Told him to give me: it may be better to translate “asked him to give me” or “asked him, ‘Please give me….’ ”

The little scroll: the word that is used in Rev. 10.2.

Take it and eat: it is better to have the object with the verb eat as well: “Take it and eat it.”

It will be bitter to your stomach, but sweet as honey in your mouth: for a similar situation see Ezek 2.8–3.3. The Greek text uses the verb “to make bitter,” “to embitter” (as in 8.11). This may be represented by “sour” or “acid.” The logical order would be “sweet as honey in your mouth but bitter in your stomach,” as in the next verse; a translation is advised to stay with the order of the Greek text. Honey: this, of course, refers to the sweet product of the bodies of bees, and certain cultures call honey “bee excretion” or “bee water.” In cultures where bees and honey are unknown, it will be permissible to use some other sweet substance; for example, “sweet as sugar,” “sweet as syrup,” or simply “very sweet.” The emphasis here is not on “honey” itself but on “sweetness.”

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 .