¹⁰ The fifth messenger poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast. When he did, its kingdom was blanketed in darkness. People chewed on their tongues out of the depth of their agony. ¹¹ Still they refused to change their wicked ways,^[a] so they cursed the God of heaven because of their painful afflictions and ulcerous sores.

¹² The sixth messenger poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates. When he did, the river dried up and became a road so that the kings from the east and their armies could make their way.