¹tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
²tn The phrase “and here was” expresses the sense of kaiV ijdouv (kai idou).
³tn Or “a voice” (cf. Rev 1:15), but since in this context nothing is mentioned as the content of the voice, is preferable to translate fwnhv (fwnh) as “sound” here.
⁴tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the introduction of a new topic.
⁵tn Grk “elders, and no one.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text, but because of the length and complexity of the sentence a new sentence was started here in the translation.
⁶tn The aorist passive verb is rendered as a reflexive (“defiled themselves”) by BDAG 657 s.v. moluvnw 2.
⁷tn Grk “in their mouth was not found a lie.”
⁸tc Several mss (Ì47 Í 1 1006 1611 2351 Ï^K pc) have the conjunction “for” (gavr, gar) here so that the phrase reads: “for they are blameless.” Other important mss (A C P 1854 2053 al lat) lack the word. The shorter reading is to be preferred since the scribes were more likely to make the connection explicit through the addition of “for” than they would have been to omit the conjunction. As it is, the passage without the conjunction makes good sense and evokes a very somber tone.
⁹tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
¹⁰tc Most mss (Ì47 Í* Ï sa) lack a[llon (allon, “another”) here, but the support for it is stronger (Ì^115vid Ͳ 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” (a[ggelo", angelos).
¹¹tn 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.’”
¹²tn Grk “having.”
¹³tn Or “an eternal gospel to announce as good news.”
¹⁴tn Grk “to those seated on the earth.”
¹⁵tn Grk “and tribe,” but kaiv (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.
¹⁶tn Grk “people, saying.” In the Greek text this is a continuation of the previous sentence. For the translation of levgw (legw) as “declare,” see BDAG 590 s.v. 2.e.
¹⁷tn Here kaiv (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
¹⁸tc There are several different variants comprising a textual problem involving “second” (deuvtero", deuteros). First, several mss (A 1 2329 Ï^K) read “another, a second angel” (a[llo" deuvtero" a[ggelo", allo" deutero" angelo"). Second, other mss (Ì47 Í* 1006 1841 1854 pc) read just “another, a second” (a[llo" deuvtero"). Third, the reading “another angel” (a[llo" a[ggelo") is supported by a few Greek mss and some versional evidence (69 pc ar vg). Fourth, several mss (Ͳ [C reads deuvteron instead of deuvtero"] 051 1611 2053 2344 Ï^A) support the reading “another, a second angel” (a[llo" a[ggelo" deuvtero"). 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” (a[llo"). 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 deuvtero" as a motivated reading. But without sufficient support for the third reading, the one thing that is most certain is that deuvtero" 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” (trivto", 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.
¹⁹tn Grk “And another angel, a second.”
²⁰tn 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.
²¹tn For the translation of levgw (legw) as “declare,” see BDAG 590 s.v. 2.e.
²²sn The fall of Babylon the great city is described in detail in Rev 18:2-24.
²³tn Or “all the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).
²⁴tn Grk “of the wine of the passion of the sexual immorality of her.” Here th'" porneiva" (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).
²⁵tn Here kaiv (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
²⁶tn Grk “And another angel, a third.”
²⁷tn Grk “followed them.”
²⁸tn For the translation of levgw (legw) as “declare,” see BDAG 590 s.v. 2.e.
²⁹tn Grk “he himself.”
³⁰tn The Greek word for “anger” here is qumov" (qumos), a wordplay on the “passion” (qumov") of the personified city of Babylon in 14:8.
³¹tn Traditionally, “brimstone.”
³²tn The Greek pronoun is plural here even though the verbs in the previous verse are singular.
³³tn The present tense ajnabaivnei (anabainei) has been translated as a futuristic present (ExSyn 535-36). This is also consistent with the future passive basanisqhvsetai (basanisqhsetai) in v. 10.
³⁴tn The present tense e[cousin (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).
³⁵tn Grk “and.”
³⁶tn Grk “Here is.”
³⁷tn Or “the perseverance.”
³⁸tn Grk “who keep.”
³⁹tn The words “hold to” are implied as a repetition of the participle translated “keep” (oiJ throu'nte", Joi throunte").
⁴⁰tn Grk “faith of Jesus.” The construction may mean either “faith in Jesus” or “faithful to Jesus.” Either translation implies that *Ihsou' (Ihsou) is to be taken as an objective genitive; the difference is more lexical than grammatical because pivsti" (pistis) can mean either “faith” or “faithfulness.”
⁴¹tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
⁴²tn Or “from their trouble” (L&N 22.7).
⁴³tn Grk “their deeds will follow with them.”
⁴⁴tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
⁴⁵tn Grk “and behold, a white cloud.”
⁴⁶tn This phrase constitutes an allusion to Dan 7:13. Concerning uiJoV" tou' ajnqrwvpou (Juio" tou anqrwpou), BDAG 1026 s.v. uiJov" 2.d.g says: “oJ uiJoV" tou' ajnqrwvpou lit. ‘the son of the man’…‘the human being, the human one, the man’…On Israelite thought contemporary w. Jesus and alleged knowledge of a heavenly being looked upon as a ‘Son of Man’ or ‘Man’, who exercises Messianic functions such as judging the world (metaph., pictorial passages in En 46-48; 4 Esdr 13:3, 51f)…Outside the gospels: Ac 7:56…Rv 1:13; 14:14 (both after Da 7:13…).” The term “son” here in this expression is anarthrous and as such lacks specificity. Some commentators and translations take the expression as an allusion to Daniel 7:13 and not to “the son of man” found in gospel traditions (e.g., Mark 8:31; 9:12; cf. D. E. Aune, Revelation [WBC], 2:800-801; cf. also NIV). Other commentators and versions, however, take the phrase “son of man” as definite, involving allusions to Dan 7:13 and “the son of man” gospel traditions (see G. K. Beale, Revelation [NIGTC], 771-72; NRSV).
⁴⁷tn Grk “like a son of man, having.” In the Greek text this is a continuation of the previous sentence.
⁴⁸tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
⁴⁹tn Grk “Send out.”
⁵⁰tn The aorist qevrison (qerison) has been translated ingressively.
⁵¹tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s directions.
⁵²tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
⁵³tn Here kaiv (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
⁵⁴tn Grk “who had authority over.” This appears to be the angel who tended the fire on the altar.
⁵⁵tn Grk “to the one having the sharp sickle”; the referent (the angel in v. 17) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
⁵⁶tn Grk “Send.”
⁵⁷tn On this term BDAG 1018 s.v. trugavw 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. a[mpelo" a) Rv 14:19.”
⁵⁸tn On this term BDAG 181 s.v. bovtru" 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 . On this see Stephan. Byz. s.v. Eujkarpiva: Metrophanes says that in the district of Eujkarpiva 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.”
⁵⁹tn The genitive th'" gh'" (ths ghs), taken symbolically, could be considered a genitive of apposition.
⁶⁰tn 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.’ truvghson touV" bovtrua" th'" ajmpevlou th'" gh'", o{ti h[kmasan aiJ stafulaiV aujth'" ‘cut the grapes from the vineyard of the earth because its grapes are ripe’ Re 14:18. Some scholars have contended that bovtru" means primarily a bunch of grapes, while stafulhv 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.”
⁶¹tn On the use of h{kmasan (hkmasan) BDAG 36 s.v. ajkmavzw states, “to bloom…of grapes…Rv 14:18.”
⁶²tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s directions.
⁶³tn Or “vine.” BDAG 54 s.v. a[mpelo" a states, “truga'n touV" bovtrua" th'" aj. th'" gh'" to harvest the grapes fr. the vine of the earth (i.e. fr. the earth, symbol. repr. as a grapevine) Rv 14:18f; but aj may be taking on the meaning of ajmpelwvn, as oft. in pap., possibly PHib. 70b, 2 [III bc].” The latter alternative has been followed in the translation (ajmpelwvn = “vineyard”).
⁶⁴tn Although the gender of mevgan (megan, masc.) does not match the gender of lhnovn (lhnon, fem.) it has been taken to modify that word (as do most English translations).
⁶⁵tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
⁶⁶sn The winepress was stomped. See Isa 63:3, where Messiah does this alone (usually several individuals would join in the process).
⁶⁷tn L&N 6.7 states, “In Re 14:20 the reference to a bit and bridle is merely an indication of measurement, that is to say, the height of the bit and bridle from the ground, and one may reinterpret this measurement as ‘about a meter and a half’ or ‘about five feet.’”
⁶⁸tn Grk “1,600 stades.” A stade was a measure of length about 607 ft (185 m). Thus the distance here would be 184 mi or 296 km.