Chapter 12

And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon was under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.

And being with child, she cried out in her travail and was in the anguish of delivery.

And another sign was seen in heaven, and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his heads seven diadems.

And his tail was dragging along the third part of the stars of heaven, and it dashed them to the earth; and the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bring forth, that when she had brought forth he might devour her son.

And she brought forth a male child, who is to rule all nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to his throne.

And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that there they may nourish her a thousand two hundred and sixty days. Michael Overcomes the Dragon

And there was a battle in heaven; Michael and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels.

And they did not prevail, neither was their place found any more in heaven.

And that great dragon was cast down, the ancient serpent, he who is called the devil and Satan, who leads astray the whole world; and he was cast down to the earth and with him his angels were cast down. The Song of Triumph

And I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, "Now has come the salvation, and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ; For the accuser of our brethren has been cast down, he who accused them before our God day and night.

And they overcame him through the blood of the Lamb and through the word of their witness, For they did not love their lives even in face of death.

Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell therein. Woe to the earth and to the sea, because the devil has gone down to you in great wrath, knowing that he has but a short time." The Dragon and the Woman

And when the dragon saw that he was cast down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had brought forth the male child.

And there were given to the woman the two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and a half time, away from the serpent.

And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water like a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the river.

And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river that the dragon had cast out of his mouth.

And the dragon was angered at the woman, and went away to wage war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God, and hold fast the testimony of Jesus.

And he stood upon the sand of the sea. _________ * 1: A woman: this woman is not the Blessed Virgin, for the details of the prophecy do not fit her. The prophecy pictures the Church of the Old and New Covenants. The beams of the divine glory clothe her; and the moon is beneath her feet; she is crowned with a crown of twelve stars, and she must bring forth Christ to the world. By accommodation the Church applies this verse to the Blessed Virgin. 11: In face of death: a noteworthy expression, meaning they esteemed life as nothing in comparison with loyalty to their faith, even unto martyrdom.