14:13 Then 24 I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this:
‘Blessed are the dead,
those who die in the Lord from this moment on!’”
“Yes,” says the Spirit, “so they can rest from their hard work, 25 because their deeds will follow them.” 26
15:2 Then 27 I saw something like a sea of glass 28 mixed with fire, and those who had conquered 29 the beast and his image and the number of his name. They were standing 30 by 31 the sea of glass, holding harps given to them by God. 32
“Woe, Woe, O great city –
in which all those who had ships on the sea got rich from her wealth –
because in a single hour she has been destroyed!” 37
19:18 to eat 38 your fill 39 of the flesh of kings,
the flesh of generals, 40
the flesh of powerful people,
the flesh of horses and those who ride them,
and the flesh of all people, both free and slave, 41
and small and great!”
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 “behold” (L&N 91.13).
5 sn See the note on synagogue in 2:9.
6 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast between what these people claimed and what they were.
7 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.
8 tn The verb here is προσκυνήσουσιν (proskunhsousin), normally used to refer to worship.
9 tn Or “and know,” “and recognize.”
10 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
11 tn Grk “one eagle.”
12 tc ÏA reads “angel” (ἀγγέλου, angelou) instead of “eagle” (ἀετοῦ, aetou), a reading strongly supported by {א A 046 ÏK and several versions}. On external grounds, ἀετοῦ is clearly the superior reading. ἀγγέλου could have arisen inadvertently due to similarities in spelling or sound between ἀετοῦ and ἀγγέλου. It may also have been intentional in order to bring this statement in line with 14:6 where an angel is mentioned as the one flying in midair. This seems a more likely reason, strengthened by the facts that the book only mentions eagles two other times (4:7; 12:14). Further, the immediate as well as broad context is replete with references to angels.
13 tn Concerning the word μεσουράνημα (mesouranhma), L&N 1.10 states, “a point or region of the sky directly above the earth – ‘high in the sky, midpoint in the sky, directly overhead, straight above in the sky.’ εἶδον, καὶ ἤκουσα ἑνὸς ἁετοῦ πετομένου ἐν μεσουρανήματι ‘I looked, and I heard an eagle that was flying overhead in the sky’ Re 8:13.”
14 tn Grk “about to sound their trumpets,” but this is redundant in English.
15 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the woman’s escape.
16 tn Grk “her seed” (an idiom for offspring, children, or descendants).
17 tn Or “who obey.”
18 tn Grk “and having.”
19 tn Grk “the testimony of Jesus,” which may involve a subjective genitive (“Jesus’ testimony”) or, more likely, an objective genitive (“testimony about Jesus”).
20 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the dragon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
21 tc Grk ἐστάθη (estaqh, “he stood”). The reading followed by the translation is attested by the better
22 tn Or “sandy beach” (L&N 1.64).
23 sn The standard critical texts of the Greek NT, NA27 and UBS4, both include this sentence as 12:18, as do the RSV and NRSV. Other modern translations like the NASB and NIV include the sentence at the beginning of 13:1; in these versions chap. 12 has only 17 verses.
24 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
25 tn Or “from their trouble” (L&N 22.7).
26 tn Grk “their deeds will follow with them.”
27 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
28 sn See Rev 4:6 where the sea of glass was mentioned previously.
29 tn Or “had been victorious over”; traditionally, “had overcome.”
30 tn Grk “of his name, standing.” A new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the words “They were.”
31 tn Or “on.” The preposition ἐπί (epi) with the accusative case could mean “on, at, by, near”; given the nature of this scene appearing in a vision, it is difficult to know precisely which the author of Revelation intended. See BDAG 363 s.v. ἐπί 1.c.γ, “At, by, near someone or someth.”
32 tn Grk “harps of God.” The phrase τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou) has been translated as a genitive of agency.
33 tn On this term BDAG 2 s.v. ἄβυσσος 2 states, “netherworld, abyss, esp. the abode of the dead Ro 10:7 (Ps 106:26) and of demons Lk 8:31; dungeon where the devil is kept Rv 20:3; abode of the θηρίον, the Antichrist 11:7; 17:8; of ᾿Αβαδδών (q.v.), the angel of the underworld 9:11…φρέαρ τῆς ἀ. 9:1f; capable of being sealed 9:1; 20:1, 3.”
34 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
35 tn Some translations take the ὅτι (Joti) here as causal: “because he was, and is not, but is to come” (so NIV, NRSV), but it is much more likely that the subject of the ὅτι clause has been assimilated into the main clause: “when they see the beast, that he was…” = “when they see that the beast was” (so BDAG 732 s.v. ὅτι 1.f, where Rev 17:8 is listed).
36 tn Grk “with weeping and mourning, saying.” Here the participle λέγοντες (legontes) has not been translated because it is redundant in contemporary English.
37 tn On ἡρημώθη (Jhrhmwqh) L&N 20.41 states, “to suffer destruction, with the implication of being deserted and abandoned – ‘to be destroyed, to suffer destruction, to suffer desolation.’ ἐρημόομαι: μιᾷ ὥρᾳ ἠρημώθη ὁ τοσοῦτος πλοῦτος ‘such great wealth has been destroyed within a single hour’ Re 18:17.”
38 tn The ἵνα (Jina) clause, insofar as it is related to the first imperative, has the force of an imperative.
39 tn The idea of eating “your fill” is evident in the context with the use of χορτάζω (cortazw) in v. 21.
40 tn Grk “chiliarchs”; normally a chiliarch was a military officer commanding a thousand soldiers, but here probably used of higher-ranking commanders like generals (see L&N 55.15; cf. Rev 6:15).
41 tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.