4:11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
since you created all things,
and because of your will they existed and were created!” 1
13:10 If anyone is meant for captivity,
into captivity he will go.
If anyone is to be killed by the sword, 8
then by the sword he must be killed.
This 9 requires steadfast endurance 10 and faith from the saints.
14:14 Then 11 I looked, and a white cloud appeared, 12 and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man! 13 He had 14 a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.
15:1 Then 15 I saw another great and astounding sign in heaven: seven angels who have seven final plagues 16 (they are final because in them God’s anger is completed).
22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star!” 33
22:20 The one who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
1 tc The past tense of “they existed” (ἦσαν, hsan) and the order of the expression “they existed and were created” seems backwards both logically and chronologically. The text as it stands is the more difficult reading and seems to have given rise to codex A omitting the final “they were created,” 2329 replacing “they existed” (ἦσαν) with “have come into being” (ἐγένοντο, egeneto), and 046 adding οὐκ (ouk, “not”) before ἦσαν (“they did not exist, [but were created]”). Several
2 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
3 tn The words “just then” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
4 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
5 tn For the translation of διάδημα (diadhma) as “diadem crown” see L&N 6.196.
sn Diadem crowns were a type of crown used as a symbol of the highest ruling authority in a given area, and thus often associated with kingship.
6 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
7 tn Grk “so that he might make her swept away.”
8 tc Many
9 tn On ὧδε (Jwde) here, BDAG 1101 s.v. 2 states: “a ref. to a present event, object, or circumstance, in this case, at this point, on this occasion, under these circumstances…in this case moreover 1 Cor 4:2. ὧδε ἡ σοφία ἐστίν…Rv 13:18; cf. 17:9. ὧδέ ἐστιν ἡ ὑπομονή…13:10; 14:12.”
10 tn Or “perseverance.”
11 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
12 tn Grk “and behold, a white cloud.”
13 tn This phrase constitutes an allusion to Dan 7:13. Concerning υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου (Juio" tou anqrwpou), BDAG 1026 s.v. υἱός 2.d.γ says: “ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου lit. ‘the son of the man’…‘the human being, the human one, the man’…On Israelite thought contemporary w. Jesus and alleged knowledge of a heavenly being looked upon as a ‘Son of Man’ or ‘Man’, who exercises Messianic functions such as judging the world (metaph., pictorial passages in En 46-48; 4 Esdr 13:3, 51f)…Outside the gospels: Ac 7:56…Rv 1:13; 14:14 (both after Da 7:13…).” The term “son” here in this expression is anarthrous and as such lacks specificity. Some commentators and translations take the expression as an allusion to Daniel 7:13 and not to “the son of man” found in gospel traditions (e.g., Mark 8:31; 9:12; cf. D. E. Aune, Revelation [WBC], 2:800-801; cf. also NIV). Other commentators and versions, however, take the phrase “son of man” as definite, involving allusions to Dan 7:13 and “the son of man” gospel traditions (see G. K. Beale, Revelation [NIGTC], 771-72; NRSV).
14 tn Grk “like a son of man, having.” In the Greek text this is a continuation of the previous sentence.
15 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
16 tn Grk “seven plagues – the last ones.”
17 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
18 tn Or “sounds,” “voices.” It is not entirely clear what this refers to. BDAG 1071 s.v. φωνή 1 states, “In Rv we have ἀστραπαὶ καὶ φωναὶ καὶ βρονταί (cp. Ex 19:16) 4:5; 8:5; 11:19; 16:18 (are certain other sounds in nature thought of here in addition to thunder, as e.g. the roar of the storm?…).”
19 tn The singular ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used generically here to refer to the human race.
20 tn Here BDAG 988 s.v. ταλαντιαῖος states, “weighing a talent…χάλαζα μεγάλη ὡς ταλαντιαία a severe hailstorm with hailstones weighing a talent (the talent=125 librae, or Roman pounds of c. 343 gr. or 12 ounces each) (weighing about a hundred pounds NRSV) Rv 16:21.” This means each hailstone would weigh just under 100 pounds or 40 kilograms.
21 tn Or “the sky.” Due to the apocalyptic nature of this book, it is probably best to leave the translation as “from heaven,” since God is ultimately the source of the judgment.
22 tn Grk “on men,” but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used here in a generic sense to refer to people in general (the hailstones did not single out adult males, but would have also fallen on women and children).
23 tn Grk “the men”; for stylistic reasons the pronoun “they” is used here.
24 tn Grk “the plague of it.”
25 tn Grk “since the plague of it was exceedingly great.”
26 tn Grk “Here is the mind that has wisdom.”
27 tn It is important to note that the height of “mountains” versus “hills” or other topographical terms is somewhat relative. In terms of Palestinian topography, Mount Tabor (traditionally regarded as the mount of transfiguration) is some 1,800 ft (550 m) above sea level, while the Mount of Olives is only some 100 ft (30 m) higher than Jerusalem.
28 tn Grk “jasper, having.” Here a new sentence was started in the translation.
29 tn Grk “a (city) wall great and high.”
30 tn On this term BDAG 897 s.v. πυλών 1 states, “gate, esp. of the large, impressive gateways at the entrance of temples and palaces…of the entrances of the heavenly Jerusalem…οἱ πυλῶνες αὐτῆς οὐ μὴ κλεισθῶσιν its entrances shall never be shut Rv 21:25; cp. vss. 12ab, 13abcd, 15, 21ab; 22:14.”
31 tn Grk “of the sons of Israel.” The translation “nation of Israel” is given in L&N 11.58.
32 tn Grk “on them”; the referent (the gates) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
33 tn On this expression BDAG 892 s.v. πρωϊνός states, “early, belonging to the morning ὁ ἀστὴρ ὁ πρ. the morning star, Venus Rv 2:28; 22:16.”