4:9 And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, 12 and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
11:1 Then 20 a measuring rod 21 like a staff was given to me, and I was told, 22 “Get up and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and the ones who worship there.
11:16 Then 23 the twenty-four elders who are seated on their thrones before God threw themselves down with their faces to the ground 24 and worshiped God
16:4 Then 28 the third angel 29 poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into blood.
16:8 Then 30 the fourth angel 31 poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was permitted to scorch people 32 with fire.
21:15 The angel 33 who spoke to me had a golden measuring rod with which to measure the city and its foundation stones and wall.
1 tn The word “this” is used to translate the Greek article τῆς (ths), bringing out its demonstrative force.
2 tn The word “aloud” has been supplied to indicate that in the original historical setting reading would usually refer to reading out loud in public rather than silently to oneself.
3 tn The words “blessed are” are repeated from the beginning of this verse for stylistic reasons and for clarity.
4 tn Grk “keep.” L&N 36.19 has “to continue to obey orders or commandments – ‘to obey, to keep commandments, obedience.’”
5 sn The time refers to the time when the things prophesied would happen.
6 tn The verb ποιέω (poiew) can indicate appointment or assignment rather than simply “make” or “do.” See Mark 3:14 (L&N 37.106).
7 tn See BDAG 168 s.v. βασιλεία 1.a for the idea of “he made us a kingdom,” which was translated as “he appointed us (to be or function) as a kingdom” (see the note on the word “appointed” earlier in the verse).
8 tn Grk “a kingdom, priests.” The term ἱερεῖς (Jiereis) is either in apposition to βασιλείαν (basileian) or as a second complement to the object “us” (ἡμᾶς, Jhmas). The translation retains this ambiguity.
9 tc Both the longer reading τῶν αἰώνων (twn aiwnwn, “to the ages of the ages” or, more idiomatically, “for ever and ever”; found in א C Ï) and the shorter (“for ever”; found in Ì18 A P 2050 pc bo) have good ms support. The author uses the longer expression (εἰς [τοὺς] αἰῶνας [τῶν] αἰώνων, ei" [tou"] aiwna" [twn] aiwnwn) in every other instance of αἰών in Revelation, twelve passages in all (1:18; 4:9, 10; 5:13; 7:12; 10:6; 11:15; 14:11; 15:7; 19:3; 20:10; 22:5). Thus, on the one hand, the style of the author is consistent, while on the other hand, the scribes may have been familiar with such a stylistic feature, causing them to add the words here. The issues are more complex than can be presented here; the longer reading, however, is probably original (the shorter reading arising from accidental omission of the genitive phrase due to similarity with the preceding words).
11 tn Grk “onto a bed,” in this context an idiom for severe illness (L&N 23.152).
12 tn Or “into great distress.” The suffering here is not specified as physical or emotional, and could involve persecution.
16 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
21 tn Or “in heaven” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”). The genitive τοῦ οὐρανοῦ (tou ouranou) is taken as a genitive of place.
22 tn Grk “throws [off]”; the indicative verb has been translated as a participle due to English style.
23 tn L&N 3.37 states, “a fig produced late in the summer season (and often falling off before it ripens) – ‘late fig.’ ὡς συκὴ βάλλει τοὺς ὀλύνθους αὐτῆς ὑπὸ ἀνέμου μεγάλου σειομένη ‘as the fig tree sheds its late figs when shaken by a great wind’ Re 6:13. In the only context in which ὄλυνθος occurs in the NT (Re 6:13), one may employ an expression such as ‘unripe fig’ or ‘fig which ripens late.’”
24 tn Grk “great wind.”
26 tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.
31 tn In the Greek text there is a shift to the present tense here; the previous verbs translated “had” are imperfects.
32 tn See BDAG 352 s.v. ἐξουσία 2, “potential or resource to command, control, or govern, capability, might, power.”
36 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
37 tn Grk “a reed” (but these were used for measuring). Cf. Ezek 40:3ff.
38 tn Grk “saying.”
41 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
42 tn Grk “they fell down on their faces.” BDAG 815 s.v. πίπτω 1.b.α.ב. has “fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion or humility, before high-ranking persons or divine beings.”
46 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the permission granted to the beast.
47 tn Grk “he” (or “it”); the referent (the beast) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
48 tc The reading “and his dwelling place” does not occur in codex C, but its omission is probably due to scribal oversight since the phrase has the same ending as the phrase before it, i.e., they both end in “his” (αὐτοῦ, autou). This is similar to the mistake this scribe made in 12:14 with the omission of the reading “and half a time” (καὶ ἥμισυ καιροῦ, kai {hmisu kairou).
51 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
52 tn Grk “the third”; the referent (the third angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
56 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
57 tn Grk “the fourth”; the referent (the fourth angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
58 tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women.
61 tn Grk “the one”; the referent (the angel of v. 9) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
66 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.