Section 15:1–8

Seven angels held seven plagues and victorious believers sang

In this section, John saw another sign in heaven. The sign was seven angels ready to cause seven plagues. He also saw a group of believers who had not submitted to Satan. They sang a song of praise to God and Jesus. Then he saw the seven angels prepare to inflict the plagues on those who refused to submit to God.

Other examples of headings for this section are:

John saw seven angels ⌊empowered to cause seven plagues⌋ and a group of believers in heaven
-or-
The believers who were victorious over the beast ⌊sang praise⌋

Paragraph 15:1

15:1a

Then I saw another great and marvelous sign in heaven: The Greek clause is literally “I saw another sign in heaven great and marvelous.” The phrase great and marvelous describes the sign. It occurs last in the clause to emphasize the fact that John thought that the sign was great and marvelous. For example:

I saw in heaven another sign, indeed a great and marvelous one:

great: Here the word great refers to the intensity or importance of the sign. The word here does not refer to the size of the sign. Other ways to translate this word are:

spectacular
-or-
important

marvelous: This word refers to something that causes wonder, awe, or amazement. Other ways to translate this word are:

wonderful (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
amazing (Good News Translation)

sign: The word sign refers to something that has a symbolic meaning. It suggests or points to something other than itself. Other ways to translate this word are:

mysterious sight (Good News Translation)
-or-
portent (Revised Standard Version)

See how you translated this word in 12:1 or 13:13.

heaven: The word heaven refers here to the place where God lives.

15:1b–c

The sign (15:1a) is described here. The Berean Standard Bible indicates this with a colon (:) at the end of 15:1a. The Revised Standard Version uses a comma (,) and allows the context to imply the connection in English. Other ways to translate this connection are:

There were… (Good News Translation)
-or-
which was…
-or-
namely,…

seven angels with the seven final plagues, with which the wrath of God is completed: The words after the long dash explain why these plagues were the last plagues. Other ways to translate this are:

seven plagues, which are the last ones, because they are the final expression of God’s anger (Good News Translation)
-or-
seven plagues. These plagues are the last ones because when they occur God’s anger is finished
-or-
seven plagues. These plagues are the last ones because God’s anger will end after they happen

with: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as with is literally “having.” The word “having” indicates that the angels were somehow holding the plagues. They would mix these plagues in the bowls (15:7b). Other ways to translate this word are:

who had (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
bearing
-or-
bringing

plagues: This word refers to disasters that harm a lot of people. It can refer to diseases that kill many people. It can refer to locusts that damage many crops. See how you translated this word in 6:8 or 11:6.

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