19:6 Then 1 I heard what sounded like the voice of a vast throng, like the roar of many waters and like loud crashes of thunder. They were shouting: 2
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God, 3 the All-Powerful, 4 reigns!
19:7 Let us rejoice 5 and exult
and give him glory,
because the wedding celebration of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
19:8 She was permitted to be dressed in bright, clean, fine linen” 6 (for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints). 7
19:9 Then 8 the angel 9 said to me, “Write the following: Blessed are those who are invited to the banquet at the wedding celebration of the Lamb!” He also said to me, “These are the true words of God.” 19:10 So 10 I threw myself down 11 at his feet to worship him, but 12 he said, “Do not do this! 13 I am only 14 a fellow servant 15 with you and your brothers 16 who hold to the testimony about 17 Jesus. Worship God, for the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
2 tn Grk “like the voice of a large crowd…saying.” Because of the complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the words “They were.”
3 tc Several
4 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…κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν ὁ π. Rv 19:6.”
5 tn This verb and the next two verbs are hortatory subjunctives (giving exhortations).
6 tn On the term translated “fine linen,” BDAG 185 s.v. βύσσινος states, “made of fine linen, subst. τὸ β. fine linen, linen garment…Rv 18:12…16; 19:8, 14.”
7 sn This phrase is treated as a parenthetical explanation by the author.
8 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
9 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
10 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s announcement.
11 tn Grk “I fell down at his feet.” 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.”
12 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
13 tn On the elliptical expression ὅρα μή (Jora mh) BDAG 720 s.v. ὁράω B.2 states: “Elliptically…ὅρα μή (sc. ποιήσῃς) watch out! don’t do that! Rv 19:10; 22:9.”
14 tn The lowliness of a slave is emphasized in the Greek text with the emphatic position of σύνδουλος (sundoulo"). The use of “only” helps to bring this nuance out in English.
15 tn Grk “fellow slave.” See the note on the word “servants” in v. 2.
16 tn The Greek term “brother” literally refers to family relationships, but here it is used in a broader sense to connote familial relationships within the family of God (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a).
17 tn The genitive ᾿Ιησοῦ (Ihsou) has been translated as an objective genitive here. A subjective genitive, also possible, would produce the meaning “who hold to what Jesus testifies.”