Revelation 9:4-5

9:4 They ¹  were told ²  not to damage the grass of the earth, or any green plant or tree, but only those people ³  who did not have the seal of God on their ⁴  forehead. 9:5 The locusts ⁵  were not given permission ⁶  to kill ⁷  them, but only to torture ⁸  them ⁹  for five months, and their torture was like that ¹⁰  of a scorpion when it stings a person. ¹¹ 

[9:4]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[9:4]  ² 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]  ³ tn Grk “men”; but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense here of both men and women.

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

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

[9:5]  ⁶ tn The word “permission” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[9:5]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ tn The pronoun “them” is not in the Greek text but is picked up from the previous clause.

[9:5]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “like the torture,” but this is redundant in contemporary English.

[9:5]  ¹¹ tn Grk “a man”; but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used here in an individualized sense without being limited to the male gender.