Discovery BoxRevelation 19:1-11
Context19:1 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. 1
For he has judged 2 the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality,
and has avenged the blood of his servants 3 poured out by her own hands!” 4
19:3 Then 5 a second time the crowd shouted, “Hallelujah!” The smoke rises from her forever and ever. 6 19:4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures threw themselves to the ground 7 and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne, saying: “Amen! Hallelujah!”
19:5 Then 8 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!”
19:6 Then 9 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: 10
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God, 11 the All-Powerful, 12 reigns!
19:7 Let us rejoice 13 and exult
and give him glory,
because the wedding celebration of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
19:8 She was permitted to be dressed in bright, clean, fine linen” 14 (for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints). 15
19:9 Then 16 the angel 17 said to me, “Write the following: Blessed are those who are invited to the banquet at the wedding celebration of the Lamb!” He also said to me, “These are the true words of God.” 19:10 So 18 I threw myself down 19 at his feet to worship him, but 20 he said, “Do not do this! 21 I am only 22 a fellow servant 23 with you and your brothers 24 who hold to the testimony about 25 Jesus. Worship God, for the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
19:11 Then 26 I saw heaven opened and here came 27 a white horse! The 28 one riding it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice 29 he judges and goes to war.
[19:2] 1 tn Compare the similar phrase in Rev 16:7.
[19:2] 2 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] 3 tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.
[19:2] 4 tn Grk “from her hand” (referring to her responsibility in causing the blood of God’s followers to be shed).
[19:3] 5 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
[19:3] 6 tn Or “her smoke ascends forever and ever.”
[19:4] 7 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] 8 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
[19:6] 9 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
[19:6] 10 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] 11 tc Several
[19:6] 12 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] 13 tn This verb and the next two verbs are hortatory subjunctives (giving exhortations).
[19:8] 14 tn On the term translated “fine linen,” BDAG 185 s.v. βύσσινος states, “made of fine linen, subst. τὸ β. fine linen, linen garment…Rv 18:12…16; 19:8, 14.”
[19:8] 15 sn This phrase is treated as a parenthetical explanation by the author.
[19:9] 16 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
[19:9] 17 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[19:10] 18 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s announcement.
[19:10] 19 tn Grk “I fell down at his feet.” 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.”
[19:10] 20 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[19:10] 21 tn On the elliptical expression ὅρα μή (Jora mh) BDAG 720 s.v. ὁράω B.2 states: “Elliptically…ὅρα μή (sc. ποιήσῃς) watch out! don’t do that! Rv 19:10; 22:9.”
[19:10] 22 tn The lowliness of a slave is emphasized in the Greek text with the emphatic position of σύνδουλος (sundoulo"). The use of “only” helps to bring this nuance out in English.
[19:10] 23 tn Grk “fellow slave.” See the note on the word “servants” in v. 2.
[19:10] 24 tn The Greek term “brother” literally refers to family relationships, but here it is used in a broader sense to connote familial relationships within the family of God (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a).
[19:10] 25 tn The genitive ᾿Ιησοῦ (Ihsou) has been translated as an objective genitive here. A subjective genitive, also possible, would produce the meaning “who hold to what Jesus testifies.”
[19:11] 26 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
[19:11] 27 tn The phrase “and here came” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou).
[19:11] 28 tn A new sentence was started in the translation at this point and καί (kai) was not translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[19:11] 29 tn Or “in righteousness,” but since the context here involves the punishment of the wicked and the vindication of the saints, “justice” was preferred.
