used his sickle to sweep across the earth and to gather the grape harvest. Then he threw the grapes into the winepress of God's wrath.

This imagery is easily lost on a modern reader, but to the original audience, it would have been clear. The custom of the day was to produce grape juice by trampling the grapes underfoot in a winepress. Here, the grapes represent the wicked: God will prepare the wicked for final judgment by gathering them together to be trampled upon.

Isaiah 63:2–4 prophesies: "Why is your apparel red, and your garments like his who treads in the winepress? 'I have trodden the winepress alone, and from the peoples no one was with me; I trod them in my anger and trampled them in my wrath; their lifeblood spattered on my garments, and stained all my apparel. For the day of vengeance was in my heart.'" That prophecy, along with this verse, anticipates the horrific scene depicted in Revelation 14:20.

At His return, Christ will gather earth's armies together at Armageddon, where He will "tread down" His enemies (Revelation 17:12–14; 19:15). Just as grapes are smashed and torn in a winepress, releasing wine, the enemies of God will be ripped apart, creating a tidal wave of blood.
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