Revelation 13:5

13:5 The beast 1  was given a mouth speaking proud words 2  and blasphemies, and he was permitted 3  to exercise ruling authority 4  for forty-two months.

Revelation 13:7

13:7 The beast 5  was permitted to go to war against the saints and conquer them. 6  He was given ruling authority 7  over every tribe, people, 8  language, and nation,

Revelation 19:8

19:8 She was permitted to be dressed in bright, clean, fine linen” 9  (for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints). 10 

1 tn Grk “and there was given to him.” Here the passive construction has been simplified, the referent (the beast) has been specified for clarity, and καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

2 tn For the translation “proud words” (Grk “great things” or “important things”) see BDAG 624 s.v. μέγας 4.b.

3 tn Grk “to it was granted.”

4 tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.

5 tn Grk “and it was given to him to go to war.” Here the passive construction has been simplified, the referent (the beast) has been specified for clarity, and καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

6 tc Many mss omit the phrase “it was given to make war with the saints and to overcome them” (Ì47 A C 2053 ÏA sa). It is, however, found in Ì115vid א 051 1006 (1611) 1841 (1854) 2329 2344 2351 (ÏK) lat syph,(h) bo. Although the ms evidence is somewhat in favor of the shorter reading, the support of Ì115 (a recently-discovered ms) for the longer reading balances things out. Normally, the shorter reading should be given preference. However, in an instance in which homoioteleuton could play a role, caution must be exercised. In this passage, accidental omission is quite likely. That this could have happened seems apparent from the two occurrences of the identical phrase “and it was given to him” (καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ, kai edoqh autw) in v. 7. The scribe’s eye skipped over the first καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ and went to the second, hence creating an accidental omission of eleven words.

7 tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.

8 tn Grk “and people,” but καί (kai) has not been translated here or before the following term since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

9 tn On the term translated “fine linen,” BDAG 185 s.v. βύσσινος states, “made of fine linen, subst. τὸ β. fine linen, linen garment…Rv 18:12…16; 19:8, 14.”

10 sn This phrase is treated as a parenthetical explanation by the author.