“Amen! Praise and glory,
and wisdom and thanksgiving,
and honor and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”
16:1 Then 5 I heard a loud voice from the temple declaring to the seven angels: “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls containing God’s wrath.” 6
16:3 Next, 7 the second angel 8 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.
16:10 Then 9 the fifth angel 10 poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast so that 11 darkness covered his kingdom, 12 and people 13 began to bite 14 their tongues because 15 of their pain.
16:12 Then 16 the sixth angel 17 poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and dried up its water 18 to prepare the way 19 for the kings from the east. 20
1 tn The verb ποιέω (poiew) can indicate appointment or assignment rather than simply “make” or “do.” See Mark 3:14 (L&N 37.106).
2 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).
3 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.
4 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).
5 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
6 tn Or “anger.” Here τοῦ θυμοῦ (tou qumou) has been translated as a genitive of content.
7 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “next” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
8 tn Grk “the second”; the referent (the second angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
9 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
10 tn Grk “the fifth”; the referent (the fifth angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
11 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so that” to indicate the implied result of the fifth bowl being poured out.
12 tn Grk “his kingdom became dark.”
13 tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women.
14 tn On this term BDAG 620 s.v. μασάομαι states, “bite w. acc. τὰς γλώσσας bite their tongues Rv 16:10.”
15 tn The preposition ἐκ (ek) has been translated here and twice in the following verse with a causal sense.
16 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
17 tn Grk “the sixth”; the referent (the sixth angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
18 tn Grk “and its water was dried up.” Here the passive construction has been translated as an active one.
19 tn Grk “in order that the way might be prepared.” Here the passive construction has been translated as an active one.
20 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.”
21 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
22 tn Grk “I will tell you,” but since what follows is the angel’s interpretation of the vision, “interpret for you” is the preferred translation here.
23 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s invitation.
24 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).
25 tn Grk “to a mountain great and high.”