8:10 Then 16 the third angel blew his trumpet, and a huge star burning like a torch fell from the sky; 17 it landed 18 on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water.
11:1 Then 29 a measuring rod 30 like a staff was given to me, and I was told, 31 “Get up and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and the ones who worship there.
14:14 Then 34 I looked, and a white cloud appeared, 35 and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man! 36 He had 37 a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.
16:3 Next, 38 the second angel 39 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.
16:15 (Look! I will come like a thief!
Blessed is the one who stays alert and does not lose 42 his clothes so that he will not have to walk around naked and his shameful condition 43 be seen.) 44
1 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).
2 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).
3 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.”
4 tn This is a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text, but a new sentence was started here in the translation.
5 tn The expression πῶς εἴληφας καὶ ἤκουσας (pw" eilhfa" kai hkousa") probably refers to the initial instruction in the Christian life they had received and been taught; this included doctrine and ethical teaching.
6 tn Grk “keep it,” in the sense of obeying what they had initially been taught.
7 tn The negation here is with οὐ μή (ou mh, the strongest possible form of negation in Koine Greek).
8 tn Or “come on.”
9 tn Or “who overcomes.”
10 tn Grk “thus.”
11 tn Or “white robes.”
12 tn The negation here is with οὐ μή (ou mh), the strongest possible form of negation in Koine Greek.
13 tn Or “will never wipe out.”
14 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
15 tn Grk “will confess.”
16 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
17 tn Or “from heaven” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).
18 tn Grk “fell.”
19 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
20 tn Grk “the shaft,” but since this would be somewhat redundant in English, the pronoun “it” is used here.
21 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
22 tn Grk “It was not permitted to them”; the referent (the locusts) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
23 tn The word “permission” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
24 tn The two ἵνα (Jina) clauses of 9:5 are understood to be functioning as epexegetical or complementary clauses related to ἐδόθη (edoqh).
25 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.”
26 tn The pronoun “them” is not in the Greek text but is picked up from the previous clause.
27 tn Grk “like the torture,” but this is redundant in contemporary English.
28 tn Grk “a man”; but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used here in an individualized sense without being limited to the male gender.
29 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
30 tn Grk “a reed” (but these were used for measuring). Cf. Ezek 40:3ff.
31 tn Grk “saying.”
32 tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.
33 tn On the use of the masculine pronoun to refer to the beast, see the note on the word “It” in 13:1.
34 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
35 tn Grk “and behold, a white cloud.”
36 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).
37 tn Grk “like a son of man, having.” In the Greek text this is a continuation of the previous sentence.
38 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “next” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
39 tn Grk “the second”; the referent (the second angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
40 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
41 sn According to the next verse, these three unclean spirits are spirits of demons.
42 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).”
43 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.
44 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.
45 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
46 tn The Greek word πλατεῖα (plateia) refers to a major (broad) street (L&N 1.103).