20:4 Then 44 I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge. 45 I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. These 46 had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. They 47 came to life 48 and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
1 tn Although the first possessive pronoun σου (sou) is connected to τὰ ἔργα (ta erga) and the second σου is connected to ὑπομονήν (Jupomonhn), semantically κόπον (kopon) is also to be understood as belonging to the Ephesian church. The translation reflects this.
2 tn The translation “tolerate” seems to capture the sense of βαστάσαι (bastasai) here. BDAG 171 s.v. βαστάζω 2.b.β says, “bear, endure…κακούς Rv 2:2.…bear patiently, put up with: weaknesses of the weak Ro 15:1; cf. IPol 1:2; evil Rv 2:3.”
3 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the participle was broken off from the previous sentence and translated as an indicative verb beginning a new sentence here in the translation.
4 tn Grk “is about to throw some of you,” but the force is causative in context.
5 tn Or “tempted.”
6 tn Or “experience persecution,” “will be in distress” (see L&N 22.2).
7 tn Grk “crown of life,” with the genitive “of life” (τῆς ζωῆς, th" zwh") functioning in apposition to “crown” (στέφανον, stefanon): “the crown that consists of life.”
8 tc The shorter reading adopted here has superior ms support (א A C P 2053 al latt co), while the inclusion of “your works and” (τὰ ἔργα σου καί, ta erga sou kai) before “where you reside” is supported by the Byzantine witnesses and is evidently a secondary attempt to harmonize the passage with 2:2, 19; 3:1, 8, 15.
9 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Yet” to indicate the contrast between their location and their faithful behavior.
10 tn The present indicative verb κρατεῖς (kratei") has been translated as a progressive present.
11 tn Grk “the faith”; here the Greek article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
12 tn Grk “the faith of me” (τὴν πίστιν μου, thn pistin mou) with the genitive “of me” (μου) functioning objectively.
13 tn Or “martyr.” The Greek word μάρτυς can mean either “witness” or “martyr.”
14 tn Grk “killed among you.” The term “city” does not occur in the Greek text of course, but the expression παρ᾿ ὑμῖν, ὅπου ὁ σατανᾶς κατοικεῖ (par’ Jumin, {opou Jo satana" katoikei) seems to indicate that this is what is meant. See G. B. Caird, Revelation (HNTC), 36-38.
15 tn Grk “behold” (L&N 91.13).
16 sn See the note on synagogue in 2:9.
17 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast between what these people claimed and what they were.
18 tn The verb here is ποιέω (poiew), but in this context it has virtually the same meaning as δίδωμι (didwmi) used at the beginning of the verse. Stylistic variation like this is typical of Johannine literature.
19 tn The verb here is προσκυνήσουσιν (proskunhsousin), normally used to refer to worship.
20 tn Or “and know,” “and recognize.”
21 tn Grk “I counsel you to buy.”
22 tn Grk “rich, and.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation, repeating the words “Buy from me” to make the connection clear for the English reader.
23 tn Grk “the shame of the nakedness of you,” which has been translated as an attributed genitive like καινότητι ζωῆς (kainothti zwh") in Rom 6:4 (ExSyn 89-90).
24 sn The city of Laodicea had a famous medical school and exported a powder (called a “Phrygian powder”) that was widely used as an eye salve. It was applied to the eyes in the form of a paste the consistency of dough (the Greek term for the salve here, κολλούριον, kollourion [Latin collyrium], is a diminutive form of the word for a long roll of bread).
25 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
26 tn BDAG 1086 s.v. χοῖνιξ states, “a dry measure, oft. used for grain, approximately equivalent to one quart or one liter, quart. A χ.of grain was a daily ration for one pers.…Rv 6:6ab.”
27 tn Grk “a quart of wheat for a denarius.” A denarius was one day’s pay for an average worker. The words “will cost” are used to indicate the genitive of price or value; otherwise the English reader could understand the phrase to mean “a quart of wheat to be given as a day’s pay.”
28 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
29 tn Or “authority.”
30 tn Grk “the days.”
31 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
32 tn Or “authority.”
33 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s announcement.
34 tn Grk “I fell down at his feet.” BDAG 815 s.v. πίπτω 1.b.α.ב. has “fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion or humility, before high-ranking persons or divine beings.”
35 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
36 tn On the elliptical expression ὅρα μή (Jora mh) BDAG 720 s.v. ὁράω B.2 states: “Elliptically…ὅρα μή (sc. ποιήσῃς) watch out! don’t do that! Rv 19:10; 22:9.”
37 tn The lowliness of a slave is emphasized in the Greek text with the emphatic position of σύνδουλος (sundoulo"). The use of “only” helps to bring this nuance out in English.
38 tn Grk “fellow slave.” See the note on the word “servants” in v. 2.
39 tn The Greek term “brother” literally refers to family relationships, but here it is used in a broader sense to connote familial relationships within the family of God (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a).
40 tn The genitive ᾿Ιησοῦ (Ihsou) has been translated as an objective genitive here. A subjective genitive, also possible, would produce the meaning “who hold to what Jesus testifies.”
41 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel introduced in v. 1) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
42 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
43 tn Or “and shut.” While the lexical force of the term is closer to “shut,” it is acceptable to render the verb ἔκλεισεν (ekleisen) as “locked” here in view of the mention of the key in the previous verse.
44 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
45 tn Grk “I saw thrones, and those seated on them, and judgment was given to them.” BDAG 567 s.v. κρίμα 3 says, “judging, judgment, the κρίμα ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς authority to judge was given to them Rv 20:4.”
46 tn Grk “God, and who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronoun “these” as subject.
47 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
48 tn On the use of the aorist ἔζησαν (ezhsan) BDAG 425 s.v. ζάω 1.a.β says, “of dead persons who return to life become alive again: of humans in general (3 Km 17:23) Mt 9:18; Ac 9:41; 20:12; Rv 20:4, 5.”