1. The fifth woe (1-12)

The remaining three woes were especially and directly toward men. The woes were given progressively to be more severe. It was not just to destroy the evildoers but also to give chances for them to repent and be saved. The fifth woe was stinging like that of scorpions to harm only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. The pains would be so terrible that they would seek death but would not be allowed to die. It was not to torture them sadistically but the merciful God still wanted the people to repent even through such woes before death.

2. The sixth woe (13-21)

The four angels were released to kill mankind. Three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur from them killed one third of mankind. God still limited the time and the number of tolls so that mankind may return to God and repent from their sins. However, what about the rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues? They did not stop worshiping demons and idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality and their thefts.