Ezekiel 3:14

3:14 A wind lifted me up and carried me away. I went bitterly, ¹  my spirit full of fury, and the hand of the Lord rested powerfully ²  on me.

Ezekiel 11:1

The Fall of Jerusalem

11:1 A wind ³  lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of the Lord’s temple that faces the east. There, at the entrance of the gate, I noticed twenty-five men. Among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, officials of the people. ⁴ 

Ezekiel 11:24

11:24 Then a wind ⁵  lifted me up and carried me to the exiles in Babylonia, ⁶  in the vision given to me by the Spirit of God.

Then the vision I had seen went up from me.

Ezekiel 40:2

40:2 By means of divine visions ⁷  he brought me to the land of Israel and placed me on a very high mountain, ⁸  and on it was a structure like a city, to the south.

Ezekiel 40:1

Vision of the New Temple

40:1 In the twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city ⁹  was struck down, on this very day, ¹⁰  the hand ¹¹  of the Lord was on me, and he brought me there. ¹² 

Ezekiel 18:12

18:12 oppresses the poor and the needy, ¹³  commits robbery, does not give back what was given in pledge, prays to ¹⁴  idols, performs abominable acts,

Ezekiel 18:2

18:2 “What do you mean by quoting this proverb concerning the land of Israel,

“‘The fathers eat sour grapes

And the children’s teeth become numb?’ ¹⁵ 

Ezekiel 2:1

Ezekiel’s Commission

2:1 He said to me, “Son of man, ¹⁶  stand on your feet and I will speak with you.”

Acts 8:39

8:39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any more, but ¹⁷  went on his way rejoicing. ¹⁸ 

Acts 8:2

8:2 Some ¹⁹  devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation ²⁰  over him. ²¹ 

Colossians 1:2-4

1:2 to the saints, the faithful ²²  brothers and sisters ²³  in Christ, at Colossae. Grace and peace to you ²⁴  from God our Father! ²⁵ 

Paul’s Thanksgiving and Prayer for the Church

1:3 We always ²⁶  give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 1:4 since ²⁷  we heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the saints.

Revelation 1:10-20

1:10 I was in the Spirit ²⁸  on the Lord’s Day ²⁹  when ³⁰  I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 1:11 saying: “Write in a book what you see and send it to the seven churches – to Ephesus, ³¹  Smyrna, ³²  Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”

1:12 I ³³  turned to see whose voice was speaking to me, ³⁴  and when I did so, ³⁵  I saw seven golden lampstands, 1:13 and in the midst of the lampstands was one like a son of man. ³⁶  He was dressed in a robe extending down to his feet and he wore a wide golden belt ³⁷  around his chest. 1:14 His ³⁸  head and hair were as white as wool, even as white as snow, ³⁹  and his eyes were like a fiery ⁴⁰  flame. 1:15 His feet were like polished bronze ⁴¹  refined ⁴²  in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar ⁴³  of many waters. 1:16 He held ⁴⁴  seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp double-edged sword extended out of his mouth. His ⁴⁵  face shone like the sun shining at full strength. 1:17 When ⁴⁶  I saw him I fell down at his feet as though I were dead, but ⁴⁷  he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid! I am the first and the last, 1:18 and the one who lives! I ⁴⁸  was dead, but look, now I am alive – forever and ever – and I hold the keys of death and of Hades! ⁴⁹  1:19 Therefore write what you saw, what is, and what will be after these things. ⁵⁰  1:20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands is this: ⁵¹  The seven stars are the angels ⁵²  of the seven churches and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Revelation 4:2-11

4:2 Immediately I was in the Spirit, ⁵³  and ⁵⁴  a throne was standing ⁵⁵  in heaven with someone seated on it! 4:3 And the one seated on it was like jasper ⁵⁶  and carnelian ⁵⁷  in appearance, and a rainbow looking like it was made of emerald ⁵⁸  encircled the throne. 4:4 In ⁵⁹  a circle around the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on those thrones were twenty-four elders. They were ⁶⁰  dressed in white clothing and had golden crowns ⁶¹  on their heads. 4:5 From ⁶²  the throne came out flashes of lightning and roaring ⁶³  and crashes of thunder. Seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God, ⁶⁴  were burning in front of the throne 4:6 and in front of the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal. ⁶⁵ 

In ⁶⁶  the middle of the throne ⁶⁷  and around the throne were four living creatures ⁶⁸  full of eyes in front and in back. 4:7 The ⁶⁹  first living creature was like a lion, the ⁷⁰  second creature like an ox, the third creature had a face like a man’s, and the fourth creature looked like an eagle flying. 4:8 Each one of the four living creatures had six wings ⁷¹  and was full of eyes all around and inside. ⁷²  They never rest day or night, saying: ⁷³ 

“Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God, the All-Powerful, ⁷⁴ 

Who was and who is, and who is still to come!”

4:9 And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, ⁷⁵  and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 4:10 the twenty-four elders throw themselves to the ground ⁷⁶  before the one who sits on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever, and they offer their crowns ⁷⁷  before his ⁷⁸  throne, saying:

4:11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,

to receive glory and honor and power,

since you created all things,

and because of your will they existed and were created!” ⁷⁹ 

[3:14]  ¹ tn The traditional interpretation is that Ezekiel embarked on his mission with bitterness and anger, either reflecting God’s attitude toward the sinful people or his own feelings about having to carry out such an unpleasant task. L. C. Allen (Ezekiel [WBC], 1:13) takes “bitterly” as a misplaced marginal note and understands the following word, normally translated “anger,” in the sense of fervor or passion. He translates, “I was passionately moved” (p. 4). Another option is to take the word translated “bitterly” as a verb meaning “strengthened” (attested in Ugaritic). See G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 152.

[3:14]  ² tn Heb “the hand of the Lord was on me heavily.” The “hand of the Lord” is a metaphor for his power or influence; the modifier conveys intensity.

[11:1]  ³ tn Or “spirit.” See note on “wind” in 2:2.

[11:1]  ⁴ sn The phrase officials of the people occurs in Neh 11:1; 1 Chr 21:2; 2 Chr 24:23.

[11:24]  ⁵ tn Or “spirit.” See note on “wind” in 2:2.

[11:24]  ⁶ tn Heb “to Chaldea.”

[40:2]  ⁷ tn The expression introduces the three major visions of Ezekiel (1:1; 8:3; 40:2).

[40:2]  ⁸ tn The reference to a very high mountain is harmonious with Isa 2:2.

[40:1]  ⁹ sn That is, Jerusalem.

[40:1]  ¹⁰ tn April 19, 573 b.c.

[40:1]  ¹¹ tn Or “power.”

[40:1]  ¹² sn That is, to the land of Israel (see v. 2).

[18:12]  ¹³ sn The poor and needy are often mentioned together in the OT (Deut 24:14; Jer 22:16; Ezek 14:69; Ps 12:6; 35:10; 37:14).

[18:12]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “lifts up his eyes.”

[18:2]  ¹⁵ tn This word only occurs here and in the parallel passage in Jer 31:29-30 in the Qal stem and in Eccl 10:10 in the Piel stem. In the latter passage it refers to the bluntness of an ax that has not been sharpened. Here the idea is of the “bluntness” of the teeth, not from having ground them down due to the bitter taste of sour grapes but to the fact that they have lost their “edge,” “bite,” or “sharpness” because they are numb from the sour taste. For this meaning for the word, see W. L. Holladay, Jeremiah (Hermeneia), 2:197.

[2:1]  ¹⁶ sn The phrase son of man occurs ninety-three times in the book of Ezekiel. It simply means “human one,” and distinguishes the prophet from the nonhuman beings that are present in the world of his vision.

[8:39]  ¹⁷ tn BDAG 189 s.v. γάρ 2 indicates that under certain circumstances γάρ (gar) has the same meaning as δέ (de).

[8:39]  ¹⁸ sn Note that the response to the gospel is rejoicing (joy, cf. Acts 11:23; 13:48).

[8:2]  ¹⁹ tn “Some” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[8:2]  ²⁰ sn Made loud lamentation. For someone who was stoned to death, lamentation was normally not allowed (m. Sanhedrin 6:6). The remark points to an unjust death.

[8:2]  ²¹ tn Or “mourned greatly for him.”

[1:2]  ²² tn Grk “and faithful.” The construction in Greek (as well as Paul’s style) suggests that the saints are identical to the faithful; hence, the καί (kai) is best left untranslated (cf. Eph 1:1). See ExSyn 281-82.

[1:2]  ²³ tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).

[1:2]  ²⁴ tn Or “Grace to you and peace.”

[1:2]  ²⁵ tc Most witnesses, including some important ones (א A C F G I [P] 075 Ï it bo), read “and the Lord Jesus Christ” at the end of this verse, no doubt to conform the wording to the typical Pauline salutation. However, excellent and early witnesses (B D K L Ψ 33 81 1175 1505 1739 1881 al sa) lack this phrase. Since the omission is inexplicable as arising from the longer reading (otherwise, these mss would surely have deleted the phrase in the rest of the corpus Paulinum), it is surely authentic.

[1:3]  ²⁶ tn The adverb πάντοτε (pantote) is understood to modify the indicative εὐχαριστοῦμεν (eucaristoumen) because it precedes περὶ ὑμῶν (peri Jumwn) which probably modifies the indicative and not the participle προσευχόμενοι (proseucomenoi). But see 1:9 where the same expression occurs and περὶ ὑμῶν modifies the participle “praying” (προσευχόμενοι).

[1:4]  ²⁷ tn The adverbial participle ἀκούσαντες (akousante") is understood to be temporal and translated with “since.” A causal idea may also be in the apostle’s mind, but the context emphasizes temporal ideas, e.g., “from the day” (v. 6).

[1:10]  ²⁸ tn Or “in the spirit.” “Spirit” could refer either to the Holy Spirit or the human spirit, but in either case John was in “a state of spiritual exaltation best described as a trance” (R. H. Mounce, Revelation [NICNT], 75).

[1:10]  ²⁹ tn Concerning the phrase κυριακῇ ἡμέρᾳ (kuriakh Jhmera) BDAG 576 s.v. κυριακός states: “pert. to belonging to the Lord, the Lord’s…κ. ἡμέρᾳ the Lord’s day (Kephal. I 192, 1; 193, 31…) i.e. certainly Sunday (so in Mod. Gk….) Rv 1:10 (WStott, NTS 12, ’65, 70-75).”

[1:10]  ³⁰ tn The conjunction καί (kai) is not introducing a coordinate thought, but one that is logically subordinate to the main verb ἐγενόμην (egenomhn).

[1:11]  ³¹ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[1:11]  ³² tn Grk “and to Smyrna.” For stylistic reasons the conjunction καί (kai) and the preposition εἰς (eis) have not been translated before the remaining elements of the list. In lists with more than two elements contemporary English generally does not repeat the conjunction except between the next to last and last elements.

[1:12]  ³³ tn Throughout the translation John’s use of καί (kai) often reflects the varied usage of the Hebrew conjunction ו (vav). A clause which καί introduces has been translated in terms of its semantic relationship to the clause that preceded it. If the καί seemed redundant, however, it was left untranslated; that is the case in this verse.

[1:12]  ³⁴ 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.”

[1:12]  ³⁵ tn Grk “and turning I saw.” The repetition of ἐπιστρέφω (epistrefw) is somewhat redundant in contemporary English and has been translated generally.

[1:13]  ³⁶ tn This phrase constitutes an allusion to Dan 7:13. Concerning υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου (Juio" tou anqrwpou), BDAG 1026 s.v. υἱός 2.d.γ says: “ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου lit. ‘the son of the man’…‘the human being, the human one, the man’…On Israelite thought contemporary w. Jesus and alleged knowledge of a heavenly being looked upon as a ‘Son of Man’ or ‘Man’, who exercises Messianic functions such as judging the world (metaph., pictorial passages in En 46-48; 4 Esdr 13:3, 51f)…Outside the gospels: Ac 7:56…Rv 1:13; 14:14 (both after Da 7:13…).” The term “son” here in this expression is anarthrous and as such lacks specificity. Some commentators and translations take the expression as an allusion to Daniel 7:13 and not to “the son of man” found in gospel traditions (e.g., Mark 8:31; 9:12; cf. D. E. Aune, Revelation [WBC], 2:800-801; cf. also NIV). Other commentators and versions, however, take the phrase “son of man” as definite, involving allusions to Dan 7:13 and “the son of man” gospel traditions (see G. K. Beale, Revelation [NIGTC], 771-72; NRSV).

[1:13]  ³⁷ tn Or “a wide golden sash,” but this would not be diagonal, as some modern sashes are, but horizontal. The Greek term can refer to a wide band of cloth or leather worn on the outside of one’s clothing (L&N 6.178).

[1:14]  ³⁸ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[1:14]  ³⁹ tn The clause, “even as white as snow” seems to heighten the preceding clause and is so understood in this ascensive sense (“even”) in the translation.

[1:14]  ⁴⁰ tn The genitive noun πυρός (puros) has been translated as an attributive genitive.

[1:15]  ⁴¹ tn The precise meaning of the term translated “polished bronze” (χαλκολιβάνῳ, calkolibanw), which appears nowhere else in Greek literature outside of the book of Revelation (see 2:18), is uncertain. Without question it is some sort of metal. BDAG 1076 s.v. χαλκολίβανον suggests “fine brass/bronze.” L&N 2.57 takes the word to refer to particularly valuable or fine bronze, but notes that the emphasis here and in Rev 2:18 is more on the lustrous quality of the metal.

[1:15]  ⁴² tn Or “that has been heated in a furnace until it glows.”

[1:15]  ⁴³ tn Grk “sound,” but the idea is closer to the roar of a waterfall or rapids.

[1:16]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “and having.” In the Greek text this is a continuation of the previous sentence, but because contemporary English style employs much shorter sentences, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronoun “he.”

[1:16]  ⁴⁵ tn This is a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text, but a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[1:17]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “And when.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[1:17]  ⁴⁷ tn Here the Greek conjunction καί (kai) has been translated as a contrastive (“but”) due to the contrast between the two clauses.

[1:18]  ⁴⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[1:18]  ⁴⁹ tn Concerning “Hades” BDAG 19 s.v. ᾅδης 1 and 2 states: “Orig. proper noun, god of the nether world, ‘Hades’, then the nether world, Hades as place of the dead, Ac 2:27, 31 (Ps 15:10; Eccl 9:10; PGM 1, 179; 16, 8; Philo, Mos. 1, 195; Jos., Bell. 1, 596, Ant. 6, 332). Of Jonah’s fish ἐκ τοῦ κατωτάτου ᾅδου. In the depths, contrasted w. heaven ἕως (τοῦ) ᾅδου Mt 11:23; Lk 10:15 (PsSol 15:10; cp.; Is 14:11, 15); ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ 16:23; ἐν ῝Αιδου ApcPt Rainer. Accessible by gates (but the pl. is also used [e.g. Hom., X., Ael. Aristid. 47, 20 K.=23 p. 450 D.] when only one gate is meant), hence πύλαι ᾅδου (Il. 5, 646; Is 38:10; Wsd 16:13; 3 Macc 5:51; Pss. Sol. 16:2. – Lucian, Menipp. 6 the magicians can open τοῦ ῝Αιδου τὰς πύλας and conduct people in and out safely) Mt 16:18…locked ἔχω τὰς κλεῖς τοῦ θανάτου καὶ τοῦ ᾅδου Rv 1:18 (the genitives are either obj. [Ps.-Apollod. 3, 12, 6, 10 Aeacus, the son of Zeus holds the κλεῖς τοῦ ῝Αιδου; SEG VIII, 574, 3 (III ad) τῷ τὰς κλεῖδας ἔχοντι τῶν καθ᾿ ῝Αιδου (restored)] or possess.; in the latter case death and Hades are personif.; s. 2)…Hades personif.…w. θάνατος (cp. Is 28:15; Job 38:17…) Rv 6:8; 20:13f.”

[1:19]  ⁵⁰ tn Grk “Therefore write the things that you saw, and the things that are, and the things that will take place after these things.” Verse 19 could also be translated (taking καί…καί [kai…kai] as “both…and”): “Therefore write what you have seen, both what things currently are and what is going to happen after these things.” The structure of this verse is debated.

[1:20]  ⁵¹ tn The words “is this” are supplied to make a complete sentence in English.

[1:20]  ⁵² tn Or perhaps “the messengers.”

[4:2]  ⁵³ tn Or “in the spirit.” “Spirit” could refer either to the Holy Spirit or the human spirit, but in either case John was in “a state of spiritual exaltation best described as a trance” (R. H. Mounce, Revelation [NICNT], 75).

[4:2]  ⁵⁴ 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).

[4:2]  ⁵⁵ tn BDAG 537 s.v. κεῖμαι 2 gives the translation “stand” for the term in this verse.

[4:3]  ⁵⁶ tn Grk “jasper stone.”

[4:3]  ⁵⁷ sn Carnelian was a semiprecious gemstone, usually red in color (L&N 2.36).

[4:3]  ⁵⁸ tn Or “a rainbow emerald-like in appearance.”

[4:4]  ⁵⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[4:4]  ⁶⁰ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the words “They were” to indicate the connection to the preceding material.

[4:4]  ⁶¹ sn See the note on the word crown in Rev 3:11.

[4:5]  ⁶² tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[4:5]  ⁶³ tn Or “sounds,” “voices.” It is not entirely clear what this refers to. BDAG 1071 s.v. φωνή 1 states, “In Rv we have ἀστραπαὶ καὶ φωναὶ καὶ βρονταί (cp. Ex 19:16) 4:5; 8:5; 11:19; 16:18 (are certain other sounds in nature thought of here in addition to thunder, as e.g. the roar of the storm?…).”

[4:5]  ⁶⁴ sn Some interpret the seven spirits of God as angelic beings, while others see them as a reference to the sevenfold ministry of the Holy Spirit.

[4:6]  ⁶⁵ tn This could refer to rock crystal, but it is possible this refers to ice (an older meaning). See BDAG 571 s.v. κρύσταλλος.

[4:6]  ⁶⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[4:6]  ⁶⁷ tn Perhaps, “in the middle of the throne area” (see L&N 83.10).

[4:6]  ⁶⁸ tn On the meaning of ζῴον (zwon) BDAG 431 s.v. 2 states, “Of the four peculiar beings at God’s throne, whose description Rv 4:6-9 reminds one of the ζῷα in Ezk 1:5ff, the cherubim. S. also Rv 5:6, 8, 11, 14; 6:1, 3, 5-7; 7:11; 14:3; 15:7; 19:4.”

[4:7]  ⁶⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[4:7]  ⁷⁰ tn Both here and before the phrase “the third,” 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.

[4:8]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “six wings apiece,” but this is redundant with “each one” in English.

[4:8]  ⁷² tn Some translations render ἔσωθεν (eswqen) as “under [its] wings,” but the description could also mean “filled all around on the outside and on the inside with eyes.” Since the referent is not available to the interpreter, the exact force is difficult to determine.

[4:8]  ⁷³ tn Or “They never stop saying day and night.”

[4:8]  ⁷⁴ 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.”

[4:9]  ⁷⁵ tn Here 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.

[4:10]  ⁷⁶ tn Grk “the twenty-four elders fall down.” 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.”

[4:10]  ⁷⁷ sn See the note on the word crown in Rev 3:11.

[4:10]  ⁷⁸ tn The pronoun “his” is understood from the demonstrative force of the article τοῦ (tou) before θρόνου (qronou).

[4:11]  ⁷⁹ tc The past tense of “they existed” (ἦσαν, hsan) and the order of the expression “they existed and were created” seems backwards both logically and chronologically. The text as it stands is the more difficult reading and seems to have given rise to codex A omitting the final “they were created,” 2329 replacing “they existed” (ἦσαν) with “have come into being” (ἐγένοντο, egeneto), and 046 adding οὐκ (ouk, “not”) before ἦσαν (“they did not exist, [but were created]”). Several mss (1854 2050 Ï^A sa) also attempt to alleviate the problem by replacing ἦσαν with “they are” (εἰσιν, eisin).