Revelation 12:4-5

12:4 Now ¹  the dragon’s ²  tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth. Then ³  the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child as soon as it was born. 12:5 So ⁴  the woman gave birth to a son, a male child, ⁵  who is going to rule ⁶  over all the nations ⁷  with an iron rod. ⁸  Her ⁹  child was suddenly caught up to God and to his throne,

[12:4]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate that this remark is virtually parenthetical.

[12:4]  ² tn Grk “its”; the referent (the dragon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:4]  ³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[12:5]  ⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the conclusion of the anticipated birth.

[12:5]  ⁵ tn On this term BDAG 135 s.v. ἄρσην states: “male…The neut. ἄρσεν Rv 12:5, difft. vs. 13, comes fr. Is 66:7 and is in apposition to υἱόν. On the juxtaposition s. FBoll, ZNW 15, 1914, 253; BOlsson, Glotta 23, ’34, 112.”

[12:5]  ⁶ tn Grk “shepherd.”

[12:5]  ⁷ tn Or “all the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).

[12:5]  ⁸ tn Or “scepter.” The Greek term ῥάβδος (rJabdo") can mean either “rod” or “scepter.”

[12:5]  ⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.