1:1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, 1 which God gave him to show his servants 2 what must happen very soon. 3 He made it clear 4 by sending his angel to his servant 5 John,
6:5 Then 12 when the Lamb opened the third seal I heard the third living creature saying, “Come!” So 13 I looked, 14 and here came 15 a black horse! The 16 one who rode it 17 had a balance scale 18 in his hand.
1 tn The phrase ἀποκάλυψις ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ (ajpokaluyi" Ihsou Cristou, “the revelation of Jesus Christ”) could be interpreted as either an objective genitive (“the revelation about Jesus Christ”), subjective genitive (“the revelation from Jesus Christ”), or both (M. Zerwick’s “general” genitive [Biblical Greek, §§36-39]; D. B. Wallace’s “plenary” genitive [ExSyn 119-21]). In 1:1 and 22:16 it is clear that Jesus has sent his angel to proclaim the message to John; thus the message is from Christ, and this would be a subjective genitive. On a broader scale, though, the revelation is about Christ, so this would be an objective genitive. One important point to note is that the phrase under consideration is best regarded as the title of the book and therefore refers to the whole of the work in all its aspects. This fact favors considering this as a plenary genitive.
2 tn Grk “slaves.” Although this translation frequently renders δοῦλος (doulos) as “slave,” the connotation is often of one who has sold himself into slavery; in a spiritual sense, the idea is that of becoming a slave of God or of Jesus Christ voluntarily. The voluntary notion is not conspicuous here; hence, the translation “servants.” In any case, the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.
3 tn BDAG 992-93 s.v. τάχος has “quickly, at once, without delay Ac 10:33 D; 12:7; 17:15 D; 22:18; 1 Cl 48:1; 63:4…soon, in a short time…Rv 1:1; 22:6…shortly Ac 25:4.”
4 tn Or “He indicated it clearly” (L&N 33.153).
5 tn See the note on the word “servants” earlier in this verse.
6 sn That is, the teaching of Jezebel (v. 20).
7 tn Grk “deep things.” For the translation “deep secrets” see L&N 28.76; cf. NAB, NIV, CEV.
11 tn The expression πῶς εἴληφας καὶ ἤκουσας (pw" eilhfa" kai hkousa") probably refers to the initial instruction in the Christian life they had received and been taught; this included doctrine and ethical teaching.
12 tn Grk “keep it,” in the sense of obeying what they had initially been taught.
13 tn The negation here is with οὐ μή (ou mh, the strongest possible form of negation in Koine Greek).
14 tn Or “come on.”
16 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
17 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the summons by the third creature.
18 tc The reading “and I looked” (καὶ εἶδον, kai eidon) or some slight variation (e.g., ἶδον, idon) has excellent ms support ({א A C P 1611}) and its omission seems to have come through the
19 tn The phrase “and here came” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou).
20 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
21 tn Grk “the one sitting on it.”
22 sn A balance scale would have been a rod held by a rope in the middle with pans attached to both ends for measuring.
21 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the previous question.
22 tn Though the expression “the answer” is not in the Greek text, it is clearly implied. Direct objects in Greek were frequently omitted when clear from the context.
23 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
24 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
26 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
27 tn Grk “the shaft,” but since this would be somewhat redundant in English, the pronoun “it” is used here.
28 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
31 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the war in heaven.
36 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
37 tn Or “of the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).
38 tn Grk “fell.”
39 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Babylon’s misdeeds (see Rev 14:8).
40 tn Grk “the cup of the wine of the anger of the wrath of him.” The concatenation of four genitives has been rendered somewhat differently by various translations (see the note on the word “wrath”).
41 tn Following BDAG 461 s.v. θυμός 2, the combination of the genitives of θυμός (qumo") and ὀργή (orgh) in Rev 16:19 and 19:15 are taken to be a strengthening of the thought as in the OT and Qumran literature (Exod 32:12; Jer 32:37; Lam 2:3; CD 10:9). Thus in Rev 14:8 (to which the present passage alludes) and 18:3 there is irony: The wine of immoral behavior with which Babylon makes the nations drunk becomes the wine of God’s wrath for her.
41 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
42 tn Grk “I will tell you,” but since what follows is the angel’s interpretation of the vision, “interpret for you” is the preferred translation here.
46 tn Or “the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).
47 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
48 tn Grk “will shepherd.”
49 tn Or “scepter.” The Greek term ῥάβδος (rJabdo") can mean either “rod” or “scepter.”
50 sn He stomps the winepress. See Isa 63:3, where Messiah does this alone (usually several individuals would join in the process), and Rev 14:20.
51 tn The genitive θυμοῦ (qumou) has been translated as an attributed genitive. Following BDAG 461 s.v. θυμός 2, the combination of the genitives of θυμός (qumos) and ὀργή (orgh) in Rev 16:19 and 19:15 are taken to be a strengthening of the thought as in the OT and Qumran literature (Exod 32:12; Jer 32:37; Lam 2:3; CD 10:9).
52 tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(ὁ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π. …Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22.”