Men were scorched by the fierce heat: something like “people received severe burns” can be said. The verb chosen to translate scorched (Good News Translation “burned”) should not mean “destroyed by fire.” One may also translate “The sun caused people to receive severe (or, painful) burns with its terrible heat.”

They cursed the name of God: see 13.6, “blaspheming the name,” where the same Greek verb is used.

Had power over these plagues: the use of the past tense of the verb, had, may wrongly imply that God no longer has this authority. For power see 2.26. For comments on plagues see 9.18.

They did not repent and give him glory: for repent see 2.5; for give him glory see 11.13. Something like “praise his greatness” or “acknowledge his power” expresses the meaning of the phrase. Alternative translation models for this final sentence are “They did not stop sinning and would not praise God’s greatness” or “… and would not say, ‘God, you are very great (or, powerful).’ ”

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 .