15:6a
And out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues: The Greek words here use normal Greek word order. But the Berean Standard Bible and some English versions emphasize the phrase out of the temple. You should use your normal word order here. For example:
The seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple (Good News Translation)
with: The Greek word is literally “having.” See how you translated this word in 15:1.
15:6b
dressed in clean and bright linen: This clause explains that their clothing was made of clean and bright linen. But it does not describe the kind of clothing. If possible, use a general word for clothing. For example:
clothed in linen, clean and bright (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
wearing clothes made of clean, shining linen
Some languages must say what kind of clothing it is. If that is true in your language, you should refer to a robe. For example:
robed in pure bright linen (Revised Standard Version)
bright: Here the word bright probably refers to the linen being bright. For example:
bright (Revised Standard Version)
linen: This word refers to expensive cloth made from a plant called flax. The cloth is smooth and strong, yet it is also soft.
In some languages people are not familiar with linen. If that is true in your language, you may want to:
• Explain the meaning in your translation. For example:
flax cloth
-or-
smooth cloth
• Use the major language word. If people are not familiar with this word, explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:
Linen is an expensive cloth made from a plant called flax. The cloth is smooth and strong yet soft.
15:6c
girded with golden sashes around their chests: The angels were wearing sashes similar to what Jesus wore, described in 1:13. See how you translated the similar words (“with a golden sash around his chest”) there.
golden: The word golden indicates that the sashes were woven of thread made of gold. Gold is a rare metal of a somewhat yellow color. It was the most expensive metal at that time. It is naturally shiny and beautiful.
Some languages do not have a word for “gold.” If that is true in your language, you should use the major language word. See how you translated this word in 1:12 or 8:3.
sashes: A sash went around the body like a belt but at chest height.
chests: This word refers to the part of the body below the shoulders but above the stomach and waist. It does not include the arms.
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