As for (Good News Translation “Here is”) points forward to the content of this verse, and translators should choose a word or phrase that functions in this way; for example, “The following is about…” or “What I say next is about….”
The mystery of the seven stars: the Greek word for mystery here means “the secret meaning” (Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, New American Bible, Revised, Revised English Bible, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje, An American Translation, Barclay, Phillips). In the New Testament a mystery is a secret truth or event that is not grasped by the human mind but is disclosed by God (see Eph 3.1-11). The Arndt and Gingrich Lexicon defines it as follows: “The secret thoughts, plans, and dispensations of God that are hidden from the human reason … and hence must be revealed to those for whom they are intended.” It may also be expressed as “that which was not known before.” The genitive phrase of the seven stars means “about the seven stars” or “concerning the seven stars”; it does not mean “belonging to the seven stars.” This whole clause may be expressed as “The following is the secret meaning concerning (or, of) the seven stars.”
You saw: this is how the great majority of translations render the verb; Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, and Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje have “you see.” A decision for either the past or the present tense must be made in the light of the context. The latter seems to be the most likely, as John was obviously still seeing these things.
For the translation of lampstands see the comments on verse 12 .
The angels of the seven churches: Every one of the seven letters in chapters 2–3 begins “To the angel of the church in….” There is no unanimity on what or whom the “angel” represents: either the pastor (or, presbyters) of the church, or some other representative of the church, or the guardian angel of each church, or, as Beasley-Murray puts it, “the heavenly counterparts of the earthly congregations.” Most probably it refers to the heavenly guardian or representative of each church, just as there are of nations (Dan 10.13, 20; 12.1) and individuals (Matt 18.10; Acts 12.15). In certain languages it will not be appropriate to say “angels of”; rather, translators must make the role of the angels explicit and say “the seven stars represent (or, stand for) the angels (or, heavenly messengers) who guard (or, watch over) the seven churches.”
The word “angel” appears seventy-seven times in this book and, with the possible exception of “the angels of the seven churches,” is always specifically a supernatural messenger, either of God or of Satan. Regardless of the interpretation readers will give, the translation should use the same word used elsewhere in the Bible to speak of God’s heavenly messengers. On the translation of angels see Rev. 1.1. And for the translation of churches see Rev. 1.4.
Instead of following the order of the Greek sentence, a translation may say “This is what the seven stars … and the seven lampstands mean…” or “The meaning of … is this.”
Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Revelation to John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .