Revelation 12:1

The Woman, the Child, and the Dragon

12:1 Then ¹  a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and with the moon under her feet, and on her head was a crown of twelve stars. ² 

Revelation 17:4

17:4 Now ³  the woman was dressed in purple and scarlet clothing, ⁴  and adorned with gold, ⁵  precious stones, and pearls. She held ⁶  in her hand a golden cup filled with detestable things and unclean things from her sexual immorality. ⁷ 

Revelation 18:9

18:9 Then ⁸  the kings of the earth who committed immoral acts with her and lived in sensual luxury ⁹  with her will weep and wail for her when they see the smoke from the fire that burns her up. ¹⁰ 

Revelation 19:2

19:2 because his judgments are true and just. ¹¹ 

For he has judged ¹²  the great prostitute

who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality,

and has avenged the blood of his servants ¹³  poured out by her own hands!” ¹⁴ 

Revelation 21:16

21:16 Now ¹⁵  the city is laid out as a square, ¹⁶  its length and width the same. He ¹⁷  measured the city with the measuring rod ¹⁸  at fourteen hundred miles ¹⁹  (its length and width and height are equal).

[12:1]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[12:1]  ² sn Sun…moon…stars. This imagery is frequently identified with the nation Israel because of Joseph’s dream in Gen 37.

[17:4]  ³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the detailed description of the woman, which is somewhat parenthetical in nature.

[17:4]  ⁴ tn The word “clothing” is supplied to clarify that the words “purple” and “scarlet” refer to cloth or garments rather than colors.

[17:4]  ⁵ tn Grk “gilded with gold” (an instance of semantic reinforcement, see L&N 49.29).

[17:4]  ⁶ tn Grk “pearls, having in her hand.” Due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[17:4]  ⁷ tc Several mss (including 1611 1854 2053 Ï^K pc) read “sexual immorality on/of the earth” (πορνείας τῆς γῆς, porneia" th" gh") instead of “her sexual immorality.” Other mss (א sy^h** [co]) read “her sexual immorality and the earth’s” (πορνείας αὐτῆς καὶ τῆς γῆς, porneia" aujth" kai th" gh"). The translation is a rendering of πορνείας αὐτῆς, found in {A 1006 2344 al}. It seems that the first reading “sexuality immorality on/of the earth” was a scribal mistake in which letters may have been confused (auths would have been read as thsghs), or was perhaps influenced by the presence of “of the world” (τῆς γῆς) at the end of v. 5. The original wording seems to be “her sexual immorality”; codex א has conflated the two readings.

[18:9]  ⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[18:9]  ⁶ tn On the term ἐστρηνίασεν (estrhniasen) BDAG 949 s.v. στρηνιάω states, “live in luxury, live sensually Rv 18:7. W. πορνεύειν vs. 9.”

[18:9]  ⁷ tn Grk “from the burning of her.” For the translation “the smoke from the fire that burns her up,” see L&N 14.63.

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

[19:2]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.

[19:2]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “from her hand” (referring to her responsibility in causing the blood of God’s followers to be shed).

[21:16]  ⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the somewhat parenthetical nature of the description of the city.

[21:16]  ¹⁰ tn Or “the city lies square.” On κεῖμαι (keimai) in this context, BDAG 537 s.v. 2 states, “lie, of things…ἡ πόλις τετράγωνος κεῖται is laid out as a square Rv 21:16.”

[21:16]  ¹¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[21:16]  ¹² tn Grk “with the rod”; the word “measuring” is supplied from the description in v. 15.

[21:16]  ¹³ tn Or “two thousand two hundred kilometers,” Grk “12,000 stades.” A stade was a measure of length about 607 ft (185 m).