¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

² tn Grk “voice, saying”; the participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.

³ tn The expression ἕως πότε (ews pote) was translated “how long.” Cf. BDAG 423 s.v. ἕως 1.b.γ.

⁴ tn The Greek term here is δεσπότης (despoths; see L&N 37.63).

⁵ tn Or “in heaven” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”). The genitive τοῦ οὐρανοῦ (tou ouranou) is taken as a genitive of place.

⁶ tn Grk “throws [off]”; the indicative verb has been translated as a participle due to English style.

⁷ tn L&N 3.37 states, “a fig produced late in the summer season (and often falling off before it ripens) – ‘late fig.’ ὡς συκὴ βάλλει τοὺς ὀλύνθους αὐτῆς ὑπὸ ἀνέμου μεγάλου σειομένη ‘as the fig tree sheds its late figs when shaken by a great wind’ Re 6:13. In the only context in which ὄλυνθος occurs in the NT (Re 6:13), one may employ an expression such as ‘unripe fig’ or ‘fig which ripens late.’”

⁸ tn Grk “great wind.”

⁹ tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.

¹⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” because the clause it introduces is clearly resumptive.

¹¹ tn Grk “saw.”

¹² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present here.

¹³ tn Grk “the earth helped the woman.”

¹⁴ tn Grk “the earth opened its mouth” (a metaphor for the ground splitting open).

¹⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

¹⁶ sn This second beast is identified in Rev 16:13 as “the false prophet.”

¹⁷ tn Grk “and it had,” a continuation of the preceding sentence. On the use of the pronoun “he” to refer to the second beast, see the note on the word “It” in 13:1.

¹⁸ tn Or perhaps, “like a ram.” Here L&N 4.25 states, “In the one context in the NT, namely, Re 13:11, in which ἀρνίον refers literally to a sheep, it is used in a phrase referring to the horns of an ἀρνίον. In such a context the reference is undoubtedly to a ‘ram,’ that is to say, the adult male of sheep.” In spite of this most translations render the word “lamb” here to maintain the connection between this false lamb and the true Lamb of the Book of Revelation, Jesus Christ.

¹⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

²⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

²¹ tn Some translations consider the word μυστήριον (musthrion, “mystery”) a part of the name written (“Mystery Babylon the Great,” so KJV, NIV), but the gender of both ὄνομα (onoma, “name”) and μυστήριον are neuter, while the gender of “Babylon” is feminine. This strongly suggests that μυστήριον should be understood as an appositive to ὄνομα (“a name, i.e., a mystery”).

²² tn Grk “glory”; but often in the sense of splendor, brightness, or radiance (see L&N 14.49).

²³ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

²⁴ tn The shift in pronouns from second to third person corresponds to the Greek text.

²⁵ tn Grk “and of all.” The phrase “along with the blood” has been repeated from the previous clause for stylistic reasons.

²⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

²⁷ tn Grk “saying.”

²⁸ tn Or “dominion.”

²⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the summons by the fourth creature.

³⁰ tc The reading “and I looked” (καὶ εἶδον, kai eidon) or some slight variation (e.g., ἶδον, idon) has excellent ms support ({א A C P 1611}) and its omission seems to have come through the mss that have already placed “and look” (καὶ ἴδε or καὶ βλέπε [kai ide or kai blepe]) after the verb “come” (ἔρχου, ercou) in 6:1. Thus, for these copyists it was redundant to add “and I looked” again.

³¹ tn The phrase “and here came” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou).

³² tn A sickly pallor, when referring to persons, or the green color of plants. BDAG 1085 s.v. χλωρός 2 states, “pale, greenish gray…as the color of a pers. in sickness contrasted with appearance in health…so the horse ridden by Death…ἵππος χλωρός Rv 6:8.” Because the color of the horse is symbolic, “pale green” is used in the translation. Cf. NIV, NCV “pale”; NASB “ashen.”

³³ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

³⁴ tn Grk “the one sitting on it.”

³⁵ tn Grk “And Hades was following with him.” The Greek expression μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ (met’ autou, “with him”) is Semitic and indicates close proximity. The translation “followed right behind” reflects this.

³⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

³⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

³⁸ tn Grk “with death.” θάνατος (qanatos) can in particular contexts refer to a manner of death, specifically a contagious disease (see BDAG 443 s.v. 3; L&N 23.158).

³⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁴⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so that” because what follows has the logical force of a result clause.

⁴¹ tn Grk “earth, telling.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in Greek.

sn He told followed by an infinitive (“to make an image…”) is sufficiently ambiguous in Greek that it could be taken as “he ordered” (so NIV) or “he persuaded” (so REB).

⁴² tn Or “all the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).

⁴³ tc ‡ Several mss (א A C 1006* 1611 1841 2030 Ï^K), including the best witnesses, read “have fallen” (πεπτώκασιν or πέπτωκαν [peptwkasin or peptwkan]). The singular πέπτωκεν (peptwken), which is better grammatically with the neuter plural subject πάντα τὰ ἔθνη (panta ta eqnh, “all the nations”), is read by 1854 2062 pc; 2042 pc read πεπότικεν (pepotiken). A few mss (1006^c 2329 pc latt sy^h) read “have drunk” (πέπωκαν/πεπώκασιν, pepwkan/pepwkasin); the singular πέπωκεν (pepwken) is read by P 051 1 2053* al. The more difficult reading and that which has the best ms support is “have fallen.” That it is not too difficult is evidenced by the fact that the great majority of Byzantine minuscules, which have a tendency to smooth out problems, left it stand as is. Nonetheless, it is somewhat difficult (TCGNT 683 says that this reading is “scarcely suitable in the context”), and for that reason certain mss seem to have changed it to “have drunk” to agree with the idea of “wine” (οἴνου, oinou). One can understand how this could happen: A scribe coming to the text and seeing the term “wine” expects a verb of drinking. When he sees “have fallen” and knows that in Greek the verbs “have fallen” and “have drunk” are spelled similarly, he concludes that there has been a slip of the pen in the ms he is using, which he then seeks to correct back to the “have drunk” reading. This appears to be more reasonable than to conclude that three early uncials (i.e., א A C) as well as a great number of other witnesses all felt the need to change “have drunk” (πέπωκαν) to “have fallen” (πέπτωκαν), even if “fallen” occurs in the immediate context (“fallen, fallen, [ἔπεσεν ἔπεσεν, epesen epesen] Babylon the great” in the preceding verse). The preferred reading, on both external and internal grounds, is “have fallen,” and thus the Seer intends to focus on the effects of wine, namely, a drunken stupor.

⁴⁴ tn See the notes on the words “passion” in Rev 14:8 and “wrath” in 16:19.

⁴⁵ tn According to BDAG 949 s.v. στρῆνος and στρηνιάω, these terms can refer either to luxury or sensuality. In the context of Rev 18, however (as L&N 88.254 indicate) the stress is on gratification of the senses by sexual immorality, so that meaning was emphasized in the translation here.