3:1 “To 8 the angel of the church in Sardis write the following: 9
“This is the solemn pronouncement of 10 the one who holds 11 the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a reputation 12 that you are alive, but 13 in reality 14 you are dead.
4:1 After these things I looked, and there was 19 a door standing open in heaven! 20 And the first voice I had heard speaking to me 21 like a trumpet 22 said: “Come up here so that 23 I can show you what must happen after these things.”
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals
because you were killed, 25
and at the cost of your own blood 26 you have purchased 27 for God
persons 28 from every tribe, language, 29 people, and nation.
7:9 After these things I looked, and here was 30 an enormous crowd that no one could count, made up of persons from every nation, tribe, 31 people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb dressed in long white robes, and with palm branches in their hands.
8:7 The 36 first angel blew his trumpet, and there was hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was thrown at the earth so that 37 a third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.
1 tc The shorter reading adopted here has superior ms support (א A C P 2053 al latt co), while the inclusion of “your works and” (τὰ ἔργα σου καί, ta erga sou kai) before “where you reside” is supported by the Byzantine witnesses and is evidently a secondary attempt to harmonize the passage with 2:2, 19; 3:1, 8, 15.
2 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Yet” to indicate the contrast between their location and their faithful behavior.
3 tn The present indicative verb κρατεῖς (kratei") has been translated as a progressive present.
4 tn Grk “the faith”; here the Greek article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
5 tn Grk “the faith of me” (τὴν πίστιν μου, thn pistin mou) with the genitive “of me” (μου) functioning objectively.
6 tn Or “martyr.” The Greek word μάρτυς can mean either “witness” or “martyr.”
7 tn Grk “killed among you.” The term “city” does not occur in the Greek text of course, but the expression παρ᾿ ὑμῖν, ὅπου ὁ σατανᾶς κατοικεῖ (par’ Jumin, {opou Jo satana" katoikei) seems to indicate that this is what is meant. See G. B. Caird, Revelation (HNTC), 36-38.
8 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.
9 tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.
10 tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.
11 tn Grk “who has” (cf. 1:16).
12 tn Grk “a name.”
13 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
14 tn The prepositional phrase “in reality” is supplied in the translation to make explicit the idea that their being alive was only an illusion.
15 tn Or “who is victorious”; traditionally, “who overcomes.”
16 tn Grk “I will make him,” but the pronoun (αὐτόν, auton, “him”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.
17 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
18 sn This description of the city of my God is parenthetical, explaining further the previous phrase and interrupting the list of “new names” given here.
22 tn Grk “and behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
23 tn Or “in the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).
24 tn Grk “with me.” The translation “with me” implies that John was engaged in a dialogue with the one speaking to him (e.g., Jesus or an angel) when in reality it was a one-sided conversation, with John doing all the listening. For this reason, μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ (met’ emou, “with me”) was translated as “to me.”
25 sn The phrase speaking to me like a trumpet refers back to Rev 1:10.
26 tn The conjunction καί (kai), much like the vav-consecutive in Hebrew, appears to be introducing a final/purpose clause here rather than a coordinate clause.
29 tn The redundant participle λέγοντες (legontes) has not been translated here.
30 tn Or “slaughtered”; traditionally, “slain.”
31 tn The preposition ἐν (en) is taken to indicate price here, like the Hebrew preposition ב (bet) does at times. BDAG 329 s.v. ἐν 5.b states, “The ἐν which takes the place of the gen. of price is also instrumental ἠγόρασας ἐν τῷ αἵματί σου Rv 5:9 (cp. 1 Ch 21:24 ἀγοράζω ἐν ἀργυρίῳ).”
32 tc The Greek text as it stands above (i.e., the reading τῷ θεῷ [tw qew] alone) is found in codex A. א 2050 2344 Ï sy add the term “us” (ἡμᾶς, Jhmas), either before or after τῷ θεῷ, as an attempt to clarify the object of “purchased” (ἠγόρασας, hgorasa"). A few
33 tn The word “persons” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
34 tn Grk “and language,” but 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.
36 tn The phrase “and here was” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou).
37 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated before each of the following categories, since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
43 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the previous question.
44 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.
45 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
46 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.
50 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
51 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so that” because what follows has the logical force of a result clause.
57 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the introduction of the description of the horses and riders, which is somewhat parenthetical in the narrative.
58 tn Grk “and those seated on them.”
59 tn Grk “the vision”; the Greek article has been translated as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
60 tn L&N 79.31 states, “‘fiery red’ (probably with a tinge of yellow or orange).”
61 tn On this term BDAG 1022 s.v. ὑακίνθινος states, “hyacinth-colored, i.e. dark blue (dark red?) w. πύρινος Rv 9:17.”
62 tn On this term BDAG 446 s.v. θειώδης states, “sulphurous Rv 9:17.”
63 sn The colors of the riders’ breastplates parallel the three plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur in v. 18.
64 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
65 tn Traditionally, “brimstone.”
64 tn The word “made” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
65 tn The Greek conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here or before the following materials in this list, since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
71 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
72 tn The participle λαλοῦσαν (lalousan) has been translated as “began to speak.” The use of πάλιν (palin) indicates an ingressive idea.
73 tn Grk “with me.” The translation “with me” implies that John was engaged in a dialogue with the one speaking to him (e.g., Jesus or an angel) when in reality it was a one-sided conversation, with John doing all the listening. For this reason, μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ (met’ emou, “with me”) was translated as “to me.”
74 tn Grk “again, saying.” The participle λέγουσαν (legousan) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
75 tn The perfect passive participle ἠνεῳγμένον (hnewgmenon) is in second attributive position and has been translated as an attributive adjective.
78 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the instructions given by the voice.
79 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
80 tn The words “the scroll” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
81 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.