Deuteronomy 3:1-29 
Context3:1 Next we set out on 1 the route to Bashan, 2 but King Og of Bashan and his whole army 3 came out to meet us in battle at Edrei. 4 3:2 The Lord, however, said to me, “Don’t be afraid of him because I have already given him, his whole army, 5 and his land to you. You will do to him exactly what you did to King Sihon of the Amorites who lived in Heshbon.” 3:3 So the Lord our God did indeed give over to us King Og of Bashan and his whole army and we struck them down until not a single survivor was left. 6 3:4 We captured all his cities at that time – there was not a town we did not take from them – sixty cities, all the region of Argob, 7 the dominion of Og in Bashan. 3:5 All of these cities were fortified by high walls, gates, and locking bars; 8 in addition there were a great many open villages. 9 3:6 We put all of these under divine judgment 10 just as we had done to King Sihon of Heshbon – every occupied city, 11 including women and children. 3:7 But all the livestock and plunder from the cities we kept for ourselves. 3:8 So at that time we took the land of the two Amorite kings in the Transjordan from Wadi Arnon to Mount Hermon 12 3:9 (the Sidonians 13 call Hermon Sirion 14 and the Amorites call it Senir), 15 3:10 all the cities of the plateau, all of Gilead and Bashan as far as Salecah 16 and Edrei, 17 cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan. 3:11 Only King Og of Bashan was left of the remaining Rephaites. (It is noteworthy 18 that his sarcophagus 19 was made of iron. 20 Does it not, indeed, still remain in Rabbath 21 of the Ammonites? It is thirteen and a half feet 22 long and six feet 23 wide according to standard measure.) 24
3:12 This is the land we brought under our control at that time: The territory extending from Aroer 25 by the Wadi Arnon and half the Gilead hill country with its cities I gave to the Reubenites and Gadites. 26 3:13 The rest of Gilead and all of Bashan, the kingdom of Og, I gave to half the tribe of Manasseh. 27 (All the region of Argob, 28 that is, all Bashan, is called the land of Rephaim. 3:14 Jair, son of Manasseh, took all the Argob region as far as the border with the Geshurites 29 and Maacathites 30 (namely Bashan) and called it by his name, Havvoth-Jair, 31 which it retains to this very day.) 3:15 I gave Gilead to Machir. 32 3:16 To the Reubenites and Gadites I allocated the territory extending from Gilead as far as Wadi Arnon (the exact middle of the wadi was a boundary) all the way to the Wadi Jabbok, the Ammonite border. 3:17 The Arabah and the Jordan River 33 were also a border, from the sea of Chinnereth 34 to the sea of the Arabah (that is, the Salt Sea), 35 beneath the watershed 36 of Pisgah 37 to the east.
3:18 At that time I instructed you as follows: “The Lord your God has given you this land for your possession. You warriors are to cross over before your fellow Israelites 38 equipped for battle. 3:19 But your wives, children, and livestock (of which I know you have many) may remain in the cities I have given you. 3:20 You must fight 39 until the Lord gives your countrymen victory 40 as he did you and they take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them on the other side of the Jordan River. Then each of you may return to his own territory that I have given you.” 3:21 I also commanded Joshua at the same time, “You have seen everything the Lord your God did to these two kings; he 41 will do the same to all the kingdoms where you are going. 42 3:22 Do not be afraid of them, for the Lord your God will personally fight for you.”
3:23 Moreover, at that time I pleaded with the Lord, 3:24 “O, Lord God, 43 you have begun to show me 44 your greatness and strength. 45 (What god in heaven or earth can rival your works and mighty deeds?) 3:25 Let me please cross over to see the good land on the other side of the Jordan River – this good hill country and the Lebanon!” 46 3:26 But the Lord was angry at me because of you and would not listen to me. Instead, he 47 said to me, “Enough of that! 48 Do not speak to me anymore about this matter. 3:27 Go up to the top of Pisgah and take a good look to the west, north, south, and east, 49 for you will not be allowed to cross the Jordan. 3:28 Commission 50 Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, because he will lead these people over and will enable them to inherit the land you will see.” 3:29 So we settled down in the valley opposite Beth Peor. 51
Psalms 85:1-13
ContextFor the music director; written by the Korahites, a psalm.
85:1 O Lord, you showed favor to your land;
you restored the well-being of Jacob. 53
85:2 You pardoned 54 the wrongdoing of your people;
you forgave 55 all their sin. (Selah)
85:3 You withdrew all your fury;
you turned back from your raging anger. 56
85:4 Restore us, O God our deliverer!
Do not be displeased with us! 57
85:5 Will you stay mad at us forever?
Will you remain angry throughout future generations? 58
85:6 Will you not revive us once more?
Then your people will rejoice in you!
85:7 O Lord, show us your loyal love!
Bestow on us your deliverance!
85:8 I will listen to what God the Lord says. 59
For he will make 60 peace with his people, his faithful followers. 61
Yet they must not 62 return to their foolish ways.
85:9 Certainly his loyal followers will soon experience his deliverance; 63
then his splendor will again appear in our land. 64
85:10 Loyal love and faithfulness meet; 65
deliverance and peace greet each other with a kiss. 66
85:11 Faithfulness grows from the ground,
and deliverance looks down from the sky. 67
85:12 Yes, the Lord will bestow his good blessings, 68
and our land will yield 69 its crops.
85:13 Deliverance goes 70 before him,
and prepares 71 a pathway for him. 72
Isaiah 31:1-9
Context31:1 Those who go down to Egypt for help are as good as dead, 73
those who rely on war horses,
and trust in Egypt’s many chariots 74
and in their many, many horsemen. 75
But they do not rely on the Holy One of Israel 76
and do not seek help from the Lord.
31:2 Yet he too is wise 77 and he will bring disaster;
he does not retract his decree. 78
He will attack the wicked nation, 79
and the nation that helps 80 those who commit sin. 81
31:3 The Egyptians are mere humans, not God;
their horses are made of flesh, not spirit.
The Lord will strike with 82 his hand;
the one who helps will stumble
and the one being helped will fall.
Together they will perish. 83
31:4 Indeed, this is what the Lord says to me:
“The Lord will be like a growling lion,
like a young lion growling over its prey. 84
Though a whole group of shepherds gathers against it,
it is not afraid of their shouts
or intimidated by their yelling. 85
In this same way the Lord who commands armies will descend
to do battle on Mount Zion and on its hill. 86
31:5 Just as birds hover over a nest, 87
so the Lord who commands armies will protect Jerusalem. 88
He will protect and deliver it;
as he passes over 89 he will rescue it.
31:6 You Israelites! Return to the one against whom you have so blatantly rebelled! 90 31:7 For at that time 91 everyone will get rid of 92 the silver and gold idols your hands sinfully made. 93
31:8 Assyria will fall by a sword, but not one human-made; 94
a sword not made by humankind will destroy them. 95
They will run away from this sword 96
and their young men will be forced to do hard labor.
31:9 They will surrender their stronghold 97 because of fear; 98
their officers will be afraid of the Lord’s battle flag.” 99
This is what the Lord says –
the one whose fire is in Zion,
whose firepot is in Jerusalem. 100
Revelation 1:1-20
Context1:1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, 101 which God gave him to show his servants 102 what must happen very soon. 103 He made it clear 104 by sending his angel to his servant 105 John, 1:2 who then 106 testified to everything that he saw concerning the word of God and the testimony about 107 Jesus Christ. 1:3 Blessed is the one who reads the words of this 108 prophecy aloud, 109 and blessed are 110 those who hear and obey 111 the things written in it, because the time is near! 112
1:4 From John, 113 to the seven churches that are in the province of Asia: 114 Grace and peace to you 115 from “he who is,” 116 and who was, and who is still to come, 117 and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 1:5 and from Jesus Christ – the faithful 118 witness, 119 the firstborn from among the dead, the ruler over the kings of the earth. To the one who loves us and has set us free 120 from our sins at the cost of 121 his own blood 1:6 and has appointed 122 us as a kingdom, 123 as priests 124 serving his God and Father – to him be the glory and the power for ever and ever! 125 Amen.
1:7 (Look! He is returning with the clouds, 126
and every eye will see him,
even 127 those who pierced him, 128
and all the tribes 129 on the earth will mourn because 130 of him.
This will certainly come to pass! 131 Amen.) 132
1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” 133 says the Lord God – the one who is, and who was, and who is still to come – the All-Powerful! 134
1:9 I, John, your brother and the one who shares 135 with you in the persecution, kingdom, and endurance that 136 are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony about Jesus. 137 1:10 I was in the Spirit 138 on the Lord’s Day 139 when 140 I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 1:11 saying: “Write in a book what you see and send it to the seven churches – to Ephesus, 141 Smyrna, 142 Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
1:12 I 143 turned to see whose voice was speaking to me, 144 and when I did so, 145 I saw seven golden lampstands, 1:13 and in the midst of the lampstands was one like a son of man. 146 He was dressed in a robe extending down to his feet and he wore a wide golden belt 147 around his chest. 1:14 His 148 head and hair were as white as wool, even as white as snow, 149 and his eyes were like a fiery 150 flame. 1:15 His feet were like polished bronze 151 refined 152 in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar 153 of many waters. 1:16 He held 154 seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp double-edged sword extended out of his mouth. His 155 face shone like the sun shining at full strength. 1:17 When 156 I saw him I fell down at his feet as though I were dead, but 157 he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid! I am the first and the last, 1:18 and the one who lives! I 158 was dead, but look, now I am alive – forever and ever – and I hold the keys of death and of Hades! 159 1:19 Therefore write what you saw, what is, and what will be after these things. 160 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands is this: 161 The seven stars are the angels 162 of the seven churches and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
1 tn Heb “turned and went up.”
2 sn Bashan. This plateau country, famous for its oaks (Isa 2:13) and cattle (Deut 32:14; Amos 4:1), was north of Gilead along the Yarmuk River.
3 tn Heb “people.”
4 sn Edrei is probably modern Deràa, 60 mi (95 km) south of Damascus (see Num 21:33; Josh 12:4; 13:12, 31; also mentioned in Deut 1:4).
5 tn Heb “people.”
6 tn Heb “was left to him.” The final phrase “to him” is redundant in English and has been left untranslated.
7 sn Argob. This is a subdistrict of Bashan, perhaps north of the Yarmuk River. See Y. Aharoni, Land of the Bible, 314.
8 tn Or “high walls and barred gates” (NLT); Heb “high walls, gates, and bars.” Since “bars” could be understood to mean “saloons,” the qualifying adjective “locking” has been supplied in the translation.
9 tn The Hebrew term פְּרָזִי (pÿraziy) refers to rural areas, at the most “unwalled villages” (KJV, NASB “unwalled towns”).
10 tn Heb “we put them under the ban” (נַחֲרֵם, nakharem). See note at 2:34.
sn The divine curse. See note on this phrase in Deut 2:34.
11 tn Heb “city of men.”
12 sn Mount Hermon. This is the famous peak at the southern end of the Anti-Lebanon mountain range known today as Jebel es-Sheik.
13 sn Sidonians were Phoenician inhabitants of the city of Sidon (now in Lebanon), about 47 mi (75 km) north of Mount Carmel.
14 sn Sirion. This name is attested in the Ugaritic texts as sryn. See UT 495.
15 sn Senir. Probably this was actually one of the peaks of Hermon and not the main mountain (Song of Songs 4:8; 1 Chr 5:23). It is mentioned in a royal inscription of Shalmaneser III of Assyria (saniru; see ANET 280).
16 sn Salecah. Today this is known as Salkhad, in Jordan, about 31 mi (50 km) east of the Jordan River in the Hauran Desert.
17 sn Edrei. See note on this term in 3:1.
18 tn Heb “Behold” (הִנֵּה, hinneh).
19 tn The Hebrew term עֶרֶשׂ (’eres), traditionally translated “bed” (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT) is likely a basaltic (volcanic) stone sarcophagus of suitable size to contain the coffin of the giant Rephaite king. Its iron-like color and texture caused it to be described as an iron container. See A. Millard, “King Og’s Iron Bed: Fact or Fancy?” BR 6 (1990): 16-21, 44; cf. also NEB “his sarcophagus of basalt”; TEV, CEV “his coffin.”
20 tn Or “of iron-colored basalt.” See note on the word “sarcophagus” earlier in this verse.
21 sn Rabbath. This place name (usually occurring as Rabbah; 2 Sam 11:11; 12:27; Jer 49:3) refers to the ancient capital of the Ammonite kingdom, now the modern city of Amman, Jordan. The word means “great [one],” probably because of its political importance. The fact that the sarcophagus “still remain[ed]” there suggests this part of the verse is post-Mosaic, having been added as a matter of explanation for the existence of the artifact and also to verify the claim as to its size.
22 tn Heb “nine cubits.” Assuming a length of 18 in (45 cm) for the standard cubit, this would be 13.5 ft (4.1 m) long.
23 tn Heb “four cubits.” This would be 6 ft (1.8 m) wide.
24 tn Heb “by the cubit of man.” This probably refers to the “short” or “regular” cubit of approximately 18 in (45 cm).
25 tn The words “the territory extending” are not in the Hebrew text; they are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
sn Aroer. See note on this term in Deut 2:36.
26 sn Reubenites and Gadites. By the time of Moses’ address the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh had already been granted permission to settle in the Transjordan, provided they helped the other tribes subdue the occupants of Canaan (cf. Num 32:28-42).
27 sn Half the tribe of Manasseh. The tribe of Manasseh split into clans, with half opting to settle in Bashan and the other half in Canaan (cf. Num 32:39-42; Josh 17:1-13).
28 sn Argob. See note on this term in v. 4.
29 sn Geshurites. Geshur was a city and its surrounding area somewhere northeast of Bashan (cf. Josh 12:5 ; 13:11, 13). One of David’s wives was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur and mother of Absalom (cf. 2 Sam 13:37; 15:8; 1 Chr 3:2).
30 sn Maacathites. These were the people of a territory southwest of Mount Hermon on the Jordan River. The name probably has nothing to do with David’s wife from Geshur (see note on “Geshurites” earlier in this verse).
31 sn Havvoth-Jair. The Hebrew name means “villages of Jair,” the latter being named after a son (i.e., descendant) of Manasseh who took the area by conquest.
32 sn Machir was the name of another descendant of Manasseh (cf. Num 32:41; 1 Chr 7:14-19). Eastern Manasseh was thus divided between the Jairites and the Machirites.
33 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity (also in vv. 20, 25).
34 tn Heb “from Chinnereth.” The words “the sea of” have been supplied in the translation as a clarification.
sn Chinnereth. This is another name for the Sea of Galilee, so called because its shape is that of a harp (the Hebrew term for “harp” is כִּנּוֹר, kinnor).
35 sn The Salt Sea is another name for the Dead Sea (cf. Gen 14:3; Josh 3:16).
36 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term אַשְׁדֹּת (’ashdot) is unclear. It is usually translated either “slopes” (ASV, NAB, NIV) or “watershed” (NEB).
37 sn Pisgah. This appears to refer to a small range of mountains, the most prominent peak of which is Mount Nebo (Num 21:20; 23:14; Deut 3:27; cf. 34:1).
38 tn Heb “your brothers, the sons of Israel.”
39 tn The words “you must fight” are not present in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
40 tn Heb “gives your brothers rest.”
41 tn Heb “the
42 tn Heb “which you are crossing over there.”
43 tn Heb “Lord
44 tn Heb “your servant.” The pronoun is used in the translation to clarify that Moses is speaking of himself, since in contemporary English one does not usually refer to oneself in third person.
45 tn Heb “your strong hand” (so NIV), a symbol of God’s activity.
46 tn The article is retained in the translation (“the Lebanon,” cf. also NAB, NRSV) to indicate that a region (rather than the modern country of Lebanon) is referred to here. Other recent English versions accomplish this by supplying “mountains” after “Lebanon” (TEV, CEV, NLT).
47 tn Heb “the
48 tn Heb “much to you” (an idiom).
49 tn Heb “lift your eyes to the west, north, south, and east and see with your eyes.” The translation omits the repetition of “your eyes” for stylistic reasons.
50 tn Heb “command”; KJV, NASB, NRSV “charge Joshua.”
51 sn Beth Peor. This is probably the spot near Pisgah where Balaam attempted to curse the nation Israel (Num 23:28). The Moabites also worshiped Baal there by the name “Baal [of] Peor” (Num 25:1-5).
52 sn Psalm 85. God’s people recall how he forgave their sins in the past, pray that he might now restore them to his favor, and anticipate renewed blessings.
53 tn Heb “you turned with a turning [toward] Jacob.” The Hebrew term שְׁבוּת (shÿvut) is apparently a cognate accusative of שׁוּב (shuv). See Pss 14:7; 53:6.
54 tn Heb “lifted up.”
55 tn Heb “covered over.”
56 tn Heb “the rage of your anger.” The phrase “rage of your anger” employs an appositional genitive. Synonyms are joined in a construct relationship to emphasize the single idea. For a detailed discussion of the grammatical point with numerous examples, see Y. Avishur, “Pairs of Synonymous Words in the Construct State (and in Appositional Hendiadys) in Biblical Hebrew,” Semitics 2 (1971): 17-81. See Pss 69:24; 78:49.
57 tn Heb “break your displeasure with us.” Some prefer to emend הָפֵר (hafer, “break”) to הָסֵר (haser, “turn aside”).
58 tn Heb “Will your anger stretch to a generation and a generation?”
59 sn I will listen. Having asked for the Lord’s favor, the psalmist (who here represents the nation) anticipates a divine word of assurance.
60 tn Heb “speak.” The idiom “speak peace” refers to establishing or maintaining peaceful relations with someone (see Gen 37:4; Zech 9:10; cf. Ps 122:8).
61 tn Heb “to his people and to his faithful followers.” The translation assumes that “his people” and “his faithful followers” are viewed as identical here.
62 tn Or “yet let them not.” After the negative particle אֵל (’el), the prefixed verbal form is jussive, indicating the speaker’s desire or wish.
63 tn Heb “certainly his deliverance [is] near to those who fear him.”
64 tn Heb “to dwell, glory, in our land.” “Glory” is the subject of the infinitive. The infinitive with -לְ (lÿ), “to dwell,” probably indicates result here (“then”). When God delivers his people and renews his relationship with them, he will once more reveal his royal splendor in the land.
65 tn The psalmist probably uses the perfect verbal forms in v. 10 in a dramatic or rhetorical manner, describing what he anticipates as if it were already occurring or had already occurred.
66 sn Deliverance and peace greet each other with a kiss. The psalmist personifies these abstract qualities to emphasize that God’s loyal love and faithfulness will yield deliverance and peace for his people.
67 sn The psalmist already sees undeniable signs of God’s faithfulness and expects deliverance to arrive soon.
68 tn Heb “what is good.”
69 tn Both “bestow” and “yield” translate the same Hebrew verb (נָתַן, natan). The repetition of the word emphasizes that agricultural prosperity is the direct result of divine blessing.
70 tn Or “will go.”
71 tn Or “will prepare.”
72 tn Heb “and it prepares for a way his footsteps.” Some suggest emending וְיָשֵׂם (vÿyasem, “and prepares”) to וְשָׁלוֹם (vÿshalom, “and peace”) since “deliverance” and “peace” are closely related earlier in v. 13. This could be translated, “and peace [goes ahead, making] a pathway for his footsteps” (cf. NEB).
73 tn Heb “Woe [to] those who go down to Egypt for help.”
74 tn Heb “and trust in chariots for they are many.”
75 tn Heb “and in horsemen for they are very strong [or “numerous”].”
76 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
77 sn This statement appears to have a sarcastic tone. The royal advisers who are advocating an alliance with Egypt think they are wise, but the Lord possesses wisdom as well and will thwart their efforts.
78 tn Heb “and he does not turn aside [i.e., “retract”] his words”; NIV “does not take back his words.”
79 tn Heb “and he will arise against the house of the wicked.”
80 sn That is, Egypt.
81 tn Heb “and against the help of the doers of sin.”
82 tn Heb “will extend”; KJV, ASV, NASB, NCV “stretch out.”
83 tn Heb “together all of them will come to an end.”
84 tn Heb “As a lion growls, a young lion over its prey.” In the Hebrew text the opening comparison is completed later in the verse (“so the Lord will come down…”), after a parenthesis describing how fearless the lion is. The present translation divides the verse into three sentences for English stylistic reasons.
85 tn Heb “Though there is summoned against it fullness of shepherds, by their voice it is not terrified, and to their noise it does not respond.”
86 tn Some prefer to translate the phrase לִצְבֹּא עַל (litsbo’ ’al) as “fight against,” but the following context pictures the Lord defending, not attacking, Zion.
87 tn Heb “just as birds fly.” The words “over a nest” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
88 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
89 tn The only other occurrence of this verb is in Exod 12:13, 23, 27, where the Lord “passes over” (i.e., “spares”) the Israelite households as he comes to judge their Egyptian oppressors. The noun פֶּסַח (pesakh, “Passover”) is derived from the verb. The use of the verb in Isa 31:5 is probably an intentional echo of the Exodus event. As in the days of Moses the Lord will spare his people as he comes to judge their enemies.
90 tn Heb “Return to the one [against] whom the sons of Israel made deep rebellion.” The syntax is awkward here. A preposition is omitted by ellipsis after the verb (see GKC 446 §138.f, n. 2), and there is a shift from direct address (note the second plural imperative “return”) to the third person (note “they made deep”). For other examples of abrupt shifts in person in poetic style, see GKC 462 §144.p.
91 tn Or “in that day” (KJV).
92 tn Heb “reject” (so NIV); NRSV, TEV, CEV, NLT “throw away.”
93 tn Heb “the idols of their idols of silver and their idols of gold which your hands made for yourselves [in] sin.” חָטָא (khata’, “sin”) is understood as an adverbial accusative of manner. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:573, n. 4.
94 tn Heb “Assyria will fall by a sword, not of a man.”
95 tn Heb “and a sword not of humankind will devour him.”
96 tn Heb “he will flee for himself from before a sword.”
97 tn Heb “rocky cliff” (cf. ASV, NASB “rock”), viewed metaphorically as a place of defense and security.
98 tn Heb “His rocky cliff, because of fear, will pass away [i.e., “perish”].”
99 tn Heb “and they will be afraid of the flag, his officers.”
100 sn The “fire” and “firepot” here symbolize divine judgment, which is heating up like a fire in Jerusalem, waiting to be used against the Assyrians when they attack the city.
101 tn The phrase ἀποκάλυψις ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ (ajpokaluyi" Ihsou Cristou, “the revelation of Jesus Christ”) could be interpreted as either an objective genitive (“the revelation about Jesus Christ”), subjective genitive (“the revelation from Jesus Christ”), or both (M. Zerwick’s “general” genitive [Biblical Greek, §§36-39]; D. B. Wallace’s “plenary” genitive [ExSyn 119-21]). In 1:1 and 22:16 it is clear that Jesus has sent his angel to proclaim the message to John; thus the message is from Christ, and this would be a subjective genitive. On a broader scale, though, the revelation is about Christ, so this would be an objective genitive. One important point to note is that the phrase under consideration is best regarded as the title of the book and therefore refers to the whole of the work in all its aspects. This fact favors considering this as a plenary genitive.
102 tn Grk “slaves.” Although this translation frequently renders δοῦλος (doulos) as “slave,” the connotation is often of one who has sold himself into slavery; in a spiritual sense, the idea is that of becoming a slave of God or of Jesus Christ voluntarily. The voluntary notion is not conspicuous here; hence, the translation “servants.” In any case, the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.
103 tn BDAG 992-93 s.v. τάχος has “quickly, at once, without delay Ac 10:33 D; 12:7; 17:15 D; 22:18; 1 Cl 48:1; 63:4…soon, in a short time…Rv 1:1; 22:6…shortly Ac 25:4.”
104 tn Or “He indicated it clearly” (L&N 33.153).
105 tn See the note on the word “servants” earlier in this verse.
106 tn “Then” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied to make the chronological succession clear in the translation.
107 tn The genitive phrase “about Jesus Christ” is taken as an objective genitive.
108 tn The word “this” is used to translate the Greek article τῆς (ths), bringing out its demonstrative force.
109 tn The word “aloud” has been supplied to indicate that in the original historical setting reading would usually refer to reading out loud in public rather than silently to oneself.
110 tn The words “blessed are” are repeated from the beginning of this verse for stylistic reasons and for clarity.
111 tn Grk “keep.” L&N 36.19 has “to continue to obey orders or commandments – ‘to obey, to keep commandments, obedience.’”
112 sn The time refers to the time when the things prophesied would happen.
113 tn Grk “John.” The word “From” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
114 tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.
115 tn It is probable that the ὑμῖν (Jumin) applies to both elements of the greeting, i.e., to both grace and peace.
116 tc The earliest and best
117 tn BDAG 106 s.v. ἀπό 5.d states: “The expr. εἰρήνη ἀπὸ ‘ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν καὶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος’ Rv 1:4 is quite extraordinary. It may be an interpretation of the name Yahweh already current, or an attempt to show reverence for the divine name by preserving it unchanged, or simply one more of the grammatical peculiarities so frequent in Rv.”
118 tn Or “Jesus Christ – the faithful one, the witness…” Some take ὁ πιστός (Jo pistos) as a second substantive in relation to ὁ μάρτυς (Jo martus). In the present translation, however, ὁ πιστός was taken as an adjective in attributive position to ὁ μάρτυς. The idea of martyrdom and faithfulness are intimately connected. See BDAG 820 s.v. πιστός 1.a.α: “ὁ μάρτυς μου ὁ πιστός μου Rv 2:13 (μάρτυς 3); in this ‘book of martyrs’ Christ is ὁ μάρτυς ὁ πιστὸς (καὶ ὁ ἀληθινός) 1:5; 3:14; cp. 19:11 (the combination of ἀληθινός and πιστός in the last two passages is like 3 Macc 2:11). Cp. Rv 17:14.”
119 sn The Greek term translated witness can mean both “witness” and “martyr.”
120 tc The reading “set free” (λύσαντι, lusanti) has better ms support (Ì18 א A C 1611 2050 2329 2351 ÏA sy) than its rival, λούσαντι (lousanti, “washed”; found in P 1006 1841 1854 2053 2062 ÏK lat bo). Internally, it seems that the reading “washed” could have arisen in at least one of three ways: (1) as an error of hearing (both “released” and “washed” are pronounced similarly in Greek); (2) an error of sight (both “released” and “washed” look very similar – a difference of only one letter – which could have resulted in a simple error during the copying of a ms); (3) through scribal inability to appreciate that the Hebrew preposition ב can be used with a noun to indicate the price paid for something. Since the author of Revelation is influenced significantly by a Semitic form of Greek (e.g., 13:10), and since the Hebrew preposition “in” (ב) can indicate the price paid for something, and is often translated with the preposition “in” (ἐν, en) in the LXX, the author may have tried to communicate by the use of ἐν the idea of a price paid for something. That is, John was trying to say that Christ delivered us at the price of his own blood. This whole process, however, may have been lost on a later scribe, who being unfamiliar with Hebrew, found the expression “delivered in his blood” too difficult, and noticing the obvious similarities between λύσαντι and λούσαντι, assumed an error and then proceeded to change the text to “washed in his blood” – a thought more tolerable in his mind. Both readings, of course, are true to scripture; the current question is what the author wrote in this verse.
tn Or “and released us” (L&N 37.127).
121 tn The style here is somewhat Semitic, with the use of the ἐν (en) + the dative to mean “at the price of.” The addition of “own” in the English is stylistic and is an attempt to bring out the personal nature of the statement and the sacrificial aspect of Jesus’ death – a frequent refrain in the Apocalypse.
122 tn The verb ποιέω (poiew) can indicate appointment or assignment rather than simply “make” or “do.” See Mark 3:14 (L&N 37.106).
123 tn See BDAG 168 s.v. βασιλεία 1.a for the idea of “he made us a kingdom,” which was translated as “he appointed us (to be or function) as a kingdom” (see the note on the word “appointed” earlier in the verse).
124 tn Grk “a kingdom, priests.” The term ἱερεῖς (Jiereis) is either in apposition to βασιλείαν (basileian) or as a second complement to the object “us” (ἡμᾶς, Jhmas). The translation retains this ambiguity.
125 tc Both the longer reading τῶν αἰώνων (twn aiwnwn, “to the ages of the ages” or, more idiomatically, “for ever and ever”; found in א C Ï) and the shorter (“for ever”; found in Ì18 A P 2050 pc bo) have good ms support. The author uses the longer expression (εἰς [τοὺς] αἰῶνας [τῶν] αἰώνων, ei" [tou"] aiwna" [twn] aiwnwn) in every other instance of αἰών in Revelation, twelve passages in all (1:18; 4:9, 10; 5:13; 7:12; 10:6; 11:15; 14:11; 15:7; 19:3; 20:10; 22:5). Thus, on the one hand, the style of the author is consistent, while on the other hand, the scribes may have been familiar with such a stylistic feature, causing them to add the words here. The issues are more complex than can be presented here; the longer reading, however, is probably original (the shorter reading arising from accidental omission of the genitive phrase due to similarity with the preceding words).
126 sn An allusion to Dan 7:13.
127 tn Here καί (kai) was translated as ascensive.
128 sn An allusion to Zech 12:10.
129 tn In this context, tribes (φυλαί, fulai) could also be translated as “nations” or “peoples” (L&N 11.56).
130 tn The conjunction ἐπί (epi) is most likely causal here. The people who crucified him are those of every tribe on the earth and they will mourn because he comes as judge.
131 tn Grk “Yes, Amen.” The expression “This will certainly come to pass” is an attempt to capture the force of the juxtaposition of the Greek ναί (nai) and the Hebrew ἀμήν (amhn). See L&N 69.1.
132 sn These lines are placed in parentheses because they form an aside to the main argument.
133 tc The shorter reading “Omega” (ὦ, w) has superior ms evidence ({א1 A C 1611}) to the longer reading which includes “the beginning and the end” (ἀρχὴ καὶ τέλος or ἡ ἀρχὴ καὶ τὸ τέλος, arch kai telo" or Jh arch kai to telo"), found in א*,2 1854 2050 2329 2351 ÏA lat bo. There is little reason why a scribe would have deleted the words, but their clarifying value and the fact that they harmonize with 21:6 indicate that they are a secondary addition to the text.
134 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.”
135 tn The translation attempts to bring out the verbal idea in συγκοινωνός (sunkoinwno", “co-sharer”); John was suffering for his faith at the time he wrote this.
136 tn The prepositional phrase ἐν ᾿Ιησοῦ (en Ihsou) could be taken with ὑπομονῇ (Jupomonh) as the translation does or with the more distant συγκοινωνός (sunkoinwno"), in which case the translation would read “your brother and the one who shares with you in Jesus in the persecution, kingdom, and endurance.”
137 tn The phrase “about Jesus” has been translated as an objective genitive.
138 tn Or “in the spirit.” “Spirit” could refer either to the Holy Spirit or the human spirit, but in either case John was in “a state of spiritual exaltation best described as a trance” (R. H. Mounce, Revelation [NICNT], 75).
139 tn Concerning the phrase κυριακῇ ἡμέρᾳ (kuriakh Jhmera) BDAG 576 s.v. κυριακός states: “pert. to belonging to the Lord, the Lord’s…κ. ἡμέρᾳ the Lord’s day (Kephal. I 192, 1; 193, 31…) i.e. certainly Sunday (so in Mod. Gk….) Rv 1:10 (WStott, NTS 12, ’65, 70-75).”
140 tn The conjunction καί (kai) is not introducing a coordinate thought, but one that is logically subordinate to the main verb ἐγενόμην (egenomhn).
141 map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.
142 tn Grk “and to Smyrna.” For stylistic reasons the conjunction καί (kai) and the preposition εἰς (eis) have not been translated before the remaining elements of the list. In lists with more than two elements contemporary English generally does not repeat the conjunction except between the next to last and last elements.
143 tn Throughout the translation John’s use of καί (kai) often reflects the varied usage of the Hebrew conjunction ו (vav). A clause which καί introduces has been translated in terms of its semantic relationship to the clause that preceded it. If the καί seemed redundant, however, it was left untranslated; that is the case in this verse.
144 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.”
145 tn Grk “and turning I saw.” The repetition of ἐπιστρέφω (epistrefw) is somewhat redundant in contemporary English and has been translated generally.
146 tn This phrase constitutes an allusion to Dan 7:13. Concerning υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου (Juio" tou anqrwpou), BDAG 1026 s.v. υἱός 2.d.γ says: “ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου lit. ‘the son of the man’…‘the human being, the human one, the man’…On Israelite thought contemporary w. Jesus and alleged knowledge of a heavenly being looked upon as a ‘Son of Man’ or ‘Man’, who exercises Messianic functions such as judging the world (metaph., pictorial passages in En 46-48; 4 Esdr 13:3, 51f)…Outside the gospels: Ac 7:56…Rv 1:13; 14:14 (both after Da 7:13…).” The term “son” here in this expression is anarthrous and as such lacks specificity. Some commentators and translations take the expression as an allusion to Daniel 7:13 and not to “the son of man” found in gospel traditions (e.g., Mark 8:31; 9:12; cf. D. E. Aune, Revelation [WBC], 2:800-801; cf. also NIV). Other commentators and versions, however, take the phrase “son of man” as definite, involving allusions to Dan 7:13 and “the son of man” gospel traditions (see G. K. Beale, Revelation [NIGTC], 771-72; NRSV).
147 tn Or “a wide golden sash,” but this would not be diagonal, as some modern sashes are, but horizontal. The Greek term can refer to a wide band of cloth or leather worn on the outside of one’s clothing (L&N 6.178).
148 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
149 tn The clause, “even as white as snow” seems to heighten the preceding clause and is so understood in this ascensive sense (“even”) in the translation.
150 tn The genitive noun πυρός (puros) has been translated as an attributive genitive.
151 tn The precise meaning of the term translated “polished bronze” (χαλκολιβάνῳ, calkolibanw), which appears nowhere else in Greek literature outside of the book of Revelation (see 2:18), is uncertain. Without question it is some sort of metal. BDAG 1076 s.v. χαλκολίβανον suggests “fine brass/bronze.” L&N 2.57 takes the word to refer to particularly valuable or fine bronze, but notes that the emphasis here and in Rev 2:18 is more on the lustrous quality of the metal.
152 tn Or “that has been heated in a furnace until it glows.”
153 tn Grk “sound,” but the idea is closer to the roar of a waterfall or rapids.
154 tn Grk “and having.” In the Greek text this is a continuation of the previous sentence, but because contemporary English style employs much shorter sentences, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronoun “he.”
155 tn This is a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text, but a new sentence was started here in the translation.
156 tn Grk “And when.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
157 tn Here the Greek conjunction καί (kai) has been translated as a contrastive (“but”) due to the contrast between the two clauses.
158 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
159 tn Concerning “Hades” BDAG 19 s.v. ᾅδης 1 and 2 states: “Orig. proper noun, god of the nether world, ‘Hades’, then the nether world, Hades as place of the dead, Ac 2:27, 31 (Ps 15:10; Eccl 9:10; PGM 1, 179; 16, 8; Philo, Mos. 1, 195; Jos., Bell. 1, 596, Ant. 6, 332). Of Jonah’s fish ἐκ τοῦ κατωτάτου ᾅδου. In the depths, contrasted w. heaven ἕως (τοῦ) ᾅδου Mt 11:23; Lk 10:15 (PsSol 15:10; cp.; Is 14:11, 15); ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ 16:23; ἐν ῝Αιδου ApcPt Rainer. Accessible by gates (but the pl. is also used [e.g. Hom., X., Ael. Aristid. 47, 20 K.=23 p. 450 D.] when only one gate is meant), hence πύλαι ᾅδου (Il. 5, 646; Is 38:10; Wsd 16:13; 3 Macc 5:51; Pss. Sol. 16:2. – Lucian, Menipp. 6 the magicians can open τοῦ ῝Αιδου τὰς πύλας and conduct people in and out safely) Mt 16:18…locked ἔχω τὰς κλεῖς τοῦ θανάτου καὶ τοῦ ᾅδου Rv 1:18 (the genitives are either obj. [Ps.-Apollod. 3, 12, 6, 10 Aeacus, the son of Zeus holds the κλεῖς τοῦ ῝Αιδου; SEG VIII, 574, 3 (III ad) τῷ τὰς κλεῖδας ἔχοντι τῶν καθ᾿ ῝Αιδου (restored)] or possess.; in the latter case death and Hades are personif.; s. 2)…Hades personif.…w. θάνατος (cp. Is 28:15; Job 38:17…) Rv 6:8; 20:13f.”
sn In the OT, Hades was known as Sheol. It is the place where the unrighteous will reside (Matt 11:23; Luke 16:23; Rev 20:13-14).
160 tn Grk “Therefore write the things that you saw, and the things that are, and the things that will take place after these things.” Verse 19 could also be translated (taking καί…καί [kai…kai] as “both…and”): “Therefore write what you have seen, both what things currently are and what is going to happen after these things.” The structure of this verse is debated.
161 tn The words “is this” are supplied to make a complete sentence in English.
162 tn Or perhaps “the messengers.”
