22:1 Then 3 the angel 4 showed me the river of the water of life – water as clear as crystal – pouring out 5 from the throne of God and of the Lamb,
In 7 the middle of the throne 8 and around the throne were four living creatures 9 full of eyes in front and in back.
1 tn Grk “from God, having the glory of God.” Here a new sentence was started in the translation by supplying the words “the city” to refer back to the previous clause and translating the participle (“having”) as a finite verb.
2 tn On the term ἰάσπιδι (iaspidi) BDAG 465 s.v. ἴασπις states, “jasper, a precious stone found in various colors, mostly reddish, somet. green…brown, blue, yellow, and white. In antiquity the name was not limited to the variety of quartz now called jasper, but could designate any opaque precious stone. Rv 21:18f. W. λίθος 4:3 (TestSol C 11:8). λίθος ἴασπις κρυσταλλίζων a stone of crystal-clear jasper 21:11 (cp. Is 54:12); perh. the opal is meant here; acc. to some, the diamond.”
3 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
4 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel mentioned in 21:9, 15) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
5 tn Grk “proceeding.” Water is more naturally thought to pour out or flow out in English idiom.
6 tn This could refer to rock crystal, but it is possible this refers to ice (an older meaning). See BDAG 571 s.v. κρύσταλλος.
7 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
8 tn Perhaps, “in the middle of the throne area” (see L&N 83.10).
9 tn On the meaning of ζῴον (zwon) BDAG 431 s.v. 2 states, “Of the four peculiar beings at God’s throne, whose description Rv 4:6-9 reminds one of the ζῷα in Ezk 1:5ff, the cherubim. S. also Rv 5:6, 8, 11, 14; 6:1, 3, 5-7; 7:11; 14:3; 15:7; 19:4.”