¹ tn The verb ποιέω (poiew) can indicate appointment or assignment rather than simply “make” or “do.” See Mark 3:14 (L&N 37.106).

² tn See BDAG 168 s.v. βασιλεία 1.a for the idea of “he made us a kingdom,” which was translated as “he appointed us (to be or function) as a kingdom” (see the note on the word “appointed” earlier in the verse).

³ tn Grk “a kingdom, priests.” The term ἱερεῖς (Jiereis) is either in apposition to βασιλείαν (basileian) or as a second complement to the object “us” (ἡμᾶς, Jhmas). The translation retains this ambiguity.

⁴ tc Both the longer reading τῶν αἰώνων (twn aiwnwn, “to the ages of the ages” or, more idiomatically, “for ever and ever”; found in א C Ï) and the shorter (“for ever”; found in ̹⁸ A P 2050 pc bo) have good ms support. The author uses the longer expression (εἰς [τοὺς] αἰῶνας [τῶν] αἰώνων, ei" [tou"] aiwna" [twn] aiwnwn) in every other instance of αἰών in Revelation, twelve passages in all (1:18; 4:9, 10; 5:13; 7:12; 10:6; 11:15; 14:11; 15:7; 19:3; 20:10; 22:5). Thus, on the one hand, the style of the author is consistent, while on the other hand, the scribes may have been familiar with such a stylistic feature, causing them to add the words here. The issues are more complex than can be presented here; the longer reading, however, is probably original (the shorter reading arising from accidental omission of the genitive phrase due to similarity with the preceding words).

⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

⁸ tc ‡ Several key mss (Ì⁴⁷ א¹ A 0207 1611 2053 2344 pc lat sy^h co) lack the word τεσσάρων (tessarwn, “four”) before κεράτων (keratwn, “horns”). The word seems to have been added by scribes because a “horned” altar (described in the OT [Exod 30:2, 10]) could have only four “horns” or projections at the corners. NA²⁷ includes the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the implied contrast.

¹⁰ tn The words “to prevail” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

¹¹ tn Grk “found.”

¹² tn Grk “for them”; the referent (the dragon and his angels, v. 7) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

¹⁴ tn Grk “so that he might make her swept away.”

¹⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present here.

¹⁶ tn Grk “the earth helped the woman.”

¹⁷ tn Grk “the earth opened its mouth” (a metaphor for the ground splitting open).

¹⁸ tn Grk “Here is wisdom.”

¹⁹ tn Grk “it is man’s number.” ExSyn 254 states “if ἀνθρώπου is generic, then the sense is, ‘It is [the] number of humankind.’ It is significant that this construction fits Apollonius’ Canon (i.e., both the head noun and the genitive are anarthrous), suggesting that if one of these nouns is definite, then the other is, too. Grammatically, those who contend that the sense is ‘it is [the] number of a man’ have the burden of proof on them (for they treat the head noun, ἀριθμός, as definite and the genitive, ἀνθρώπου, as indefinite – the rarest of all possibilities). In light of Johannine usage, we might also add Rev 16:18, where the Seer clearly uses the anarthrous ἄνθρωπος in a generic sense, meaning ‘humankind.’ The implications of this grammatical possibility, exegetically speaking, are simply that the number ‘666’ is the number that represents humankind. Of course, an individual is in view, but his number may be the number representing all of humankind. Thus the Seer might be suggesting here that the antichrist, who is the best representative of humanity without Christ (and the best counterfeit of a perfect man that his master, that old serpent, could muster), is still less than perfection (which would have been represented by the number seven).” See G. K. Beale, Revelation, [NIGTC], 723-24, who argues for the “generic” understanding of the noun; for an indefinite translation, see the ASV and ESV which both translate the clause as “it is the number of a man.”

sn The translation man’s number suggests that the beast’s number is symbolic of humanity in general, while the translation a man’s number suggests that it represents an individual.

²⁰ tc A few mss (̹¹⁵ C, along with a few mss known to Irenaeus {and two minuscule mss, 5 and 11, no longer extant}), read 616 here, and several other witnesses have other variations. Irenaeus’ mention of mss that have 616 is balanced by his rejection of such witnesses in this case. As intriguing as the reading 616 is (since the conversion of Nero Caesar’s name in Latin by way of gematria would come out to 616), it must remain suspect because such a reading seems motivated in that it conforms more neatly to Nero’s gematria.

²¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

²² tn Grk “the third”; the referent (the third angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

²³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

²⁴ tn Grk “the sixth”; the referent (the sixth angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

²⁵ tn Grk “and its water was dried up.” Here the passive construction has been translated as an active one.

²⁶ tn Grk “in order that the way might be prepared.” Here the passive construction has been translated as an active one.

²⁷ tn Grk “from the rising of the sun.” BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατολή 2.a takes this as a geographical direction: “ἀπὸ ἀ. ἡλίου…from the east Rv 7:2; 16:12; simply ἀπὸ ἀ. …21:13.”

²⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “finally” to indicate the conclusion of the seven bowl judgments.

²⁹ tn Grk “the seventh”; the referent (the seventh angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³⁰ tn Grk “glory”; but often in the sense of splendor, brightness, or radiance (see L&N 14.49).

³¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

³² tn This verb and the next two verbs are hortatory subjunctives (giving exhortations).

³³ tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

³⁴ tn The word “holding” is implied. The two clauses “having the key of the abyss” and “a huge chain in his hand” can be construed in two ways: (1) both are controlled by the participle ἔχοντα (econta) and both are modified by the phrase “in his hand” – “having in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain.” (2) The participle ἔχοντα refers only to the key, and the phrase “in his hand” refers only to the chain – “having the key of the abyss and holding a huge chain in his hand.” Because of the stylistic tendency in Rev to use the verb ἔχω (ecw) to mean “hold (something)” and the phrase “in his hand” forming a “bracket” along with the verb ἔχω around both the phrases in question, the first option is preferred.

³⁵ tn Or “be anything accursed” (L&N 33.474).

³⁶ tn Grk “in it”; the referent (the city, the new Jerusalem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

³⁷ tn Grk “city, and his.” Although this is a continuation of the previous sentence in Greek, a new sentence was started here in the translation because of the introduction of the Lamb’s followers.

³⁸ tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.

³⁹ tn Or “will serve.”