“The salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God,
and the ruling authority 14 of his Christ, 15 have now come,
because the accuser of our brothers and sisters, 16
the one who accuses them day and night 17 before our God,
has been thrown down.
1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the introduction of the description of the horses and riders, which is somewhat parenthetical in the narrative.
2 tn Grk “and those seated on them.”
3 tn Grk “the vision”; the Greek article has been translated as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
4 tn L&N 79.31 states, “‘fiery red’ (probably with a tinge of yellow or orange).”
5 tn On this term BDAG 1022 s.v. ὑακίνθινος states, “hyacinth-colored, i.e. dark blue (dark red?) w. πύρινος Rv 9:17.”
6 tn On this term BDAG 446 s.v. θειώδης states, “sulphurous Rv 9:17.”
7 sn The colors of the riders’ breastplates parallel the three plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur in v. 18.
8 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
9 tn Traditionally, “brimstone.”
10 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate that this remark is virtually parenthetical.
11 tn Grk “its”; the referent (the dragon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
12 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
13 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
14 tn Or “the right of his Messiah to rule.” See L&N 37.35.
15 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
16 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited). The translation “fellow believer” would normally apply (L&N 11.23), but since the speaker(s) are not specified in this context, it is not clear if such a translation would be appropriate here. The more generic “brothers and sisters” was chosen to emphasize the fact of a relationship without specifying its type.
17 tn Or “who accuses them continually.”
18 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the parenthetical nature of the following description of the beast.
19 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
20 tn Grk “gave it”; the referent (the beast) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
21 tn For the translation “authority to rule” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.
22 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
23 tn Grk “who had authority over.” This appears to be the angel who tended the fire on the altar.
24 tn Grk “to the one having the sharp sickle”; the referent (the angel in v. 17) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
25 tn Grk “Send.”
26 tn On this term BDAG 1018 s.v. τρυγάω states: “‘gather in’ ripe fruit, esp. harvest (grapes) w. acc. of the fruit (POslo. 21, 13 [71 ad]; Jos., Ant. 4, 227) Lk 6:44; Rv 14:18 (in imagery, as in the foll. places)…W. acc. of that which bears the fruit gather the fruit of the vine…or the vineyard (s. ἄμπελος a) Rv 14:19.”
27 tn On this term BDAG 181 s.v. βότρυς states, “bunch of grapes Rv 14:18…The word is also found in the Phrygian Papias of Hierapolis, in a passage in which he speaks of the enormous size of the grapes in the new aeon (in the Lat. transl. in Irenaeus 5, 33, 2f.): dena millia botruum Papias (1:2). On this see Stephan. Byz. s.v. Εὐκαρπία: Metrophanes says that in the district of Εὐκαρπία in Phrygia Minor the grapes were said to be so large that one bunch of them caused a wagon to break down in the middle.”
28 tn The genitive τῆς γῆς (ths ghs), taken symbolically, could be considered a genitive of apposition.
29 tn Or perhaps, “its bunches of grapes” (a different Greek word from the previous clause). L&N 3.38 states, “the fruit of grapevines (see 3.27) – ‘grape, bunch of grapes.’ τρύγησον τοὺς βότρυας τῆς ἀμπέλου τῆς γῆς, ὅτι ἤκμασαν αἱ σταφυλαὶ αὐτῆς ‘cut the grapes from the vineyard of the earth because its grapes are ripe’ Re 14:18. Some scholars have contended that βότρυς means primarily a bunch of grapes, while σταφυλή designates individual grapes. In Re 14:18 this difference might seem plausible, but there is scarcely any evidence for such a distinction, since both words may signify grapes as well as bunches of grapes.”
30 tn On the use of ἥκμασαν (hkmasan) BDAG 36 s.v. ἀκμάζω states, “to bloom…of grapes…Rv 14:18.”
31 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the introduction of an unexpected development in the account: The opposing armies do not come together in battle; rather the leader of one side is captured.
32 tn For this meaning see BDAG 342 s.v. ἐνώπιον 4.b, “by the authority of, on behalf of Rv 13:12, 14; 19:20.”
33 tn Traditionally, “brimstone.”