Paragraph 8:10–11
8:10a
third: This refers to the next item after the second one. If counted, this item would be counted as number three. See how you translated this word in 4:7 or 6:5.
8:10b
a great star burning like a torch fell from heaven: The phrase burning like a torch describes the great star. But the main event is that it fell from heaven.
In some languages it is more natural to have the words burning like a torch after the word fell. For example:
a great star fell from heaven. It was burning like a torch… (Contemporary English Version)
burning like a torch: The word torch here refers to a branch of wood with one end covered with something that burns easily. This end is set on fire. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
burning like a torch (New Century Version)
-or-
flaming like a torch (God’s Word)
See how you translated the word torch and the illustration at 4:5.
fell: This word indicates that the star descended very quickly. Other ways to translate this word are:
dropped (Good News Translation)
-or-
plummeted
-or-
crashed
heaven: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as heaven can refer to either the sky or heaven. Some languages are like Greek, having only one word that means both “heaven” and “sky.” Other languages are like English, having two words. If your language has two words, translate the Greek word as “sky” here.
8:10c
on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water: Here the word third means “one out of three.” These phrases probably indicate that the star affected one out of every three rivers and one out of every three springs. Other ways to translate these phrases are:
on one in every three rivers and springs of water
-or-
on one of every three rivers and on ⌊one of every three⌋ springs of water
-or-
It fell on one part of the rivers and springs and on two parts it did not fall
springs of water: Here the word springs refers to places where water arises out of the ground. In some languages it is not necessary to include the phrase of water. For example:
springs (God’s Word)
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