Revelation 5:8

5:8 and when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders threw themselves to the ground ¹  before the Lamb. Each ²  of them had a harp and golden bowls full of incense (which are the prayers of the saints). ³ 

Revelation 16:2--17:1

16:2 So ⁴  the first angel ⁵  went and poured out his bowl on the earth. Then ⁶  ugly and painful sores ⁷  appeared on the people ⁸  who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.

16:3 Next, ⁹  the second angel ¹⁰  poured out his bowl on the sea and it turned into blood, like that of a corpse, and every living creature that was in the sea died.

16:4 Then ¹¹  the third angel ¹²  poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into blood. 16:5 Now ¹³  I heard the angel of the waters saying:

“You are just ¹⁴  – the one who is and who was,

the Holy One – because you have passed these judgments, ¹⁵ 

16:6 because they poured out the blood of your saints and prophets,

so ¹⁶  you have given them blood to drink. They got what they deserved!” ¹⁷ 

16:7 Then ¹⁸  I heard the altar reply, ¹⁹  “Yes, Lord God, the All-Powerful, ²⁰  your judgments are true and just!”

16:8 Then ²¹  the fourth angel ²²  poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was permitted to scorch people ²³  with fire. 16:9 Thus ²⁴  people ²⁵  were scorched by the terrible heat, ²⁶  yet ²⁷  they blasphemed the name of God, who has ruling authority ²⁸  over these plagues, and they would not repent and give him glory.

16:10 Then ²⁹  the fifth angel ³⁰  poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast so that ³¹  darkness covered his kingdom, ³²  and people ³³  began to bite ³⁴  their tongues because ³⁵  of their pain. 16:11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their sufferings ³⁶  and because of their sores, ³⁷  but nevertheless ³⁸  they still refused to repent ³⁹  of their deeds.

16:12 Then ⁴⁰  the sixth angel ⁴¹  poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and dried up its water ⁴²  to prepare the way ⁴³  for the kings from the east. ⁴⁴  16:13 Then ⁴⁵  I saw three unclean spirits ⁴⁶  that looked like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 16:14 For they are the spirits of the demons performing signs who go out to the kings of the earth ⁴⁷  to bring them together for the battle that will take place on the great day of God, the All-Powerful. ⁴⁸ 

16:15 (Look! I will come like a thief!

Blessed is the one who stays alert and does not lose ⁴⁹  his clothes so that he will not have to walk around naked and his shameful condition ⁵⁰  be seen.) ⁵¹ 

16:16 Now ⁵²  the spirits ⁵³  gathered the kings and their armies ⁵⁴  to the place that is called Armageddon ⁵⁵  in Hebrew.

16:17 Finally ⁵⁶  the seventh angel ⁵⁷  poured out his bowl into the air and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying: “It is done!” 16:18 Then ⁵⁸  there were flashes of lightning, roaring, ⁵⁹  and crashes of thunder, and there was a tremendous earthquake – an earthquake unequaled since humanity ⁶⁰  has been on the earth, so tremendous was that earthquake. 16:19 The ⁶¹  great city was split into three parts and the cities of the nations ⁶²  collapsed. ⁶³  So ⁶⁴  Babylon the great was remembered before God, and was given the cup ⁶⁵  filled with the wine made of God’s furious wrath. ⁶⁶  16:20 Every ⁶⁷  island fled away ⁶⁸  and no mountains could be found. ⁶⁹  16:21 And gigantic hailstones, weighing about a hundred pounds ⁷⁰  each, fell from heaven ⁷¹  on people, ⁷²  but they ⁷³  blasphemed God because of the plague of hail, since it ⁷⁴  was so horrendous. ⁷⁵ 

The Great Prostitute and the Beast

17:1 Then ⁷⁶  one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke to me. ⁷⁷  “Come,” he said, “I will show you the condemnation and punishment ⁷⁸  of the great prostitute who sits on many waters,

Revelation 21:9

The New Jerusalem Descends

21:9 Then ⁷⁹  one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues came and spoke to me, ⁸⁰  saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb!”

Psalms 75:8

75:8 For the Lord holds in his hand a cup full

of foaming wine mixed with spices, ⁸¹ 

and pours it out. ⁸² 

Surely all the wicked of the earth

will slurp it up and drink it to its very last drop.” ⁸³ 

Jeremiah 25:15

Judah and the Nations Will Experience God’s Wrath

25:15 So ⁸⁴  the Lord, the God of Israel, spoke to me in a vision. ⁸⁵  “Take this cup from my hand. It is filled with the wine of my wrath. ⁸⁶  Take it and make the nations to whom I send you drink it.

[5:8]  ¹ tn Grk “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.”

[5:8]  ² tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[5:8]  ³ sn This interpretive comment by the author forms a parenthesis in the narrative.

[16:2]  ⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the directions given by the voice from the temple.

[16:2]  ⁵ tn Grk “the first”; the referent (the first angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:2]  ⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[16:2]  ⁷ tn Or “ulcerated sores”; the term in the Greek text is singular but is probably best understood as a collective singular.

[16:2]  ⁸ tn Grk ‘the men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women.

[16:3]  ⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “next” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[16:3]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “the second”; the referent (the second angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:4]  ¹¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[16:4]  ¹² tn Grk “the third”; the referent (the third angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:5]  ¹³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the somewhat parenthetical nature of the remarks that follow.

[16:5]  ¹⁴ tn Or “righteous,” although the context favors justice as the theme.

[16:5]  ¹⁵ tn Or “because you have judged these things.” The pronoun ταῦτα (tauta) is neuter gender.

[16:6]  ¹⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate that this judgment is the result of what these wicked people did to the saints and prophets.

[16:6]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “They are worthy”; i.e., of this kind of punishment. By extension, “they got what they deserve.”

[16:7]  ¹⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[16:7]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “the altar saying.”

[16:7]  ²⁰ 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.”

[16:8]  ²¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[16:8]  ²² tn Grk “the fourth”; the referent (the fourth angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:8]  ²³ tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women.

[16:9]  ²⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “thus” to indicate the implied result of the bowl poured on the sun.

[16:9]  ²⁵ tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women.

[16:9]  ²⁶ tn On this phrase BDAG 536 s.v. καῦμα states, “burning, heat Rv 7:16…καυματίζεσθαι κ. μέγα be burned with a scorching heat 16:9.”

[16:9]  ²⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[16:9]  ²⁸ tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.

[16:10]  ²⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[16:10]  ³⁰ tn Grk “the fifth”; the referent (the fifth angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:10]  ³¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so that” to indicate the implied result of the fifth bowl being poured out.

[16:10]  ³² tn Grk “his kingdom became dark.”

[16:10]  ³³ tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women.

[16:10]  ³⁴ tn On this term BDAG 620 s.v. μασάομαι states, “bite w. acc. τὰς γλώσσας bite their tongues Rv 16:10.”

[16:10]  ³⁵ tn The preposition ἐκ (ek) has been translated here and twice in the following verse with a causal sense.

[16:11]  ³⁶ tn Grk “pains” (the same term in Greek [πόνος, ponos] as the last word in v. 11, here translated “sufferings” because it is plural). BDAG 852 s.v. 2 states, “ἐκ τοῦ π. in pain…Rv 16:10; pl. (Gen 41:51; Jos., C. Ap. 2, 146; Test. Jud. 18:4) ἐκ τῶν π. …because of their sufferings vs. 11.”

[16:11]  ³⁷ tn Or “ulcerated sores” (see 16:2).

[16:11]  ³⁸ tn Grk “and they did not repent.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but nevertheless” to express the contrast here.

[16:11]  ³⁹ tn Grk “they did not repent” The addition of “still refused” reflects the hardness of people’s hearts in the context.

[16:12]  ⁴⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[16:12]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “the sixth”; the referent (the sixth angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:12]  ⁴² tn Grk “and its water was dried up.” Here the passive construction has been translated as an active one.

[16:12]  ⁴³ tn Grk “in order that the way might be prepared.” Here the passive construction has been translated as an active one.

[16:12]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “from the rising of the sun.” BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατολή 2.a takes this as a geographical direction: “ἀπὸ ἀ. ἡλίου…from the east Rv 7:2; 16:12; simply ἀπὸ ἀ. …21:13.”

[16:13]  ⁴⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[16:13]  ⁴⁶ sn According to the next verse, these three unclean spirits are spirits of demons.

[16:14]  ⁴⁷ tn BDAG 699 s.v. οἰκουμένη 1 states, “the inhabited earth, the world…ὅλη ἡ οἰκ. the whole inhabited earth…Mt 24:14; Ac 11:28; Rv 3:10; 16:14.”

[16:14]  ⁴⁸ 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.”

[16:15]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “and keeps.” BDAG 1002 s.v. τηρέω 2.c states “of holding on to someth. so as not to give it up or lose it…τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ Rv 16:15 (or else he will have to go naked).”

[16:15]  ⁵⁰ tn On the translation of ἀσχημοσύνη (aschmosunh) as “shameful condition” see L&N 25.202. The indefinite third person plural (“and they see”) has been translated as a passive here.

[16:15]  ⁵¹ sn These lines are parenthetical, forming an aside to the narrative. The speaker here is the Lord Jesus Christ himself rather than the narrator. Many interpreters have seen this verse as so abrupt that it could not be an original part of the work, but the author has used such asides before (1:7; 14:13) and the suddenness here (on the eve of Armageddon) is completely parallel to Jesus’ warning in Mark 13:15-16 and parallels.

[16:16]  ⁵² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the resumption and conclusion of the remarks about the pouring out of the sixth bowl.

[16:16]  ⁵³ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the demonic spirits, v. 14) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:16]  ⁵⁴ tn Grk “gathered them”; the referent (the kings and [implied] their armies, v. 14) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:16]  ⁵⁵ tc There are many variations in the spelling of this name among the Greek mss, although ῾Αρμαγεδών (&armagedwn) has the best support. The usual English spelling is Armageddon, used in the translation.

[16:17]  ⁵⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “finally” to indicate the conclusion of the seven bowl judgments.

[16:17]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “the seventh”; the referent (the seventh angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:18]  ⁵⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[16:18]  ⁵⁹ tn Or “sounds,” “voices.” It is not entirely clear what this refers to. BDAG 1071 s.v. φωνή 1 states, “In Rv we have ἀστραπαὶ καὶ φωναὶ καὶ βρονταί (cp. Ex 19:16) 4:5; 8:5; 11:19; 16:18 (are certain other sounds in nature thought of here in addition to thunder, as e.g. the roar of the storm?…).”

[16:18]  ⁶⁰ tn The singular ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used generically here to refer to the human race.

[16:19]  ⁶¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[16:19]  ⁶² tn Or “of the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).

[16:19]  ⁶³ tn Grk “fell.”

[16:19]  ⁶⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Babylon’s misdeeds (see Rev 14:8).

[16:19]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “the cup of the wine of the anger of the wrath of him.” The concatenation of four genitives has been rendered somewhat differently by various translations (see the note on the word “wrath”).

[16:19]  ⁶⁶ tn Following BDAG 461 s.v. θυμός 2, the combination of the genitives of θυμός (qumo") and ὀργή (orgh) in Rev 16:19 and 19:15 are taken to be a strengthening of the thought as in the OT and Qumran literature (Exod 32:12; Jer 32:37; Lam 2:3; CD 10:9). Thus in Rev 14:8 (to which the present passage alludes) and 18:3 there is irony: The wine of immoral behavior with which Babylon makes the nations drunk becomes the wine of God’s wrath for her.

[16:20]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “And every.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[16:20]  ⁶⁸ tn Or “vanished.”

[16:20]  ⁶⁹ sn Every island fled away and no mountains could be found. Major geographical and topographical changes will accompany the Day of the Lord.

[16:21]  ⁷⁰ tn Here BDAG 988 s.v. ταλαντιαῖος states, “weighing a talent…χάλαζα μεγάλη ὡς ταλαντιαία a severe hailstorm with hailstones weighing a talent (the talent=125 librae, or Roman pounds of c. 343 gr. or 12 ounces each) (weighing about a hundred pounds NRSV) Rv 16:21.” This means each hailstone would weigh just under 100 pounds or 40 kilograms.

[16:21]  ⁷¹ tn Or “the sky.” Due to the apocalyptic nature of this book, it is probably best to leave the translation as “from heaven,” since God is ultimately the source of the judgment.

[16:21]  ⁷² tn Grk “on men,” but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used here in a generic sense to refer to people in general (the hailstones did not single out adult males, but would have also fallen on women and children).

[16:21]  ⁷³ tn Grk “the men”; for stylistic reasons the pronoun “they” is used here.

[16:21]  ⁷⁴ tn Grk “the plague of it.”

[16:21]  ⁷⁵ tn Grk “since the plague of it was exceedingly great.”

[17:1]  ⁷⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[17:1]  ⁷⁷ 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.”

[17:1]  ⁷⁸ tn Here one Greek term, κρίμα (krima), has been translated by the two English terms “condemnation” and “punishment.” See BDAG 567 s.v. 4.b, “mostly in an unfavorable sense, of the condemnatory verdict and sometimes the subsequent punishment itself 2 Pt 2:3; Jd 4…τὸ κ. τῆς πόρνης the condemnation and punishment of the prostitute Rv 17:1.”

[21:9]  ⁷⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[21:9]  ⁸⁰ 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.” See also v. 15.

[75:8]  ⁸¹ tn Heb “for a cup [is] in the hand of the Lord, and wine foams, it is full of a spiced drink.” The noun מֶסֶךְ (mesekh) refers to a “mixture” of wine and spices.

[75:8]  ⁸² tn Heb “and he pours out from this.”

[75:8]  ⁸³ tn Heb “surely its dregs they slurp up and drink, all the wicked of the earth.”

[25:15]  ⁸⁴ tn This is an attempt to render the Hebrew particle כִּי (ki) which is probably being used in the sense that BDB 473-74 s.v. כִּי 3.c notes, i.e., the causal connection is somewhat loose, related here to the prophecies against the nations. “So” seems to be the most appropriate way to represent this.

[25:15]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “Thus said the Lord, the God of Israel, to me.” It is generally understood that the communication is visionary. God does not have a “hand” and the action of going to the nations and making them drink of the cup are scarcely literal. The words are supplied in the translation to show the figurative nature of this passage.

[25:15]  ⁸⁶ sn “Drinking from the cup of wrath” is a common figure to represent being punished by God. Isaiah had used it earlier to refer to the punishment which Judah was to suffer and from which God would deliver her (Isa 51:17, 22) and Jeremiah’s contemporary Habakkuk uses it of Babylon “pouring out its wrath” on the nations and in turn being forced to drink the bitter cup herself (Hab 2:15-16). In Jer 51:7 the Lord will identify Babylon as the cup which makes the nations stagger. In v. 16 drinking from the cup will be identified with the sword (i.e., wars) that the Lord will send against the nations. Babylon is also to be identified as the sword (cf. Jer 51:20-23). What is being alluded to here in highly figurative language is the judgment that the Lord will wreak on the nations listed here through the Babylonians. The prophecy given here in symbolical form is thus an expansion of the one in vv. 9-11.