Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet: see 8.7, 8, 10, 12; 9.1, 13.

There were loud voices in heaven, saying: this can be expressed by “loud voices were heard in heaven; they said” or “I heard loud voices in heaven that said.” It is assumed that these are angels speaking, but the text does not identify the speakers. However, in languages that cannot talk about voices speaking, one must say, for example, “I heard angels (or, many speakers) in heaven saying in a loud voice….” The translator should consider the possibility of presenting the rest of the verse as poetry (see Section F of the introduction, “Translating the Revelation to John,” pages 6 and following).

The kingdom of the world: the Greek word for kingdom here does not mean a region or country ruled by a king but the power to rule as king: kingship, sovereignty, dominion. God and his Messiah have now taken complete control over the world. The underlying thought is that they have defeated Satan and his servants, who had been allowed to rule for a while. Bible en français courant and Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje translate “The power to rule over the world,” Biblia Dios Habla Hoy “the right to rule over the world.” Translator’s New Testament and Revised English Bible have “Sovereignty over the world,” while Barclay uses a more dynamic expression, “Our Lord and his Messiah have become the sovereigns of the world.” The abstract notion of sovereignty or kingship may be difficult to express; and it may not be enough simply to say, as Good News Translation does, “The power to rule over the world belongs now” to God and his Messiah. It should be said that now they have actually begun to rule.

Has become: this implies that the power to rule now belongs to them and not to someone else. Revised English Bible has “has passed to….”

Of our Lord and of his Christ: here our Lord means God, and our is inclusive. The phrase his Christ (a title) may be better expressed by “his Anointed One” or “his Chosen One,” if it is clear to the reader that Jesus Christ is meant. The possessive his (Christ) means “the one he chose to be the Messiah” or “… Anointed Savior.” An alternate translation model for this clause is “Our [inclusive] God and the one he has chosen to be the Savior have the right now to rule over the world.”

And he shall reign for ever and ever: the singular subject here is God, and the grammar should be faithfully followed. That the Messiah will reign with God is implicit but should not be explicitly stated. For the expression for ever and ever, see 1.6.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and I heard angels in heaven speaking loudly and saying, “Our God and his chosen Savior have the right to rule over the whole world, and God will rule for all time to come.”

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 .