7:9 After these things I looked, and here was 9 an enormous crowd that no one could count, made up of persons from every nation, tribe, 10 people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb dressed in long white robes, and with palm branches in their hands.
8:12 Then 11 the fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. And there was no light for a third of the day 12 and for a third of the night likewise.
“The salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God,
and the ruling authority 31 of his Christ, 32 have now come,
because the accuser of our brothers and sisters, 33
the one who accuses them day and night 34 before our God,
has been thrown down.
13:1 Then 35 I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It 36 had ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns were ten diadem crowns, 37 and on its heads a blasphemous name. 38
15:2 Then 39 I saw something like a sea of glass 40 mixed with fire, and those who had conquered 41 the beast and his image and the number of his name. They were standing 42 by 43 the sea of glass, holding harps given to them by God. 44
“Woe, Woe, O great city –
in which all those who had ships on the sea got rich from her wealth –
because in a single hour she has been destroyed!” 57
1 tn Or “who is victorious”; traditionally, “who overcomes.” The pendent dative is allowed to stand in the English translation because it is characteristic of the author’s style in Revelation.
2 tn Or “bright.” The Greek term λευκός (leukos) can refer either to the color white (traditional here) or to an object that is bright or shining, either from itself or from an outside source of illumination (L&N 14.50; 79.27).
3 tn On the interpretation of the stone, L&N 2.27 states, “A number of different suggestions have been made as to the reference of ψῆφος in this context. Some scholars believe that the white ψῆφος indicates a vote of acquittal in court. Others contend that it is simply a magical amulet; still others, a token of Roman hospitality; and finally, some have suggested that it may represent a ticket to the gladiatorial games, that is to say, to martyrdom. The context, however, suggests clearly that this is something to be prized and a type of reward for those who have ‘won the victory.’”
4 tn Or “know”; for the meaning “understand” see L&N 32.4.
5 tn Or “who is victorious”; traditionally, “who overcomes.”
6 tn Grk “I will make him,” but the pronoun (αὐτόν, auton, “him”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.
7 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
8 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.
9 tn The phrase “and here was” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou).
10 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.
13 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
14 tn Grk “the day did not shine [with respect to] the third of it.”
17 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.
18 tn Grk “and those seated on them.”
19 tn Grk “the vision”; the Greek article has been translated as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
20 tn L&N 79.31 states, “‘fiery red’ (probably with a tinge of yellow or orange).”
21 tn On this term BDAG 1022 s.v. ὑακίνθινος states, “hyacinth-colored, i.e. dark blue (dark red?) w. πύρινος Rv 9:17.”
22 tn On this term BDAG 446 s.v. θειώδης states, “sulphurous Rv 9:17.”
23 sn The colors of the riders’ breastplates parallel the three plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur in v. 18.
24 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
25 tn Traditionally, “brimstone.”
21 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the instructions given by the voice.
22 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
23 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.
24 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
25 tn Or “authority.”
26 tn Grk “the days.”
27 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.
28 tn Or “authority.”
29 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
30 tn Or “the right of his Messiah to rule.” See L&N 37.35.
31 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
32 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited). The translation “fellow believer” would normally apply (L&N 11.23), but since the speaker(s) are not specified in this context, it is not clear if such a translation would be appropriate here. The more generic “brothers and sisters” was chosen to emphasize the fact of a relationship without specifying its type.
33 tn Or “who accuses them continually.”
33 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
34 tn Grk “having” (a continuation of the previous sentence). All of the pronouns referring to this beast (along with the second beast appearing in 13:11) could be translated as “it” because the word for beast (θηρίον, qhrion) is neuter gender in Greek and all the pronouns related to it are parsed as neuter in the Gramcord/Accordance database. Nevertheless, most interpreters would agree that the beast ultimately represents a human ruler, so beginning at the end of v. 4 the masculine pronouns (“he,” “him,” etc.) are used to refer to the first beast as well as the second beast appearing in 13:11.
35 tn For the translation of διάδημα (diadhma) as “diadem crown” see L&N 6.196.
36 tc ‡ Several
37 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
38 sn See Rev 4:6 where the sea of glass was mentioned previously.
39 tn Or “had been victorious over”; traditionally, “had overcome.”
40 tn Grk “of his name, standing.” A new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the words “They were.”
41 tn Or “on.” The preposition ἐπί (epi) with the accusative case could mean “on, at, by, near”; given the nature of this scene appearing in a vision, it is difficult to know precisely which the author of Revelation intended. See BDAG 363 s.v. ἐπί 1.c.γ, “At, by, near someone or someth.”
42 tn Grk “harps of God.” The phrase τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou) has been translated as a genitive of agency.
41 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the directions given by the voice from the temple.
42 tn Grk “the first”; the referent (the first angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
43 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
44 tn Or “ulcerated sores”; the term in the Greek text is singular but is probably best understood as a collective singular.
45 tn Grk ‘the men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women.
45 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
46 tn Or “of the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).
47 tn Grk “fell.”
48 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Babylon’s misdeeds (see Rev 14:8).
49 tn Grk “the cup of the wine of the anger of the wrath of him.” The concatenation of four genitives has been rendered somewhat differently by various translations (see the note on the word “wrath”).
50 tn Following BDAG 461 s.v. θυμός 2, the combination of the genitives of θυμός (qumo") and ὀργή (orgh) in Rev 16:19 and 19:15 are taken to be a strengthening of the thought as in the OT and Qumran literature (Exod 32:12; Jer 32:37; Lam 2:3; CD 10:9). Thus in Rev 14:8 (to which the present passage alludes) and 18:3 there is irony: The wine of immoral behavior with which Babylon makes the nations drunk becomes the wine of God’s wrath for her.
49 tn Grk “with weeping and mourning, saying.” Here the participle λέγοντες (legontes) has not been translated because it is redundant in contemporary English.
50 tn On ἡρημώθη (Jhrhmwqh) L&N 20.41 states, “to suffer destruction, with the implication of being deserted and abandoned – ‘to be destroyed, to suffer destruction, to suffer desolation.’ ἐρημόομαι: μιᾷ ὥρᾳ ἠρημώθη ὁ τοσοῦτος πλοῦτος ‘such great wealth has been destroyed within a single hour’ Re 18:17.”
53 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s announcement.
54 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.”
55 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
56 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.”
57 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.
58 tn Grk “fellow slave.” See the note on the word “servants” in v. 2.
59 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).
60 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.”