10:6a

swore by Him: The word swore refers to calling upon someone greater to be a witness that what the speaker was saying is true. It is implied that this other being will punish the speaker if what he said is not true. It does not indicate that the speaker is using bad or inappropriate words.

Here the angel called on God to witness that his statement of 10:6e–7c was true. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

spoke a vow that his words are true according to him
-or-
promised with an oath calling the name of him
-or-
called for support for his words from him

Him who lives forever and ever: This phrase refers to God. He lives eternally. For example:

God who lives forever (Contemporary English Version)

forever and ever: The Greek phrase is literally “into the ages of the ages.” The word “age” refers to a very long time. So the phrase “the ages of the ages” refers to eternity. For example:

the living one of the timeless ages (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

10:6b–d

who created heaven and everything in it, the earth and everything in it, and the sea and everything in it: This clause tells the reader more about God. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly indicate that there are other gods that John was thinking of and only this one created heaven and all other things. If that is true in your language, translate this clause so that it tells more about the only true God. One way to do that is to start a new sentence here. For example:

He created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it.

Also see the General Comment at 10:6e about reordering the information in this verse.

10:6b

created: This word means “made.” God made all these things from nothing. For example:

made (New Jerusalem Bible)

heaven and everything in it: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as heaven and it are singular. But the phrase refers to the sky and everything in it, such as the stars, the moon, and the planets. For example:

the skies and all that is in them (New Century Version)
-or-
the sky and space and all that is in those things

10:6c

the earth and everything in it: This phrase refers to the world and all the animals and plants that live here.

10:6d

the sea and everything in it: This phrase refers to all the seas and oceans of the world. It includes everything that lives in them; for example, fish, animals, and plants.

10:6e

There will be no more delay: The word delay refers to a time of waiting. This clause indicates that the final events are about to occur. For example:

The time of waiting is over (New Jerusalem Bible)

General Comment on 10:6a–e

10:6a indicates that an angel made an oath. It also describes God. 10:6b–d also describes God. 10:6e then begins to tell what the angel said. His words was supported by his oath in 10:6a.

In some languages it is more natural to separate the description from the main event. If that is true in your language, you may want to translate this verse as more than one sentence. You may also want to reorder those sentences. For example:

6a And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, 6b who created the heavens and all that is in them, 6c the earth and all that is in it, 6d and the sea and all that is in it. 6e ⌊Finishing the oath,⌋ ⌊the angel,⌋ said, “There will be no more delay!
-or-

6a And he made an oath, asking the eternal God to be a witness to what he said. 6b God is the one who created the heavens and all that is in them. 6c ⌊He created⌋ the earth and all that is in it. 6d ⌊He created⌋ the sea and all that is in it. 6e ⌊After making that oath, the angel⌋ said, “There will be no more delay!
-or-

6a God lives for ever and ever. 6b He created the heavens and all that is in them, 6c the earth and all that is in it, 6d and the sea and all that is in it. 6a In the name of God, the angel made an oath 6e and said, “There will be no more delay!

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