Revelation 9:3

9:3 Then ¹  out of the smoke came locusts onto the earth, and they were given power ²  like that of the scorpions of the earth.

Revelation 9:5

9:5 The locusts ³  were not given permission ⁴  to kill ⁵  them, but only to torture ⁶  them ⁷  for five months, and their torture was like that ⁸  of a scorpion when it stings a person. ⁹ 

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

² tn See BDAG 352 s.v. ἐξουσία 2, “potential or resource to command, control, or govern, capability, might, power.”

³ tn Grk “It was not permitted to them”; the referent (the locusts) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁴ tn The word “permission” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

⁵ tn The two ἵνα (Jina) clauses of 9:5 are understood to be functioning as epexegetical or complementary clauses related to ἐδόθη (edoqh).

⁶ tn On this term BDAG 168 s.v. βασανισμός states, “1. infliction of severe suffering or pain associated with torture or torment, tormenting, torture Rv 9:5b. – 2. the severe pain experienced through torture, torment vs. 5a; 14:11; 18:10, 15; (w. πένθος) vs. 7.”

⁷ tn The pronoun “them” is not in the Greek text but is picked up from the previous clause.

⁸ tn Grk “like the torture,” but this is redundant in contemporary English.

⁹ tn Grk “a man”; but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used here in an individualized sense without being limited to the male gender.