Revelation 1:1

The Prologue

1:1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, ¹  which God gave him to show his servants ²  what must happen very soon. ³  He made it clear ⁴  by sending his angel to his servant ⁵  John,

Revelation 2:2

2:2 ‘I know your works as well as your ⁶  labor and steadfast endurance, and that you cannot tolerate ⁷  evil. You have even put to the test ⁸  those who refer to themselves as apostles (but are not), and have discovered that they are false.

Revelation 2:9

2:9 ‘I know the distress you are suffering ⁹  and your poverty (but you are rich). I also know ¹⁰  the slander against you ¹¹  by those who call themselves Jews and really are not, but are a synagogue ¹²  of Satan.

Revelation 2:24

2:24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, all who do not hold to this teaching ¹³  (who have not learned the so-called “deep secrets ¹⁴  of Satan”), to you I say: I do not put any additional burden on you.

Revelation 3:3

3:3 Therefore, remember what you received and heard, ¹⁵  and obey it, ¹⁶  and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will never ¹⁷  know at what hour I will come against ¹⁸  you.

Revelation 3:8

3:8 ‘I know your deeds. (Look! I have put ¹⁹  in front of you an open door that no one can shut.) ²⁰  I know ²¹  that you have little strength, ²²  but ²³  you have obeyed ²⁴  my word and have not denied my name.

Revelation 7:14

7:14 So ²⁵  I said to him, “My lord, you know the answer.” ²⁶  Then ²⁷  he said to me, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation. They ²⁸  have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb!

Revelation 12:12

12:12 Therefore you heavens rejoice, and all who reside in them!

But ²⁹  woe to the earth and the sea

because the devil has come down to you!

He ³⁰  is filled with terrible anger,

for he knows that he only has a little time!”

[1:1]  ¹ tn The phrase ἀποκάλυψις ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ (ajpokaluyi" Ihsou Cristou, “the revelation of Jesus Christ”) could be interpreted as either an objective genitive (“the revelation about Jesus Christ”), subjective genitive (“the revelation from Jesus Christ”), or both (M. Zerwick’s “general” genitive [Biblical Greek, §§36-39]; D. B. Wallace’s “plenary” genitive [ExSyn 119-21]). In 1:1 and 22:16 it is clear that Jesus has sent his angel to proclaim the message to John; thus the message is from Christ, and this would be a subjective genitive. On a broader scale, though, the revelation is about Christ, so this would be an objective genitive. One important point to note is that the phrase under consideration is best regarded as the title of the book and therefore refers to the whole of the work in all its aspects. This fact favors considering this as a plenary genitive.

[1:1]  ² tn Grk “slaves.” Although this translation frequently renders δοῦλος (doulos) as “slave,” the connotation is often of one who has sold himself into slavery; in a spiritual sense, the idea is that of becoming a slave of God or of Jesus Christ voluntarily. The voluntary notion is not conspicuous here; hence, the translation “servants.” In any case, the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

[1:1]  ³ tn BDAG 992-93 s.v. τάχος has “quickly, at once, without delay Ac 10:33 D; 12:7; 17:15 D; 22:18; 1 Cl 48:1; 63:4…soon, in a short time…Rv 1:1; 22:6…shortly Ac 25:4.”

[1:1]  ⁴ tn Or “He indicated it clearly” (L&N 33.153).

[1:1]  ⁵ tn See the note on the word “servants” earlier in this verse.

[2:2]  ⁶ tn Although the first possessive pronoun σου (sou) is connected to τὰ ἔργα (ta erga) and the second σου is connected to ὑπομονήν (Jupomonhn), semantically κόπον (kopon) is also to be understood as belonging to the Ephesian church. The translation reflects this.

[2:2]  ⁷ tn The translation “tolerate” seems to capture the sense of βαστάσαι (bastasai) here. BDAG 171 s.v. βαστάζω 2.b.β says, “bear, endure…κακούς Rv 2:2.…bear patiently, put up with: weaknesses of the weak Ro 15:1; cf. IPol 1:2; evil Rv 2:3.”

[2:2]  ⁸ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the participle was broken off from the previous sentence and translated as an indicative verb beginning a new sentence here in the translation.

[2:9]  ¹¹ tn Or “know your suffering.” This could refer to suffering or distress caused by persecution (see L&N 22.2).

[2:9]  ¹² tn Because of the length and complexity of this Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the phrase “I also know” to link this English sentence back to “I know” at the beginning of the verse.

[2:9]  ¹³ tn The words “against you” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[2:9]  ¹⁴ sn A synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (e.g., Mt 4:23, Mk 1:21, Lk 4:15, Jn 6:59).

[2:24]  ¹⁶ sn That is, the teaching of Jezebel (v. 20).

[2:24]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “deep things.” For the translation “deep secrets” see L&N 28.76; cf. NAB, NIV, CEV.

[3:3]  ²¹ tn The expression πῶς εἴληφας καὶ ἤκουσας (pw" eilhfa" kai hkousa") probably refers to the initial instruction in the Christian life they had received and been taught; this included doctrine and ethical teaching.

[3:3]  ²² tn Grk “keep it,” in the sense of obeying what they had initially been taught.

[3:3]  ²³ tn The negation here is with οὐ μή (ou mh, the strongest possible form of negation in Koine Greek).

[3:3]  ²⁴ tn Or “come on.”

[3:8]  ²⁶ tn Grk “I have given.”

[3:8]  ²⁷ tn Grk “to shut it,” but English would leave the direct object understood in this case.

[3:8]  ²⁸ tn This translation is based on connecting the ὅτι (Joti) clause with the οἶδα (oida) at the beginning of the verse, giving the content of what is known (see also 3:1, 3:15 for parallels). Because of the intervening clause that is virtually parenthetical (see the note on the word “shut” earlier in this verse), the words “I know that” from the beginning of the verse had to be repeated to make this connection clear for the English reader. However, the ὅτι could be understood as introducing a causal subordinate clause instead and thus translated, “because you have.”

[3:8]  ²⁹ tn Or “little power.”

[3:8]  ³⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[3:8]  ³¹ tn Grk “and having kept.” The participle ἐτήρησας (ethrhsas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. For the translation of τηρέω (threw) as “obey” see L&N 36.19. This is the same word that is used in 3:10 (there translated “kept”) where there is a play on words.

[7:14]  ³¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the previous question.

[7:14]  ³² 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.

[7:14]  ³³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[7:14]  ³⁴ 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.

[12:12]  ³⁶ tn The word “But” is not in the Greek text, but the contrast is clearly implied. This is a case of asyndeton (lack of a connective).

[12:12]  ³⁷ tn Grk “and is filled,” a continuation of the previous sentence. Because English tends to use shorter sentences (especially when exclamations are involved), a new sentence was started here in the translation.