Wahyu 14:8-11

14:8 A ¹  second ²  angel ³  followed the first, ⁴  declaring: ⁵  “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great city! ⁶  She made all the nations ⁷  drink of the wine of her immoral passion.” ⁸ 

14:9 A ⁹  third angel ¹⁰  followed the first two, ¹¹  declaring ¹²  in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and takes the mark on his forehead or his hand, 14:10 that person ¹³  will also drink of the wine of God’s anger ¹⁴  that has been mixed undiluted in the cup of his wrath, and he will be tortured with fire and sulfur ¹⁵  in front of the holy angels and in front of the Lamb. 14:11 And the smoke from their ¹⁶  torture will go up ¹⁷  forever and ever, and those who worship the beast and his image will have ¹⁸  no rest day or night, along with ¹⁹  anyone who receives the mark of his name.”

Wahyu 17:1-18

The Great Prostitute and the Beast

17:1 Then ²⁰  one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke to me. ²¹  “Come,” he said, “I will show you the condemnation and punishment ²²  of the great prostitute who sits on many waters, 17:2 with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality and the earth’s inhabitants got drunk with the wine of her immorality.” ²³  17:3 So ²⁴  he carried me away in the Spirit ²⁵  to a wilderness, ²⁶  and there ²⁷  I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 17:4 Now ²⁸  the woman was dressed in purple and scarlet clothing, ²⁹  and adorned with gold, ³⁰  precious stones, and pearls. She held ³¹  in her hand a golden cup filled with detestable things and unclean things from her sexual immorality. ³²  17:5 On ³³  her forehead was written a name, a mystery: ³⁴  “Babylon the Great, the Mother of prostitutes and of the detestable things of the earth.” 17:6 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of those who testified to Jesus. ³⁵  I ³⁶  was greatly astounded ³⁷  when I saw her. 17:7 But ³⁸  the angel said to me, “Why are you astounded? I will interpret ³⁹  for you the mystery of the woman and of the beast with the seven heads and ten horns that carries her. 17:8 The beast you saw was, and is not, but is about to come up from the abyss ⁴⁰  and then go to destruction. The ⁴¹  inhabitants of the earth – all those whose names have not been written in the book of life since the foundation of the world – will be astounded when they see that ⁴²  the beast was, and is not, but is to come. 17:9 (This requires ⁴³  a mind that has wisdom.) The seven heads are seven mountains ⁴⁴  the woman sits on. They are also seven kings: 17:10 five have fallen; one is, ⁴⁵  and the other has not yet come, but whenever he does come, he must remain for only a brief time. 17:11 The ⁴⁶  beast that was, and is not, is himself an eighth king and yet is one of the seven, and is going to destruction. 17:12 The ⁴⁷  ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive ruling authority ⁴⁸  as kings with the beast for one hour. 17:13 These kings ⁴⁹  have a single intent, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 17:14 They will make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those accompanying ⁵⁰  the Lamb are the called, chosen, and faithful.”

17:15 Then ⁵¹  the angel ⁵²  said to me, “The waters you saw (where the prostitute is seated) are peoples, multitudes, ⁵³  nations, and languages. 17:16 The ⁵⁴  ten horns that you saw, and the beast – these will hate the prostitute and make her desolate and naked. They ⁵⁵  will consume her flesh and burn her up with fire. ⁵⁶  17:17 For God has put into their minds ⁵⁷  to carry out his purpose ⁵⁸  by making ⁵⁹  a decision ⁶⁰  to give their royal power ⁶¹  to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled. ⁶²  17:18 As for ⁶³  the woman you saw, she is the great city that has sovereignty over the kings of the earth.”

Wahyu 18:6

18:6 Repay her the same way she repaid others; ⁶⁴  pay her back double ⁶⁵  corresponding to her deeds. In the cup she mixed, mix double the amount for her.

[14:8]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[14:8]  ² tc There are several different variants comprising a textual problem involving “second” (δεύτερος, deuteros). First, several mss (A 1 2329 Ï^K) read “another, a second angel” (ἄλλος δεύτερος ἄγγελος, allo" deutero" angelo"). Second, other mss (Ì⁴⁷ א* 1006 1841 1854 pc) read just “another, a second” (ἄλλος δεύτερος). Third, the reading “another angel” (ἄλλος ἄγγελος) is supported by a few Greek mss and some versional evidence (69 pc ar vg). Fourth, several mss (א² [C reads δεύτερον instead of δεύτερος] 051 1611 2053 2344 Ï^A) support the reading “another, a second angel” (ἄλλος ἄγγελος δεύτερος). The reading that most likely gave rise to the others is the fourth. The first reading attempts to smooth out the grammar by placing the adjective in front of the noun. The second reading may have dropped out the “angel” on the basis of its similarity to “another” (ἄλλος). The third reading either intentionally or accidentally left out the word “second.” In any event, this is weakly attested and should not be given much consideration. (If, however, this reading had had good support, with “second” floating, and with “third” in the text in 14:9, one could possibly see δεύτερος as a motivated reading. But without sufficient support for the third reading, the one thing that is most certain is that δεύτερος was part of the original text here.) It is difficult to account for the rise of the other readings if “second” is not original. And the undisputed use of “third” (τρίτος, tritos) in 14:9 may be another indicator that the adjective “second” was in the original text. Finally, the fourth reading is the more difficult and therefore, in this case, to be accepted as the progenitor of the others.

[14:8]  ³ tn Grk “And another angel, a second.”

[14:8]  ⁴ tn The words “the first” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[14:8]  ⁵ tn For the translation of λέγω (legw) as “declare,” see BDAG 590 s.v. 2.e.

[14:8]  ⁶ sn The fall of Babylon the great city is described in detail in Rev 18:2-24.

[14:8]  ⁷ tn Or “all the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).

[14:8]  ⁸ tn Grk “of the wine of the passion of the sexual immorality of her.” Here τῆς πορνείας (th" porneia") has been translated as an attributive genitive. In an ironic twist of fate, God will make Babylon drink her own mixture, but it will become the wine of his wrath in retribution for her immoral deeds (see the note on the word “wrath” in 16:19).

[14:9]  ⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[14:9]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “And another angel, a third.”

[14:9]  ¹¹ tn Grk “followed them.”

[14:9]  ¹² tn For the translation of λέγω (legw) as “declare,” see BDAG 590 s.v. 2.e.

[14:10]  ¹³ tn Grk “he himself.”

[14:10]  ¹⁴ tn The Greek word for “anger” here is θυμός (qumos), a wordplay on the “passion” (θυμός) of the personified city of Babylon in 14:8.

[14:10]  ¹⁵ tn Traditionally, “brimstone.”

[14:11]  ¹⁶ tn The Greek pronoun is plural here even though the verbs in the previous verse are singular.

[14:11]  ¹⁷ tn The present tense ἀναβαίνει (anabainei) has been translated as a futuristic present (ExSyn 535-36). This is also consistent with the future passive βασανισθήσεται (basanisqhsetai) in v. 10.

[14:11]  ¹⁸ tn The present tense ἔχουσιν (ecousin) has been translated as a futuristic present to keep the English tense consistent with the previous verb (see note on “will go up” earlier in this verse).

[14:11]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “and.”

[17:1]  ²⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[17:1]  ²¹ tn Grk “with me.” The translation “with me” implies that John was engaged in a dialogue with the one speaking to him (e.g., Jesus or an angel) when in reality it was a one-sided conversation, with John doing all the listening. For this reason, μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ (met’ emou, “with me”) was translated as “to me.”

[17:1]  ²² tn Here one Greek term, κρίμα (krima), has been translated by the two English terms “condemnation” and “punishment.” See BDAG 567 s.v. 4.b, “mostly in an unfavorable sense, of the condemnatory verdict and sometimes the subsequent punishment itself 2 Pt 2:3; Jd 4…τὸ κ. τῆς πόρνης the condemnation and punishment of the prostitute Rv 17:1.”

[17:2]  ²³ tn This is the same word translated “sexual immorality” earlier in the verse, but here the qualifier “sexual” has not been repeated for stylistic reasons.

[17:3]  ²⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s invitation to witness the fate of the prostitute.

[17:3]  ²⁵ tn Or “in the spirit.” “Spirit” could refer either to the Holy Spirit or the human spirit, but in either case John was in “a state of spiritual exaltation best described as a trance” (R. H. Mounce, Revelation [NICNT], 75).

[17:3]  ²⁶ tn Or “desert.”

[17:3]  ²⁷ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied for stylistic reasons.

[17:4]  ²⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the detailed description of the woman, which is somewhat parenthetical in nature.

[17:4]  ²⁹ tn The word “clothing” is supplied to clarify that the words “purple” and “scarlet” refer to cloth or garments rather than colors.

[17:4]  ³⁰ tn Grk “gilded with gold” (an instance of semantic reinforcement, see L&N 49.29).

[17:4]  ³¹ tn Grk “pearls, having in her hand.” Due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[17:4]  ³² tc Several mss (including 1611 1854 2053 Ï^K pc) read “sexual immorality on/of the earth” (πορνείας τῆς γῆς, porneia" th" gh") instead of “her sexual immorality.” Other mss (א sy^h** [co]) read “her sexual immorality and the earth’s” (πορνείας αὐτῆς καὶ τῆς γῆς, porneia" aujth" kai th" gh"). The translation is a rendering of πορνείας αὐτῆς, found in {A 1006 2344 al}. It seems that the first reading “sexuality immorality on/of the earth” was a scribal mistake in which letters may have been confused (auths would have been read as thsghs), or was perhaps influenced by the presence of “of the world” (τῆς γῆς) at the end of v. 5. The original wording seems to be “her sexual immorality”; codex א has conflated the two readings.

[17:5]  ³³ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[17:5]  ³⁴ 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”).

[17:6]  ³⁵ tn Or “of the witnesses to Jesus.” Here the genitive ᾿Ιησοῦ (Ihsou) is taken as an objective genitive; Jesus is the object of their testimony.

[17:6]  ³⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[17:6]  ³⁷ tn Grk “I marveled a great marvel” (an idiom for great astonishment).

[17:7]  ³⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[17:7]  ³⁹ tn Grk “I will tell you,” but since what follows is the angel’s interpretation of the vision, “interpret for you” is the preferred translation here.

[17:8]  ⁴⁰ tn On this term BDAG 2 s.v. ἄβυσσος 2 states, “netherworld, abyss, esp. the abode of the dead Ro 10:7 (Ps 106:26) and of demons Lk 8:31; dungeon where the devil is kept Rv 20:3; abode of the θηρίον, the Antichrist 11:7; 17:8; of ᾿Αβαδδών (q.v.), the angel of the underworld 9:11…φρέαρ τῆς ἀ. 9:1f; capable of being sealed 9:1; 20:1, 3.”

[17:8]  ⁴¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[17:8]  ⁴² tn Some translations take the ὅτι (Joti) here as causal: “because he was, and is not, but is to come” (so NIV, NRSV), but it is much more likely that the subject of the ὅτι clause has been assimilated into the main clause: “when they see the beast, that he was…” = “when they see that the beast was” (so BDAG 732 s.v. ὅτι 1.f, where Rev 17:8 is listed).

[17:9]  ⁴³ tn Grk “Here is the mind that has wisdom.”

[17:9]  ⁴⁴ 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.

[17:10]  ⁴⁵ tn That is, one currently reigns.

[17:11]  ⁴⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[17:12]  ⁴⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[17:12]  ⁴⁸ tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.

[17:13]  ⁴⁹ tn The word “kings” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to clarify the referent.

[17:14]  ⁵⁰ tn See BDAG 636 s.v. μετά A.2.a.α.

[17:15]  ⁵¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[17:15]  ⁵² tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[17:15]  ⁵³ tn Grk “and multitudes,” but καί (kai) has not been translated here and before the following term since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[17:16]  ⁵⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[17:16]  ⁵⁵ tn A new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[17:16]  ⁵⁶ tn The final clause could also be turned into an adverbial clause of means: “They will consume her flesh by burning her with fire.”

[17:17]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “hearts.”

[17:17]  ⁵⁸ tn Or “his intent.”

[17:17]  ⁵⁹ tn The infinitive ποιῆσαι (poihsai) was translated here as giving the logical means by which God’s purpose was carried out.

[17:17]  ⁶⁰ tn On this term BDAG 203 s.v. γνώμη 4 states, “declaration, decision, resolution…of God Rv 17:17.”

[17:17]  ⁶¹ tn For this translation see BDAG 168 s.v. βασιλεία 1.a, “kingship, royal power, royal rule.”

[17:17]  ⁶² tn Or “completed.”

[17:18]  ⁶³ tn Grk “And.” Because this remark is somewhat resumptive in nature, “as for” is used in the translation.

[18:6]  ⁶⁴ tn The word “others” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[18:6]  ⁶⁵ tn On this term BDAG 252 s.v. διπλόω states, “to double τὰ διπλᾶ pay back double Rv 18:6.”