Revelation 1:5

1:5 and from Jesus Christ – the faithful ¹  witness, ²  the firstborn from among the dead, the ruler over the kings of the earth. To the one who loves us and has set us free ³  from our sins at the cost of ⁴  his own blood

Revelation 1:1

The Prologue

1:1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, ⁵  which God gave him to show his servants ⁶  what must happen very soon. ⁷  He made it clear ⁸  by sending his angel to his servant ⁹  John,

Revelation 9:1--10:11

9:1 Then ¹⁰  the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky ¹¹  to the earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the abyss. ¹²  9:2 He ¹³  opened the shaft of the abyss and smoke rose out of it ¹⁴  like smoke from a giant furnace. The ¹⁵  sun and the air were darkened with smoke from the shaft. 9:3 Then ¹⁶  out of the smoke came locusts onto the earth, and they were given power ¹⁷  like that of the scorpions of the earth. 9:4 They ¹⁸  were told ¹⁹  not to damage the grass of the earth, or any green plant or tree, but only those people ²⁰  who did not have the seal of God on their ²¹  forehead. 9:5 The locusts ²²  were not given permission ²³  to kill ²⁴  them, but only to torture ²⁵  them ²⁶  for five months, and their torture was like that ²⁷  of a scorpion when it stings a person. ²⁸  9:6 In ²⁹  those days people ³⁰  will seek death, but ³¹  will not be able to ³²  find it; they will long to die, but death will flee from them.

9:7 Now ³³  the locusts looked like horses equipped for battle. On ³⁴  their heads were something like crowns similar to gold, ³⁵  and their faces looked like men’s ³⁶  faces. 9:8 They ³⁷  had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9:9 They had breastplates ³⁸  like iron breastplates, and the sound of their wings was like the noise of many horse-drawn chariots charging into battle. 9:10 They have ³⁹  tails and stingers like scorpions, and their ability ⁴⁰  to injure people for five months is in their tails. 9:11 They have as king over them the angel of the abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon. ⁴¹ 

9:12 The first woe has passed, but ⁴²  two woes are still coming after these things!

9:13 Then ⁴³  the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a single voice coming from the ⁴⁴  horns on the golden altar that is before God, 9:14 saying to the sixth angel, the one holding ⁴⁵  the trumpet, “Set free ⁴⁶  the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates!” 9:15 Then ⁴⁷  the four angels who had been prepared for this ⁴⁸  hour, day, ⁴⁹  month, and year were set free to kill ⁵⁰  a third of humanity. 9:16 The ⁵¹  number of soldiers on horseback was two hundred million; ⁵²  I heard their number. 9:17 Now ⁵³  this is what the horses and their riders ⁵⁴  looked like in my ⁵⁵  vision: The riders had breastplates that were fiery red, ⁵⁶  dark blue, ⁵⁷  and sulfurous ⁵⁸  yellow in color. ⁵⁹  The ⁶⁰  heads of the horses looked like lions’ heads, and fire, smoke, and sulfur ⁶¹  came out of their mouths. 9:18 A third of humanity was killed by these three plagues, that is, ⁶²  by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur that came out of their mouths. 9:19 For the power ⁶³  of the horses resides ⁶⁴  in their mouths and in their tails, because their tails are like snakes, having heads that inflict injuries. 9:20 The rest of humanity, who had not been killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so that they did not stop worshiping demons and idols made ⁶⁵  of gold, silver, ⁶⁶  bronze, stone, and wood – idols that cannot see or hear or walk about. 9:21 Furthermore, ⁶⁷  they did not repent of their murders, of their magic spells, ⁶⁸  of their sexual immorality, or of their stealing.

The Angel with the Little Scroll

10:1 Then ⁶⁹  I saw another powerful angel descending from heaven, wrapped ⁷⁰  in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun and his legs were like pillars of fire. ⁷¹  10:2 He held ⁷²  in his hand a little scroll that was open, and he put his right foot on the sea and his left on the land. 10:3 Then ⁷³  he shouted in a loud voice like a lion roaring, and when he shouted, the seven thunders sounded their voices. 10:4 When the seven thunders spoke, I was preparing to write, but ⁷⁴  just then ⁷⁵  I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders spoke and do not write it down.” 10:5 Then ⁷⁶  the angel I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven 10:6 and swore by the one who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, and the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, “There will be no more delay! ⁷⁷  10:7 But in the days ⁷⁸  when the seventh angel is about to blow his trumpet, the mystery of God is completed, ⁷⁹  just as he has ⁸⁰  proclaimed to his servants ⁸¹  the prophets.” 10:8 Then ⁸²  the voice I had heard from heaven began to speak ⁸³  to me ⁸⁴  again, ⁸⁵  “Go and take the open ⁸⁶  scroll in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 10:9 So ⁸⁷  I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He ⁸⁸  said to me, “Take the scroll ⁸⁹  and eat it. It ⁹⁰  will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.” 10:10 So ⁹¹  I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it, and it did taste ⁹²  as sweet as honey in my mouth, but ⁹³  when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. 10:11 Then ⁹⁴  they ⁹⁵  told me: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, ⁹⁶  languages, and kings.”

[1:5]  ¹ tn Or “Jesus Christ – the faithful one, the witness…” Some take ὁ πιστός (Jo pistos) as a second substantive in relation to ὁ μάρτυς (Jo martus). In the present translation, however, ὁ πιστός was taken as an adjective in attributive position to ὁ μάρτυς. The idea of martyrdom and faithfulness are intimately connected. See BDAG 820 s.v. πιστός 1.a.α: “ὁ μάρτυς μου ὁ πιστός μου Rv 2:13 (μάρτυς 3); in this ‘book of martyrs’ Christ is ὁ μάρτυς ὁ πιστὸς (καὶ ὁ ἀληθινός) 1:5; 3:14; cp. 19:11 (the combination of ἀληθινός and πιστός in the last two passages is like 3 Macc 2:11). Cp. Rv 17:14.”

[1:5]  ² sn The Greek term translated witness can mean both “witness” and “martyr.”

[1:5]  ³ tc The reading “set free” (λύσαντι, lusanti) has better ms support (̹⁸ א A C 1611 2050 2329 2351 Ï^A sy) than its rival, λούσαντι (lousanti, “washed”; found in P 1006 1841 1854 2053 2062 Ï^K lat bo). Internally, it seems that the reading “washed” could have arisen in at least one of three ways: (1) as an error of hearing (both “released” and “washed” are pronounced similarly in Greek); (2) an error of sight (both “released” and “washed” look very similar – a difference of only one letter – which could have resulted in a simple error during the copying of a ms); (3) through scribal inability to appreciate that the Hebrew preposition ב can be used with a noun to indicate the price paid for something. Since the author of Revelation is influenced significantly by a Semitic form of Greek (e.g., 13:10), and since the Hebrew preposition “in” (ב) can indicate the price paid for something, and is often translated with the preposition “in” (ἐν, en) in the LXX, the author may have tried to communicate by the use of ἐν the idea of a price paid for something. That is, John was trying to say that Christ delivered us at the price of his own blood. This whole process, however, may have been lost on a later scribe, who being unfamiliar with Hebrew, found the expression “delivered in his blood” too difficult, and noticing the obvious similarities between λύσαντι and λούσαντι, assumed an error and then proceeded to change the text to “washed in his blood” – a thought more tolerable in his mind. Both readings, of course, are true to scripture; the current question is what the author wrote in this verse.

[1:5]  ⁴ tn The style here is somewhat Semitic, with the use of the ἐν (en) + the dative to mean “at the price of.” The addition of “own” in the English is stylistic and is an attempt to bring out the personal nature of the statement and the sacrificial aspect of Jesus’ death – a frequent refrain in the Apocalypse.

[1:1]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ tn Or “He indicated it clearly” (L&N 33.153).

[1:1]  ⁹ tn See the note on the word “servants” earlier in this verse.

[9:1]  ⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[9:1]  ¹⁰ tn Or “from heaven” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[9:1]  ¹¹ tn On this term BDAG 2 s.v. ἄβυσσος 2 states, “netherworld, abyss, esp. the abode of the dead Ro 10:7 (Ps 106:26) and of demons Lk 8:31; dungeon where the devil is kept Rv 20:3; abode of the θηρίον, the Antichrist 11:7; 17:8; of ᾿Αβαδδών (q.v.), the angel of the underworld 9:11…φρέαρ τῆς ἀ. 9:1f; capable of being sealed 9:1; 20:1, 3.”

[9:2]  ¹³ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[9:2]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “the shaft,” but since this would be somewhat redundant in English, the pronoun “it” is used here.

[9:2]  ¹⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[9:3]  ¹⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[9:3]  ¹⁸ tn See BDAG 352 s.v. ἐξουσία 2, “potential or resource to command, control, or govern, capability, might, power.”

[9:4]  ²¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[9:4]  ²² tn The dative indirect object (αὐταῖς, autais) was converted into the subject (“they”) as this more closely approximates English usage. The following ἵ῞να (Jina) is taken as substantival, introducing a direct object clause. In this case, because it is reported speech, the ἵνα is similar to the declarative ὅτι (Joti).

[9:4]  ²³ tn Grk “men”; but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense here of both men and women.

[9:4]  ²⁴ tn The article τῶν (twn) has been translated as a possessive pronoun here (ExSyn 215).

[9:5]  ²⁵ tn Grk “It was not permitted to them”; the referent (the locusts) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:5]  ²⁶ tn The word “permission” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[9:5]  ²⁷ tn The two ἵνα (Jina) clauses of 9:5 are understood to be functioning as epexegetical or complementary clauses related to ἐδόθη (edoqh).

[9:5]  ²⁸ 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.”

[9:5]  ²⁹ tn The pronoun “them” is not in the Greek text but is picked up from the previous clause.

[9:5]  ³⁰ tn Grk “like the torture,” but this is redundant in contemporary English.

[9:5]  ³¹ tn Grk “a man”; but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used here in an individualized sense without being limited to the male gender.

[9:6]  ²⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[9:6]  ³⁰ tn Grk “men”; but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense here of both men and women.

[9:6]  ³¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[9:6]  ³² tn The phrase “not be able to” was used in the translation to emphasize the strong negation (οὐ μή, ou mh) in the Greek text.

[9:7]  ³³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the introduction of the description of the locusts, which is somewhat parenthetical in the narrative.

[9:7]  ³⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[9:7]  ³⁵ tn The translation attempts to bring out the double uncertainty in this clause in the Greek text, involving both the form (ὡς στέφανοι, Jw" stefanoi, “like crowns”) and the material (ὅμοιοι χρυσῷ, {omoioi crusw, “similar to gold”).

[9:7]  ³⁶ tn Or “human faces.” The Greek term ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos) is often used in a generic sense, referring to both men and women. However, because “women’s hair” in the next clause suggests a possible gender distinction here, “men’s” was retained.

[9:8]  ³⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[9:9]  ⁴¹ tn Or perhaps, “scales like iron breastplates” (RSV, NRSV) although the Greek term θώραξ (qwrax) would have to shift its meaning within the clause, and elsewhere in biblical usage (e.g., Eph 6:14; 1 Thess 5:8) it normally means “breastplate.” See also L&N 8.38.

[9:10]  ⁴⁵ tn In the Greek text there is a shift to the present tense here; the previous verbs translated “had” are imperfects.

[9:10]  ⁴⁶ tn See BDAG 352 s.v. ἐξουσία 2, “potential or resource to command, control, or govern, capability, might, power.”

[9:11]  ⁴⁹ sn Both the Hebrew Abaddon and the Greek Apollyon mean “Destroyer.”

[9:12]  ⁵³ tn Grk “behold.” Here ἰδού (idou) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in the context.

[9:13]  ⁵⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[9:13]  ⁵⁸ tc ‡ Several key mss (Ì⁴⁷ א¹ A 0207 1611 2053 2344 pc lat sy^h co) lack the word τεσσάρων (tessarwn, “four”) before κεράτων (keratwn, “horns”). The word seems to have been added by scribes because a “horned” altar (described in the OT [Exod 30:2, 10]) could have only four “horns” or projections at the corners. NA²⁷ includes the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

[9:14]  ⁶¹ tn Grk “having.”

[9:14]  ⁶² tn On λῦσον (luson) BDAG 606-7 s.v. λύω 2 states, “set free, loose, untie – a. lit. a pers., animal, or thing that is bound or tied…Angels that are bound Rv 9:14f.”

[9:15]  ⁶⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[9:15]  ⁶⁶ tn The Greek article τήν (thn) has been translated with demonstrative force here.

[9:15]  ⁶⁷ tn The Greek term καί (kai) has not been translated here and before the following term “month” since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[9:15]  ⁶⁸ tn Grk “so that they might kill,” but the English infinitive is an equivalent construction to indicate purpose here.

[9:16]  ⁶⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[9:16]  ⁷⁰ tn Grk “twenty thousand of ten thousands.”

[9:17]  ⁷³ 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.

[9:17]  ⁷⁴ tn Grk “and those seated on them.”

[9:17]  ⁷⁵ tn Grk “the vision”; the Greek article has been translated as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).

[9:17]  ⁷⁶ tn L&N 79.31 states, “‘fiery red’ (probably with a tinge of yellow or orange).”

[9:17]  ⁷⁷ tn On this term BDAG 1022 s.v. ὑακίνθινος states, “hyacinth-colored, i.e. dark blue (dark red?) w. πύρινος Rv 9:17.”

[9:17]  ⁷⁸ tn On this term BDAG 446 s.v. θειώδης states, “sulphurous Rv 9:17.”

[9:17]  ⁷⁹ sn The colors of the riders’ breastplates parallel the three plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur in v. 18.

[9:17]  ⁸⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[9:17]  ⁸¹ tn Traditionally, “brimstone.”

[9:18]  ⁷⁷ tn The phrase ἐκ τοῦ πυρὸς καὶ τοῦ καπνοῦ καὶ τοῦ θείου τοῦ ἐκπορευομένου ἐκ τῶν στομάτων αὐτῶν (“by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur that came out of their mouths”) is taken as epexegetical (explanatory) to the phrase τῶν τριῶν πληγῶν τούτων (“these three plagues”).

[9:19]  ⁸¹ tn See BDAG 352 s.v. ἐξουσία 2, “potential or resource to command, control, or govern, capability, might, power.”

[9:19]  ⁸² tn Grk “is.”

[9:20]  ⁸⁵ tn The word “made” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[9:20]  ⁸⁶ tn The Greek conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here or before the following materials in this list, since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[9:21]  ⁸⁹ tn Grk “and.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation, with “furthermore” used to indicate a continuation of the preceding.

[9:21]  ⁹⁰ tn On the term φαρμακεία (farmakeia, “magic spells”) see L&N 53.100: “the use of magic, often involving drugs and the casting of spells upon people – ‘to practice magic, to cast spells upon, to engage in sorcery, magic, sorcery.’ φαρμακεία: ἐν τῇ φαρμακείᾳ σου ἐπλανήθησαν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ‘with your magic spells you deceived all the peoples (of the world)’ Re 18:23.”

[10:1]  ⁹³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[10:1]  ⁹⁴ tn Or “clothed.”

[10:1]  ⁹⁵ tn Or “like fiery pillars,” translating πυρός (puros) as an attributive genitive.

[10:2]  ⁹⁷ tn Grk “and having.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronoun “he.”

[10:3]  ¹⁰¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[10:4]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[10:4]  ¹⁰⁶ tn The words “just then” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[10:5]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[10:6]  ¹¹³ tn On this phrase see BDAG 1092 s.v. χρόνος.

[10:7]  ¹¹⁷ tn Grk “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel.”

[10:7]  ¹¹⁸ tn The aorist ἐτελέσθη (etelesqh) has been translated as a proleptic (futuristic) aorist (ExSyn 564 cites this verse as an example).

[10:7]  ¹¹⁹ tn The time of the action described by the aorist εὐηγγέλισεν (euhngelisen) seems to be past with respect to the aorist passive ἐτελέσθη (etelesqh). This does not require that the prophets in view here be OT prophets. They may actually refer to the martyrs in the church (so G. B. Caird, Revelation [HNTC], 129).

[10:7]  ¹²⁰ tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.

[10:8]  ¹²¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[10:8]  ¹²² tn The participle λαλοῦσαν (lalousan) has been translated as “began to speak.” The use of πάλιν (palin) indicates an ingressive idea.

[10:8]  ¹²³ 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.”

[10:8]  ¹²⁴ tn Grk “again, saying.” The participle λέγουσαν (legousan) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[10:8]  ¹²⁵ tn The perfect passive participle ἠνεῳγμένον (hnewgmenon) is in second attributive position and has been translated as an attributive adjective.

[10:9]  ¹²⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the instructions given by the voice.

[10:9]  ¹²⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[10:9]  ¹²⁷ 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.

[10:9]  ¹²⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[10:10]  ¹²⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the instructions given by the angel.

[10:10]  ¹³⁰ tn Grk “it was.” The idea of taste is implied.

[10:10]  ¹³¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[10:11]  ¹³³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[10:11]  ¹³⁴ tn The referent of “they” is not clear in the Greek text.

[10:11]  ¹³⁵ tn Grk “and nations,” but καί (kai) has not been translated here or before the next item since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.