Revelation 12:17 (WEB)
The dragon grew angry with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep God’s commandments and hold Jesus’ testimony.
As quoted in the map (KJV)
Revelation 12:17 (KJV)
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Key words
- τῶν λοιπῶν τοῦ σπέρματος αὐτῆςtōn loipōn tou spermatos autēs · Greek
- 'the remnant of her seed' — the rest of her offspring. Sperma is the Septuagint's word for the woman's 'seed' in Genesis 3:15.
- τηρούντων τὰς ἐντολάςtērountōn tas entolas · Greek
- 'which keep the commandments' — Christians are identified as the Woman's other children.
Why it matters
The dragon, defeated in his attack on the Woman and her Son, goes to war against 'the rest of her offspring,' those who keep God's commandments and hold the testimony of Jesus. Pitre uses this as Scripture's own statement that Mary has other children besides Jesus — not by blood, but the Church. The enmity of Genesis 3:15 continues between the serpent and the Woman's seed, and her seed includes us.