¹tn Compare the similar phrase in Rev 16:7.
²tn Or “has punished.” See BDAG 568 s.v. krivnw 5.b.a, describing the OT background which involves both the vindication of the innocent and the punishment of the guilty.
³tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.
⁴tn Grk “from her hand” (referring to her responsibility in causing the blood of God’s followers to be shed).
⁵tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
⁶tn Or “her smoke ascends forever and ever.”
⁷tn Grk “creatures fell down.” BDAG 815 s.v. pivptw 1.b.a.b. has “fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion or humility, before high-ranking persons or divine beings.”
⁸tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
⁹tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
¹⁰tn Grk “like the voice of a large crowd…saying.” Because of the complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the words “They were.”
¹¹tc Several mss (Í2 P 1611 2053 2344 pc Ï^K lat ) read “the Lord our God” (kuvrio" oJ qeov" hJmw'n, kurio" Jo qeo" Jhmwn). Other important mss (A 1006 1841 pc), however, omit the “our” (hJmw'n). Further, certain mss (051 Ï^A) omit “Lord” (kuvrio"), while others (including Í*) change the order of the statement to “God our Lord” (oJ qeov" oJ kuvrio" hJmw'n). The expression “the Lord God, the All-Powerful” occurs in 6 other places in Revelation (1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22) and the pronoun “our” is never used. Scribes familiar with the expression in this book, and especially with the frequent kuvrio" oJ qeoV" oJ pantokravtwr (kurio" Jo qeo" Jo pantokratwr; “the Lord God, the All-Powerful”) in the OT Prophets (LXX; cf. Jer 39:19; Hos 12:6; Amos 3:13; 4:13; 5:8, 14, 15, 16, 27; 9:5, 6, 15; Nah 3:5; Zech 10:3), would naturally omit the pronoun. Its presence may have arisen due to liturgical motivations or to conform to the expression “our God” in 19:1, 5, but this seems much less likely than an aversion to using the pronoun here and only here in the Greek Bible in the fuller title kuvrio" oJ qeoV" oJ pantokravtwr.
¹²tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. pantokravtwr states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(oJ) kuvrio" oJ qeoV" oJ p. …Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22…kuvrio" oJ qeoV" hJmw'n oJ p. Rv 19:6.”
¹³tn This verb and the next two verbs are hortatory subjunctives (giving exhortations).
¹⁴tn On the term translated “fine linen,” BDAG 185 s.v. buvssino" states, “made of fine linen, subst. toV b. fine linen, linen garment…Rv 18:12…16; 19:8, 14.”
¹⁵sn This phrase is treated as a parenthetical explanation by the author.
¹⁶tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
¹⁷tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
¹⁸tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s announcement.
¹⁹tn Grk “I fell down at his feet.” BDAG 815 s.v. pivptw 1.b.a.b. has “fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion or humility, before high-ranking persons or divine beings.”
²⁰tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
²¹tn On the elliptical expression o{ra mhv (Jora mh) BDAG 720 s.v. oJravw B.2 states: “Elliptically…o{ra mhv (sc. poihvsh/") watch out! don’t do that! Rv 19:10; 22:9.”
²²tn The lowliness of a slave is emphasized in the Greek text with the emphatic position of suvndoulo" (sundoulo"). The use of “only” helps to bring this nuance out in English.
²³tn Grk “fellow slave.” See the note on the word “servants” in v. 2.
²⁴tn The Greek term “brother” literally refers to family relationships, but here it is used in a broader sense to connote familial relationships within the family of God (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ajdelfov" 2.a).
²⁵tn The genitive *Ihsou' (Ihsou) has been translated as an objective genitive here. A subjective genitive, also possible, would produce the meaning “who hold to what Jesus testifies.”
²⁶tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
²⁷tn The phrase “and here came” expresses the sense of kaiV ijdouv (kai idou).
²⁸tn A new sentence was started in the translation at this point and kaiv (kai) was not translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
²⁹tn Or “in righteousness,” but since the context here involves the punishment of the wicked and the vindication of the saints, “justice” was preferred.
³⁰tn The genitive noun purov" (puros) has been translated as an attributive genitive (see also Rev 1:14).
³¹tn For the translation of diavdhma (diadhma) as “diadem crown” see L&N 6.196.
sn Diadem crowns were a type of crown used as a symbol of the highest ruling authority in a given area, and thus often associated with kingship.
³²tn Grk “head, having.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
³³tn Although many translations supply a prepositional phrase to specify what the name was written on (“upon Him,” NASB; “on him,” NIV), there is no location for the name specified in the Greek text.
³⁴tc It appears that “dipped” (bebammevnon, bebammenon), supported by several uncials and other witnesses (A 051 Ï), is the original reading. Due to the lack of the preposition “in” (ejn, en) after the verb (bebammevnon ai{mati, bebammenon {aimati), and also probably because of literary allusions to Isa 63:3, several mss and versions seem to have changed the text to “sprinkled” (either rJerantismevnon [rJerantismenon] in P 2329 al; ejrrantismevnon [errantismenon] in 1006 1841; ejrrammevnon [errammenon] in 2053 2062; or rJerammevnon [rJerammenon] in 1611; or in one case perirerammevnon [perirerammenon] in Í^[2]). The reading most likely to give rise to the others is “dipped.”
tn Or perhaps “soaked.”
³⁵tn Grk “the name of him is called.”
³⁶tn Here kaiv (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
³⁷tn On the term translated “fine linen,” BDAG 185 s.v. buvssino" states, “made of fine linen, subst. toV b. fine linen, linen garment…Rv 18:12, 16; 19:8, 14.”
³⁸tn Or “the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).
³⁹tn Here kaiv (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
⁴⁰tn Grk “will shepherd.”
⁴¹tn Or “scepter.” The Greek term rJavbdo" (rJabdo") can mean either “rod” or “scepter.”
sn A quotation from Ps 2:9 (see also Rev 2:27, 12:5).
⁴²sn He stomps the winepress. See Isa 63:3, where Messiah does this alone (usually several individuals would join in the process), and Rev 14:20.
⁴³tn The genitive qumou' (qumou) has been translated as an attributed genitive. Following BDAG 461 s.v. qumov" 2, the combination of the genitives of qumov" (qumos) and ojrghv (orgh) in Rev 16:19 and 19:15 are taken to be a strengthening of the thought as in the OT and Qumran literature (Exod 32:12; Jer 32:37; Lam 2:3; CD 10:9).
⁴⁴tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. pantokravtwr states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(oJ) kuvrio" oJ qeoV" oJ p. …Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22.”
⁴⁵tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
⁴⁶tn The precise significance of ejn (en) here is difficult to determine.
⁴⁷tn On mesouranhvmati (mesouranhmati) here see L&N 1.10: “high in the sky, midpoint in the sky, directly overhead, straight above in the sky.” The birds mentioned here are carrion birds like vultures, circling high overhead, and now being summoned to feast on the corpses.
⁴⁸tn This is the same Greek word (dei'pnon, deipnon) used in 19:9.
⁴⁹tn The i{na (Jina) clause, insofar as it is related to the first imperative, has the force of an imperative.
⁵⁰tn The idea of eating “your fill” is evident in the context with the use of cortavzw (cortazw) in v. 21.
⁵¹tn Grk “chiliarchs”; normally a chiliarch was a military officer commanding a thousand soldiers, but here probably used of higher-ranking commanders like generals (see L&N 55.15; cf. Rev 6:15).
⁵²tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.
⁵³tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
⁵⁴tn Here kaiv (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the introduction of an unexpected development in the account: The opposing armies do not come together in battle; rather the leader of one side is captured.
⁵⁵tn For this meaning see BDAG 342 s.v. ejnwvpion 4.b, “by the authority of, on behalf of Rv 13:12, 14; 19:20.”
⁵⁶tn Traditionally, “brimstone.”
⁵⁷tn Here kaiv (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
⁵⁸tn On the translation of ejcortavsqhsan (ecortasqhsan) BDAG 1087 s.v. cortavzw 1.a states, “of animals, pass. in act. sense pavnta taV o[rnea ejcortavsqhsan ejk tw'n sarkw'n aujtw'n all the birds gorged themselves with their flesh Rv 19:21 (cp. TestJud. 21:8).”