Swore by him who: this may be expressed by “made a solemn promise in the name of him who” or “took a vow in the name of him who,” “made a strong promise in,” or “stated solemnly, using God’s name, that everything he would say is true.” The name of God is used in order to show that what the angel is about to say is absolutely true. See A Handbook on the Gospel of Matthew, page 144, for a detailed discussion on the difference in English between “promise,” “vow,” “swear,” or “oath.” In this context the angel is taking an oath, making a solemn statement, with God as witness, that something is true.

Him who lives for ever and ever: see 4.10 for this way of speaking about God.

Created heaven … the earth … and the sea: this means the whole universe. The addition in each case of and what is in it (see also 12.12) is meant to emphasize that everything that exists, animate and inanimate, was all created by God (see 14.7).

That there should be no more delay: instead of using the indirect discourse, as Revised Standard Version does, it is better to use direct discourse, with a colon or comma and quotation marks to begin the message of the angel (as most translations do). This avoids the ambiguity of should of Revised Standard Version, which can be taken to mean “there ought not to be any more delay.” New Revised Standard Version reads “There will be no more delay, but in the days when the seventh angel is to blow his trumpet, the mystery of God will be fulfilled, as he announced to his servants the prophets.”

If the impersonal form “there will be no more delay” of the Greek and the English is difficult or unnatural in other languages, the translation can be “God will not wait any longer.” New Jerusalem Bible translates “The time of waiting is over”; this is a good model to imitate.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• And he solemnly stated, using the name of God who never dies and who created the universe, that he was speaking the truth. He said, “God will not wait any longer to do what he has planned….”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Revelation to John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .