Wahyu 1:17-18

1:17 When ¹  I saw him I fell down at his feet as though I were dead, but ²  he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid! I am the first and the last, 1:18 and the one who lives! I ³  was dead, but look, now I am alive – forever and ever – and I hold the keys of death and of Hades! ⁴ 

Wahyu 2:1-2

To the Church in Ephesus

2:1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, ⁵  write the following: ⁶ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ⁷  the one who has a firm grasp on ⁸  the seven stars in his right hand ⁹  – the one who walks among the seven golden ¹⁰  lampstands: 2:2 ‘I know your works as well as your ¹¹  labor and steadfast endurance, and that you cannot tolerate ¹²  evil. You have even put to the test ¹³  those who refer to themselves as apostles (but are not), and have discovered that they are false.

Wahyu 2:18

To the Church in Thyatira

2:18 “To ¹⁴  the angel of the church in Thyatira write the following: ¹⁵ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ¹⁶  the Son of God, the one who has eyes like a fiery flame ¹⁷  and whose feet are like polished bronze: ¹⁸ 

Wahyu 2:20

2:20 But I have this against you: You tolerate that ¹⁹  woman ²⁰  Jezebel, ²¹  who calls herself a prophetess, and by her teaching deceives ²²  my servants ²³  to commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. ²⁴ 

Wahyu 3:10

3:10 Because you have kept ²⁵  my admonition ²⁶  to endure steadfastly, ²⁷  I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth.

Wahyu 3:18

3:18 take my advice ²⁸  and buy gold from me refined by fire so you can become rich! Buy from me ²⁹  white clothing so you can be clothed and your shameful nakedness ³⁰  will not be exposed, and buy eye salve ³¹  to put on your eyes so you can see!

Wahyu 4:4

4:4 In ³²  a circle around the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on those thrones were twenty-four elders. They were ³³  dressed in white clothing and had golden crowns ³⁴  on their heads.

Wahyu 7:1

The Sealing of the 144,000

7:1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth so no wind could blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.

Wahyu 7:12

7:12 saying,

“Amen! Praise and glory,

and wisdom and thanksgiving,

and honor and power and strength

be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”

Wahyu 8:13

8:13 Then ³⁵  I looked, and I heard an ³⁶  eagle ³⁷  flying directly overhead, ³⁸  proclaiming with a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe to those who live on the earth because of the remaining sounds of the trumpets of the three angels who are about to blow them!” ³⁹ 

Wahyu 9:4

9:4 They ⁴⁰  were told ⁴¹  not to damage the grass of the earth, or any green plant or tree, but only those people ⁴²  who did not have the seal of God on their ⁴³  forehead.

Wahyu 11:5

11:5 If ⁴⁴  anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouths ⁴⁵  and completely consumes ⁴⁶  their enemies. If ⁴⁷  anyone wants to harm them, they must be killed this way.

Wahyu 11:10

11:10 And those who live on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate, even sending gifts to each other, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

Wahyu 11:15

The Seventh Trumpet

11:15 Then ⁴⁸  the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying:

“The kingdom of the world

has become the kingdom of our Lord

and of his Christ, ⁴⁹ 

and he will reign for ever and ever.”

Wahyu 13:12

13:12 He ⁵⁰  exercised all the ruling authority ⁵¹  of the first beast on his behalf, ⁵²  and made the earth and those who inhabit it worship the first beast, the one whose lethal wound had been healed.

Wahyu 14:6

Three Angels and Three Messages

14:6 Then ⁵³  I saw another ⁵⁴  angel flying directly overhead, ⁵⁵  and he had ⁵⁶  an eternal gospel to proclaim ⁵⁷  to those who live ⁵⁸  on the earth – to every nation, tribe, ⁵⁹  language, and people.

Wahyu 15:7

15:7 Then ⁶⁰  one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath ⁶¹  of God who lives forever and ever,

Wahyu 16:14

16:14 For they are the spirits of the demons performing signs who go out to the kings of the earth ⁶²  to bring them together for the battle that will take place on the great day of God, the All-Powerful. ⁶³ 

Wahyu 16:21

16:21 And gigantic hailstones, weighing about a hundred pounds ⁶⁴  each, fell from heaven ⁶⁵  on people, ⁶⁶  but they ⁶⁷  blasphemed God because of the plague of hail, since it ⁶⁸  was so horrendous. ⁶⁹ 

Wahyu 19:19

19:19 Then ⁷⁰  I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to do battle with the one who rode the horse and with his army.

Wahyu 20:10

20:10 And the devil who deceived ⁷¹  them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, ⁷²  where the beast and the false prophet are ⁷³  too, and they will be tormented there day and night forever and ever.

Wahyu 22:5

22:5 Night will be no more, and they will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, because the Lord God will shine on them, and they will reign forever and ever.

Wahyu 22:9

22:9 But ⁷⁴  he said to me, “Do not do this! ⁷⁵  I am a fellow servant ⁷⁶  with you and with your brothers the prophets, and with those who obey ⁷⁷  the words of this book. Worship God!”

Wahyu 22:18

22:18 I testify to the one who hears the words of the prophecy contained in this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described ⁷⁸  in this book.

[1:17]  ¹ tn Grk “And when.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[1:17]  ² tn Here the Greek conjunction καί (kai) has been translated as a contrastive (“but”) due to the contrast between the two clauses.

[1:18]  ³ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[1:18]  ⁴ tn Concerning “Hades” BDAG 19 s.v. ᾅδης 1 and 2 states: “Orig. proper noun, god of the nether world, ‘Hades’, then the nether world, Hades as place of the dead, Ac 2:27, 31 (Ps 15:10; Eccl 9:10; PGM 1, 179; 16, 8; Philo, Mos. 1, 195; Jos., Bell. 1, 596, Ant. 6, 332). Of Jonah’s fish ἐκ τοῦ κατωτάτου ᾅδου. In the depths, contrasted w. heaven ἕως (τοῦ) ᾅδου Mt 11:23; Lk 10:15 (PsSol 15:10; cp.; Is 14:11, 15); ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ 16:23; ἐν ῝Αιδου ApcPt Rainer. Accessible by gates (but the pl. is also used [e.g. Hom., X., Ael. Aristid. 47, 20 K.=23 p. 450 D.] when only one gate is meant), hence πύλαι ᾅδου (Il. 5, 646; Is 38:10; Wsd 16:13; 3 Macc 5:51; Pss. Sol. 16:2. – Lucian, Menipp. 6 the magicians can open τοῦ ῝Αιδου τὰς πύλας and conduct people in and out safely) Mt 16:18…locked ἔχω τὰς κλεῖς τοῦ θανάτου καὶ τοῦ ᾅδου Rv 1:18 (the genitives are either obj. [Ps.-Apollod. 3, 12, 6, 10 Aeacus, the son of Zeus holds the κλεῖς τοῦ ῝Αιδου; SEG VIII, 574, 3 (III ad) τῷ τὰς κλεῖδας ἔχοντι τῶν καθ᾿ ῝Αιδου (restored)] or possess.; in the latter case death and Hades are personif.; s. 2)…Hades personif.…w. θάνατος (cp. Is 28:15; Job 38:17…) Rv 6:8; 20:13f.”

[1:18]  sn In the OT, Hades was known as Sheol. It is the place where the unrighteous will reside (Matt 11:23; Luke 16:23; Rev 20:13-14).

[2:1]  ⁵ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[2:1]  ⁶ tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

[2:1]  ⁷ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” The expression τάδε λέγει (tade legei) occurs eight times in the NT, seven of which are in Rev 2-3. “The pronoun is used to add solemnity to the prophetic utterance that follows. …In classical drama, it was used to introduce a new actor to the scene (Smyth, Greek Grammar, 307 [§1241]). But the τάδε λέγει formula in the NT derives from the OT, where it was used to introduce a prophetic utterance (BAGD, s.v. ὅδε, 1)” (ExSyn 328). Thus, the translation “this is the solemn pronouncement of” for τάδε λέγει is very much in keeping with the OT connotations of this expression.

[2:1]  sn The expression This is the solemn pronouncement of reflects an OT idiom. The LXX has the same Greek phrase (τάδε λέγει, tade legei) about 350 times, with nearly 320 of them having “the Lord” (Heb יהוה, Yahweh) as subject. That the author of Revelation would use such an expression seven times with the risen Christ as the speaker may well imply something of Christ’s sovereignty and deity. Cf. also Acts 21:11 in which the Holy Spirit is the speaker of this expression.

[2:1]  ⁸ tn Grk “holds,” but the term (i.e., κρατῶν, kratwn) with an accusative object, along with the context, argues for a sense of firmness. (Cf. ExSyn 132.)

[2:1]  ⁹ sn On seven stars in his right hand see 1:16.

[2:1]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “lampstands of gold” with the genitive τῶν χρυσῶν (twn cruswn) translated as an attributive genitive.

[2:2]  ¹¹ tn Although the first possessive pronoun σου (sou) is connected to τὰ ἔργα (ta erga) and the second σου is connected to ὑπομονήν (Jupomonhn), semantically κόπον (kopon) is also to be understood as belonging to the Ephesian church. The translation reflects this.

[2:2]  ¹² tn The translation “tolerate” seems to capture the sense of βαστάσαι (bastasai) here. BDAG 171 s.v. βαστάζω 2.b.β says, “bear, endure…κακούς Rv 2:2.…bear patiently, put up with: weaknesses of the weak Ro 15:1; cf. IPol 1:2; evil Rv 2:3.”

[2:2]  ¹³ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the participle was broken off from the previous sentence and translated as an indicative verb beginning a new sentence here in the translation.

[2:18]  ¹⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[2:18]  ¹⁵ tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

[2:18]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[2:18]  sn The expression This is the solemn pronouncement of reflects an OT idiom. See the note on this phrase in 2:1.

[2:18]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “a flame of fire.” The Greek term πυρός (puros) has been translated as an attributive genitive.

[2:18]  ¹⁸ tn The precise meaning of the term translated “polished bronze” (χαλκολιβάνῳ, calkolibanw), which appears no where else in Greek literature outside of the book of Revelation (see 1:15), is uncertain. Without question it is some sort of metal. BDAG 1076 s.v. χαλκολίβανον suggests “fine brass/bronze.” L&N 2.57 takes the word to refer to particularly valuable or fine bronze, but notes that the emphasis here and in Rev 1:15 is more on the lustrous quality of the metal.

[2:20]  ¹⁹ tn The Greek article has been translated here with demonstrative force.

[2:20]  ²⁰ tc The ms evidence for γυναῖκα (gunaika, “woman”) alone includes {א C P 1611 2053 pc lat}. The ms evidence for the addition of “your” (σου, sou) includes A 1006 2351 Ï^K pc sy. With the pronoun, the text reads “your wife, Jezebel” instead of “that woman, Jezebel.” In Revelation, A C are the most important mss, along with א Ì⁴⁷ (which only reads in portions of chapters 9-17) 1006 1611 2053; in this instance, the external evidence slightly favors the shorter reading. But internally, it gains strength. The longer reading implies the idea that the angel in 2:18 is the bishop or leader of the church in Thyatira. The pronoun “your” (σου) is used four times in vv. 19-20 and may have been the cause for the scribe copying it again. Further, once the monarchical episcopate was in vogue (beginning in the 2nd century) scribes might have been prone to add “your” here.

[2:20]  ²¹ sn Jezebel was the name of King Ahab’s idolatrous and wicked queen in 1 Kgs 16:31; 18:1-5; 19:1-3; 21:5-24. It is probable that the individual named here was analogous to her prototype in idolatry and immoral behavior, since those are the items singled out for mention.

[2:20]  ²² tn Grk “teaches and deceives” (διδάσκει καὶ πλανᾷ, didaskei kai plana), a construction in which the first verb appears to specify the means by which the second is accomplished: “by her teaching, deceives…”

[2:20]  ²³ tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.

[2:20]  ²⁴ sn To commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. Note the conclusions of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15:29, which specifically prohibits Gentile Christians from engaging in these activities.

[3:10]  ²⁵ tn Or “obey.” For the translation of τηρέω (threw) as “obey” see L&N 36.19. In the Greek there is a wordplay: “because you have kept my word…I will keep you,” though the meaning of τηρέω is different each time.

[3:10]  ²⁶ tn The Greek term λόγον (logon) is understood here in the sense of admonition or encouragement.

[3:10]  ²⁷ tn Or “to persevere.” Here ὑπομονῆς (Jupomonhs) has been translated as a genitive of reference/respect related to τὸν λόγον (ton logon).

[3:18]  ²⁸ tn Grk “I counsel you to buy.”

[3:18]  ²⁹ tn Grk “rich, and.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation, repeating the words “Buy from me” to make the connection clear for the English reader.

[3:18]  ³⁰ tn Grk “the shame of the nakedness of you,” which has been translated as an attributed genitive like καινότητι ζωῆς (kainothti zwh") in Rom 6:4 (ExSyn 89-90).

[3:18]  ³¹ sn The city of Laodicea had a famous medical school and exported a powder (called a “Phrygian powder”) that was widely used as an eye salve. It was applied to the eyes in the form of a paste the consistency of dough (the Greek term for the salve here, κολλούριον, kollourion [Latin collyrium], is a diminutive form of the word for a long roll of bread).

[4:4]  ³² tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[4:4]  ³³ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the words “They were” to indicate the connection to the preceding material.

[4:4]  ³⁴ sn See the note on the word crown in Rev 3:11.

[8:13]  ³⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[8:13]  ³⁶ tn Grk “one eagle.”

[8:13]  ³⁷ tc Ï^A reads “angel” (ἀγγέλου, angelou) instead of “eagle” (ἀετοῦ, aetou), a reading strongly supported by {א A 046 Ï^K and several versions}. On external grounds, ἀετοῦ is clearly the superior reading. ἀγγέλου could have arisen inadvertently due to similarities in spelling or sound between ἀετοῦ and ἀγγέλου. It may also have been intentional in order to bring this statement in line with 14:6 where an angel is mentioned as the one flying in midair. This seems a more likely reason, strengthened by the facts that the book only mentions eagles two other times (4:7; 12:14). Further, the immediate as well as broad context is replete with references to angels.

[8:13]  ³⁸ tn Concerning the word μεσουράνημα (mesouranhma), L&N 1.10 states, “a point or region of the sky directly above the earth – ‘high in the sky, midpoint in the sky, directly overhead, straight above in the sky.’ εἶδον, καὶ ἤκουσα ἑνὸς ἁετοῦ πετομένου ἐν μεσουρανήματι ‘I looked, and I heard an eagle that was flying overhead in the sky’ Re 8:13.”

[8:13]  ³⁹ tn Grk “about to sound their trumpets,” but this is redundant in English.

[9:4]  ⁴⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[9:4]  ⁴¹ tn The dative indirect object (αὐταῖς, autais) was converted into the subject (“they”) as this more closely approximates English usage. The following ἵ῞να (Jina) is taken as substantival, introducing a direct object clause. In this case, because it is reported speech, the ἵνα is similar to the declarative ὅτι (Joti).

[9:4]  ⁴² tn Grk “men”; but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used in a generic sense here of both men and women.

[9:4]  ⁴³ tn The article τῶν (twn) has been translated as a possessive pronoun here (ExSyn 215).

[11:5]  ⁴⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[11:5]  ⁴⁵ tn This is a collective singular in Greek.

[11:5]  ⁴⁶ tn See L&N 20.45 for the translation of κατεσθίω (katesqiw) as “to destroy utterly, to consume completely.”

[11:5]  ⁴⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[11:15]  ⁴⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[11:15]  ⁴⁹ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[13:12]  ⁵⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[13:12]  ⁵¹ tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.

[13:12]  ⁵² 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.”

[14:6]  ⁵³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[14:6]  ⁵⁴ tc Most mss (Ì47 א* Ï sa) lack ἄλλον (allon, “another”) here, but the support for it is stronger (Ì^115vid א² A C P 051 1006 1611 1841 2053 2329 al latt sy bo). The problem that its inclusion represents is that there is no reference to any other angel in the immediate context (the last mention was in 11:15). In this instance, the longer reading is harder. The word was probably intentionally omitted in order to resolve the tension; less likely, it might have been accidentally omitted since its spelling is similar to “angel” (ἄγγελος, angelos).

[14:6]  ⁵⁵ tn L&N 1.10 states, “a point or region of the sky directly above the earth – ‘high in the sky, midpoint in the sky, directly overhead, straight above in the sky.’”

[14:6]  ⁵⁶ tn Grk “having.”

[14:6]  ⁵⁷ tn Or “an eternal gospel to announce as good news.”

[14:6]  ⁵⁸ tn Grk “to those seated on the earth.”

[14:6]  ⁵⁹ tn Grk “and tribe,” but καί (kai) has not been translated here or before the following term since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[15:7]  ⁶⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[15:7]  ⁶¹ tn Or “anger.”

[16:14]  ⁶² tn BDAG 699 s.v. οἰκουμένη 1 states, “the inhabited earth, the world…ὅλη ἡ οἰκ. the whole inhabited earth…Mt 24:14; Ac 11:28; Rv 3:10; 16:14.”

[16:14]  ⁶³ tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(ὁ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π. …Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22.”

[16:21]  ⁶⁴ 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.

[16:21]  ⁶⁵ 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.

[16:21]  ⁶⁶ 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).

[16:21]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “the men”; for stylistic reasons the pronoun “they” is used here.

[16:21]  ⁶⁸ tn Grk “the plague of it.”

[16:21]  ⁶⁹ tn Grk “since the plague of it was exceedingly great.”

[19:19]  ⁷⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[20:10]  ⁷¹ tn Or “misled.”

[20:10]  ⁷² tn Traditionally, “brimstone.”

[20:10]  ⁷³ tn The verb in this clause is elided. In keeping with the previous past tenses some translations supply a past tense verb here (“were”), but in view of the future tense that follows (“they will be tormented”), a present tense verb was used to provide a transition from the previous past tense to the future tense that follows.

[22:9]  ⁷⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present here.

[22:9]  ⁷⁵ tn On the elliptical expression ὅρα μή ({ora mh) BDAG 720 s.v. ὁράω B.2 states: “Elliptically…ὅρα μή (sc. ποιήσῃς) watch out! don’t do that! Rv 19:10; 22:9.”

[22:9]  ⁷⁶ tn Grk “fellow slave.” Though σύνδουλος (sundoulos) is here translated “fellow servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.

[22:9]  ⁷⁷ tn Grk “keep” (an idiom for obedience).

[22:18]  ⁷⁸ tn Grk “written.”