16:12 Then 1 the sixth angel 2 poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and dried up its water 3 to prepare the way 4 for the kings from the east. 5 16:13 Then 6 I saw three unclean spirits 7 that looked like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 16:14 For they are the spirits of the demons performing signs who go out to the kings of the earth 8 to bring them together for the battle that will take place on the great day of God, the All-Powerful. 9
16:16 Now 10 the spirits 11 gathered the kings and their armies 12 to the place that is called Armageddon 13 in Hebrew.
1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
2 tn Grk “the sixth”; the referent (the sixth angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
3 tn Grk “and its water was dried up.” Here the passive construction has been translated as an active one.
4 tn Grk “in order that the way might be prepared.” Here the passive construction has been translated as an active one.
5 tn Grk “from the rising of the sun.” BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατολή 2.a takes this as a geographical direction: “ἀπὸ ἀ. ἡλίου…from the east Rv 7:2; 16:12; simply ἀπὸ ἀ. …21:13.”
6 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
7 sn According to the next verse, these three unclean spirits are spirits of demons.
11 tn BDAG 699 s.v. οἰκουμένη 1 states, “the inhabited earth, the world…ὅλη ἡ οἰκ. the whole inhabited earth…Mt 24:14; Ac 11:28; Rv 3:10; 16:14.”
12 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.”
16 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the resumption and conclusion of the remarks about the pouring out of the sixth bowl.
17 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the demonic spirits, v. 14) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
18 tn Grk “gathered them”; the referent (the kings and [implied] their armies, v. 14) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
19 tc There are many variations in the spelling of this name among the Greek