5:10 You have appointed 5 them 6 as a kingdom and priests 7 to serve 8 our God, and they will reign 9 on the earth.”
61:6 You will be called, ‘the Lord’s priests,
servants of our God.’ 10
You will enjoy 11 the wealth of nations
and boast about 12 the riches you receive from them. 13
12:1 Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, 14 by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice – alive, holy, and pleasing to God 15 – which is your reasonable service.
12:1 Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, 16 by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice – alive, holy, and pleasing to God 17 – which is your reasonable service.
1 tn The verb ποιέω (poiew) can indicate appointment or assignment rather than simply “make” or “do.” See Mark 3:14 (L&N 37.106).
2 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).
3 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.
4 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).
5 tn The verb ἐποίησας (epoihsas) is understood to mean “appointed” here. For an example of this use, see Mark 3:14.
6 tc The vast majority of witnesses have αὐτούς (autous, “them”) here, while the Textus Receptus reads ἡμᾶς (Jhmas, “us”) with insignificant support (pc gig vgcl sa Prim Bea). There is no question that the original text read αὐτούς here.
7 tn The reference to “kingdom and priests” may be a hendiadys: “priestly kingdom.”
8 tn The words “to serve” are not in the Greek text, but are implied by the word “priests.”
9 tc The textual problem here between the present tense βασιλεύουσιν (basileuousin, “they are reigning”; so A 1006 1611 ÏK pc) and the future βασιλεύσουσιν (basileusousin, “they will reign”; so א 1854 2053 ÏA pc lat co) is a difficult one. Both readings have excellent support. On the one hand, the present tense seems to be the harder reading in this context. On the other hand, codex A elsewhere mistakes the future for the present (20:6). Further, the lunar sigma in uncial script could have been overlooked by some scribes, resulting in the present tense. All things considered, there is a slight preference for the future.
10 tn The Hebrew text adds, “it will be said concerning you.”
11 tn Heb “eat” (KJV, NAB, NASB); NIV “feed on”; NLT “be fed with.”
12 tc The form in the Hebrew text is probably a corruption of יִתְאַמְּרוּ (yit’ammÿru), a Hitpael from אָמַר (’amar), meaning “boast about” (see HALOT 67 s.v. II אמר, HALOT 416 s.v. ימר, and BDB 56 s.v. אָמַר).
13 tn Heb “their glory” (i.e., riches).
14 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:13.
15 tn The participle and two adjectives “alive, holy, and pleasing to God” are taken as predicates in relation to “sacrifice,” making the exhortation more emphatic. See ExSyn 618-19.
16 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:13.
17 tn The participle and two adjectives “alive, holy, and pleasing to God” are taken as predicates in relation to “sacrifice,” making the exhortation more emphatic. See ExSyn 618-19.
18 tn Grk “hardness.” Concerning this imagery, see Jer 4:4; Ezek 3:7; 1 En. 16:3.
19 tn Grk “in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.”
20 tn No verb is expressed in this verse, but the verb “to be” is implied by the Greek construction. Literally “suffering and distress on everyone…”
21 tn Grk “every soul of man.”
22 sn Paul uses the term Greek here and in v. 10 to refer to non-Jews, i.e., Gentiles.