When the serpent saw that it had been thrown down to earth, it persecuted the woman who had given birth to the boy.

   The woman was given the two wings of the large eagle in order to fly away from the snake to her place in the wilderness, where she could be taken care of for a time, times, and half a time. The snake’s mouth poured out a river of water behind the woman in order to sweep her away. The earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river which had poured out of the serpent’s mouth. The serpent became angry with the woman. So it went away to fight with her other children, the ones who keep God’s commands and hold on to the testimony of Jesus.

       The serpent stood on the sandy shore of the sea.