Jeremiah 51:10

51:10 The exiles from Judah will say, ¹ 

‘The Lord has brought about a great deliverance for us! ² 

Come on, let’s go and proclaim in Zion

what the Lord our God has done!’

Psalms 58:10-11

58:10 The godly ³  will rejoice when they see vengeance carried out;

they will bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.

58:11 Then ⁴  observers ⁵  will say,

“Yes indeed, the godly are rewarded! ⁶ 

Yes indeed, there is a God who judges ⁷  in the earth!”

Proverbs 11:10

11:10 When the righteous do well, ⁸  the city rejoices; ⁹ 

when the wicked perish, there is joy.

Isaiah 44:23

44:23 Shout for joy, O sky, for the Lord intervenes; ¹⁰ 

shout out, you subterranean regions ¹¹  of the earth.

O mountains, give a joyful shout;

you too, O forest and all your trees! ¹² 

For the Lord protects ¹³  Jacob;

he reveals his splendor through Israel. ¹⁴ 

Isaiah 48:20

48:20 Leave Babylon!

Flee from the Babylonians!

Announce it with a shout of joy!

Make this known!

Proclaim it throughout the earth! ¹⁵ 

Say, ‘The Lord protects ¹⁶  his servant Jacob.

Isaiah 49:13

49:13 Shout for joy, O sky! ¹⁷ 

Rejoice, O earth!

Let the mountains give a joyful shout!

For the Lord consoles his people

and shows compassion to the ¹⁸  oppressed.

Revelation 15:1-4

The Final Plagues

15:1 Then ¹⁹  I saw another great and astounding sign in heaven: seven angels who have seven final plagues ²⁰  (they are final because in them God’s anger is completed).

15:2 Then ²¹  I saw something like a sea of glass ²²  mixed with fire, and those who had conquered ²³  the beast and his image and the number of his name. They were standing ²⁴  by ²⁵  the sea of glass, holding harps given to them by God. ²⁶  15:3 They ²⁷  sang the song of Moses the servant ²⁸  of God and the song of the Lamb: ²⁹ 

“Great and astounding are your deeds,

Lord God, the All-Powerful! ³⁰ 

Just ³¹  and true are your ways,

King over the nations! ³² 

15:4 Who will not fear you, O Lord,

and glorify ³³  your name, because you alone are holy? ³⁴ 

All nations ³⁵  will come and worship before you

for your righteous acts ³⁶  have been revealed.”

Revelation 16:4-7

16:4 Then ³⁷  the third angel ³⁸  poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into blood. 16:5 Now ³⁹  I heard the angel of the waters saying:

“You are just ⁴⁰  – the one who is and who was,

the Holy One – because you have passed these judgments, ⁴¹ 

16:6 because they poured out the blood of your saints and prophets,

so ⁴²  you have given them blood to drink. They got what they deserved!” ⁴³ 

16:7 Then ⁴⁴  I heard the altar reply, ⁴⁵  “Yes, Lord God, the All-Powerful, ⁴⁶  your judgments are true and just!”

Revelation 18:20

18:20 (Rejoice over her, O heaven,

and you saints and apostles and prophets,

for God has pronounced judgment ⁴⁷  against her on your behalf!) ⁴⁸ 

Revelation 19:1-7

19:1 After these things I heard what sounded like the loud voice of a vast throng in heaven, saying,

“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,

19:2 because his judgments are true and just. ⁴⁹ 

For he has judged ⁵⁰  the great prostitute

who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality,

and has avenged the blood of his servants ⁵¹  poured out by her own hands!” ⁵² 

19:3 Then ⁵³  a second time the crowd shouted, “Hallelujah!” The smoke rises from her forever and ever. ⁵⁴  19:4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures threw themselves to the ground ⁵⁵  and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne, saying: “Amen! Hallelujah!”

19:5 Then ⁵⁶  a voice came from the throne, saying:

“Praise our God

all you his servants,

and all you who fear Him,

both the small and the great!”

The Wedding Celebration of the Lamb

19:6 Then ⁵⁷  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: ⁵⁸ 

“Hallelujah!

For the Lord our God, ⁵⁹  the All-Powerful, ⁶⁰  reigns!

19:7 Let us rejoice ⁶¹  and exult

and give him glory,

because the wedding celebration of the Lamb has come,

and his bride has made herself ready.

[51:10]  ¹ tn The words “The exiles from Judah will say” are not in the text but are implicit from the words that follow. They are supplied in the translation to clearly identify for the reader the referent of “us.”

[51:10]  ² tn There is some difference of opinion as to the best way to render the Hebrew expression here. Literally it means “brought forth our righteousnesses.” BDB 842 s.v. צְדָקָה 7.b interprets this of the “righteous acts” of the people of Judah and compares the usage in Isa 64:6; Ezek 3:20; 18:24; 33:13. However, Judah’s acts of righteousness (or more simply, their righteousness) was scarcely revealed in their deliverance. Most of the English versions and commentaries refer to “vindication” i.e., that the Lord has exonerated or proven Israel’s claims to be true. However, that would require more explanation than the idea of “deliverance” which is a perfectly legitimate usage of the term (cf. BDB 842 s.v. צְדָקָה 6.a and compare the usage in Isa 46:13; 51:6, 8; 56:1). The present translation interprets the plural form here as a plural of intensity or amplification (GKC 397-98 §124.e) and the suffix as a genitive of advantage (IBHS 147 §9.5.2e). This interpretation is also reflected in REB and God’s Word.

[58:10]  ³ tn The singular is representative here, as is the singular from “wicked” in the next line.

[58:11]  ⁴ tn Following the imperfects of v. 10, the prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive probably indicates a result or consequence of what precedes.

[58:11]  ⁵ tn Heb “man.” The singular is representative here.

[58:11]  ⁶ tn Heb “surely [there] is fruit for the godly.”

[58:11]  ⁷ tn The plural participle is unusual here if the preceding אֱלֹהִים (’elohim) is here a plural of majesty, referring to the one true God. Occasionally the plural of majesty does take a plural attributive (see GKC 428-29 §132.h). It is possible that the final mem (ם) on the participle is enclitic, and that it was later misunderstood as a plural ending. Another option is to translate, “Yes indeed, there are gods who judge in the earth.” In this case, the statement reflects the polytheistic mindset of pagan observers who, despite their theological ignorance, nevertheless recognize divine retribution when they see it.

[11:10]  ⁸ tn The text has “in the good [בְּטוֹב, bÿtov] of the righteous,” meaning when they do well, when they prosper. Cf. NCV, NLT “succeed”; TEV “have good fortune.”

[11:10]  ⁹ sn The verb תַּעֲלֹץ (ta’alots, “to rejoice; to exult”) is paralleled with the noun רִנָּה (rinnah, “ringing cry”). The descriptions are hyperbolic, except when the person who dies is one who afflicted society (e.g., 2 Kgs 11:20; Esth 8:15). D. Kidner says, “However drab the world makes out virtue to be, it appreciates the boon of it in public life” (Proverbs [TOTC], 91).

[44:23]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “acts”; NASB, NRSV “has done it”; NLT “has done this wondrous thing.”

[44:23]  ¹¹ tn Heb “lower regions.” This refers to Sheol and forms a merism with “sky” in the previous line. See Pss 63:9; 71:20.

[44:23]  ¹² tn Heb “O forest and all the trees in it”; NASB, NRSV “and every tree in it.”

[44:23]  ¹³ tn Heb “redeems.” See the note at 41:14.

[44:23]  ¹⁴ tn That is, by delivering Israel. Cf. NCV “showed his glory when he saved Israel”; TEV “has shown his greatness by saving his people Israel.”

[48:20]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “to the end of the earth” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV).

[48:20]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “redeems.” See the note at 41:14.

[49:13]  ¹⁷ tn Or “O heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.

[49:13]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “his” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).

[15:1]  ¹⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[15:1]  ²⁰ tn Grk “seven plagues – the last ones.”

[15:2]  ²¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[15:2]  ²² sn See Rev 4:6 where the sea of glass was mentioned previously.

[15:2]  ²³ tn Or “had been victorious over”; traditionally, “had overcome.”

[15:2]  ²⁴ tn Grk “of his name, standing.” A new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the words “They were.”

[15:2]  ²⁵ 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.”

[15:2]  ²⁶ tn Grk “harps of God.” The phrase τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou) has been translated as a genitive of agency.

[15:3]  ²⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[15:3]  ²⁸ tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.

[15:3]  ²⁹ tn Grk “saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[15:3]  ³⁰ 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.”

[15:3]  ³¹ tn Or “righteous,” although the context favors justice as the theme.

[15:3]  ³² tc Certain mss (Ì⁴⁷ א*^,2 C 1006 1611 1841 pc) read “ages” (αἰώνων, aiwnwn) instead of “nations” (ἐθνῶν, eqnwn), which itself is supported by several mss (א¹ A 051 Ï). The ms evidence seems to be fairly balanced, though αἰώνων has somewhat better support. The replacement of “ages” with “nations” is possibly a scribal attempt to harmonize this verse with the use of “nations” in the following verse. On the other hand, the idea of “nations” fits well with v. 4 and it may be that “ages” is a scribal attempt to assimilate this text to 1 Tim 1:17: “the king of the ages” (βασιλεὺς τῶν αἰώνων, basileu" twn aiwnwn). The decision is a difficult one since both scenarios deal well with the evidence, though the verbal parallel with 1 Tim 1:17 is exact while the parallel with v. 4 is not. The term “king” occurs 17 other times (most occurrences refer to earthly kings) in Revelation and it is not used with either “ages” or “nations” apart from this verse. Probably the reading “nations” should be considered original due to the influence of 1 Tim 1:17.

[15:4]  ³³ tn Or “and praise.”

[15:4]  ³⁴ sn Because you alone are holy. In the Greek text the sentence literally reads “because alone holy.” Three points can be made in connection with John’s language here: (1) Omitting the second person, singular verb “you are” lays stress on the attribute of God’s holiness. (2) The juxtaposition of alone with holy stresses the unique nature of God’s holiness and complete “otherness” in relationship to his creation. It is not just moral purity which is involved in the use of the term holy, though it certainly includes that. It is also the pervasive OT idea that although God is deeply involved in the governing of his creation, he is to be regarded as separate and distinct from it. (3) John’s use of the term holy is also intriguing since it is the term ὅσιος (Josios) and not the more common NT term ἅγιος (Jagios). The former term evokes images of Christ’s messianic status in early Christian preaching. Both Peter in Acts 2:27 and Paul in Acts 13:35 apply Psalm 16:10 (LXX) to Jesus, referring to him as the “holy one” (ὅσιος). It is also the key term in Acts 13:34 (Isa 55:3 [LXX]) where it refers to the “holy blessings” (i.e., forgiveness and justification) brought about through Jesus in fulfillment of Davidic promise. Thus, in Rev 15:3-4, when John refers to God as “holy,” using the term ὅσιος in a context where the emphasis is on both God and Christ, there might be an implicit connection between divinity and the Messiah. This is bolstered by the fact that the Lamb is referred to in other contexts as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (cf. 1:5; 17:14; 19:16 and perhaps 11:15; G. K. Beale, Revelation [NIGTC], 796-97).

[15:4]  ³⁵ tn Or “all the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).

[15:4]  ³⁶ tn Or perhaps, “your sentences of condemnation.” On δικαίωμα (dikaiwma) in this context BDAG 249 s.v. 2. states, “righteous deed…δι᾿ ἑνὸς δικαιώματος (opp. παράπτωμα) Ro 5:18. – B 1:2 (cp. Wengst, Barnabas-brief 196, n.4); Rv 15:4 (here perh.= ‘sentence of condemnation’ [cp. Pla., Leg. 9, 864e; ins fr. Asia Minor: LBW 41, 2 [κατὰ] τὸ δι[καί]ωμα τὸ κυρω[θέν]= ‘acc. to the sentence which has become valid’]; difft. Wengst, s. above); 19:8.”

[16:4]  ³⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[16:4]  ³⁸ tn Grk “the third”; the referent (the third angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:5]  ³⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the somewhat parenthetical nature of the remarks that follow.

[16:5]  ⁴⁰ tn Or “righteous,” although the context favors justice as the theme.

[16:5]  ⁴¹ tn Or “because you have judged these things.” The pronoun ταῦτα (tauta) is neuter gender.

[16:6]  ⁴² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate that this judgment is the result of what these wicked people did to the saints and prophets.

[16:6]  ⁴³ tn Grk “They are worthy”; i.e., of this kind of punishment. By extension, “they got what they deserve.”

[16:7]  ⁴⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[16:7]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “the altar saying.”

[16:7]  ⁴⁶ 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.”

[18:20]  ⁴⁷ tn On the phrase “pronounced judgment” BDAG 567 s.v. κρίμα 4.b states, “The OT is the source of the expr. κρίνειν τὸ κρ. (cp. Zech 7:9; 8:16; Ezk 44:24) ἔκρινεν ὁ θεὸς τὸ κρίμα ὑμῶν ἐξ αὐτῆς God has pronounced judgment for you against her or God has pronounced on her the judgment she wished to impose on you (HHoltzmann, Hdb. 1893 ad loc.) Rv 18:20.”

[18:20]  ⁴⁸ tn Grk “God has judged a judgment of you of her.” Verse 20 is set in parentheses because in it the saints, etc. are addressed directly in the second person.

[19:2]  ⁴⁹ tn Compare the similar phrase in Rev 16:7.

[19:2]  ⁵⁰ tn Or “has punished.” See BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 5.b.α, describing the OT background which involves both the vindication of the innocent and the punishment of the guilty.

[19:2]  ⁵¹ tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.

[19:2]  ⁵² tn Grk “from her hand” (referring to her responsibility in causing the blood of God’s followers to be shed).

[19:3]  ⁵³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[19:3]  ⁵⁴ tn Or “her smoke ascends forever and ever.”

[19:4]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “creatures fell 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.”

[19:5]  ⁵⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[19:6]  ⁵⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[19:6]  ⁵⁸ 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.”

[19:6]  ⁵⁹ tc Several mss (א² P 1611 2053 2344 pc Ï^K lat ) read “the Lord our God” (κύριος ὁ θεός ἡμῶν, kurio" Jo qeo" Jhmwn). Other important mss (A 1006 1841 pc), however, omit the “our” (ἡμῶν). Further, certain mss (051 Ï^A) omit “Lord” (κύριος), while others (including א*) change the order of the statement to “God our Lord” (ὁ θεός ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν). The expression “the Lord God, the All-Powerful” occurs in 6 other places in Revelation (1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22) and the pronoun “our” is never used. Scribes familiar with the expression in this book, and especially with the frequent κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ (kurio" Jo qeo" Jo pantokratwr; “the Lord God, the All-Powerful”) in the OT Prophets (LXX; cf. Jer 39:19; Hos 12:6; Amos 3:13; 4:13; 5:8, 14, 15, 16, 27; 9:5, 6, 15; Nah 3:5; Zech 10:3), would naturally omit the pronoun. Its presence may have arisen due to liturgical motivations or to conform to the expression “our God” in 19:1, 5, but this seems much less likely than an aversion to using the pronoun here and only here in the Greek Bible in the fuller title κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ.

[19:6]  ⁶⁰ 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.”

[19:7]  ⁶¹ tn This verb and the next two verbs are hortatory subjunctives (giving exhortations).