20:8a

the four corners of the earth: This idiom refers to four places that are as far away from each other as possible. Here the idiom implies the whole world. Satan will deceive all nations.

Some languages do not have an idiom that refers to four places which together mean the whole world. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Refer to the north, south, east, and west. For example:

in the north, the east, the south, and the west of the earth

• Translate the meaning without the idiom. For example:

all places on the earth, both near and far

Also see how you translated this phrase in 7:1. But note that the meaning is a little different here. Here it refers to anywhere on earth, but in 7:1 it refers to four places that are very far away from each other.

20:8b

Gog and Magog: The Greek grammar indicates that the phrase Gog and Magog explains “the nations in the four corners of the earth.” The names appear in Ezekiel 38–39 as the names of nations who will gather to fight against Israel. So John probably uses the names here to refer to enemies of God from all nations.

In some languages a literal translation would not clearly have this meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Explain the meaning of the names in a footnote. An example footnote is:

These names appear in Ezekiel 38–39. John used them here to refer to enemies of God from all nations.

• Indicate in your translation that they are symbolic names. For example:

⌊the evil/hostile nations symbolically named⌋ Gog and Magog

assemble them for battle: In some languages there is a special word for assembling troops to prepare for war. For example:

mobilise them for war (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
muster them for war (Revised English Bible)

20:8c

Their number is like the sand of the seashore: This clause is a metaphor. It indicates that the number of those who gathered for battle was very great. Other ways to translate this clause are:

as many as the grains of sand on the seashore (Good News Translation)
-or-
They will be as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore (God’s Word)

In some languages a literal translation of this metaphor would not have the correct meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Explain the metaphor in your translation. For example:

They are ⌊so many that counting them would be⌋ like ⌊trying to⌋ count each grain of sand on the seashore

• Translate the literal meaning of the metaphor and explain its meaning in a footnote. For example:

This saying exaggerates the count to indicate “very many.”

• Use a common word or phrase in your language that exaggerates the meaning of “very many” or “uncountable.” You may then want to indicate the literal words in a footnote. An example footnote is:

Literally: “their number is like the sand of the sea.”

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