A great, high wall: this can be translated “a very high wall” or “a strong, high wall.” It may be necessary to say “It had a very high wall around it.” In many cultures high wall will be expressed as “high fence.”

Twelve gates … twelve angels … the names of the twelve tribes: it should be clear in the translation that there was one angel standing guard at each of the twelve gates, and one name on each gate. In many languages it will be necessary to say “at each of the gates there was an angel on guard (or, watching it).”

The twelve tribes of the sons of Israel: this can be more simply said “the twelve tribes of Israel.” The whole sentence may be expressed as “On the gates they had written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, one name on each gate.”

Commentators note the rather unusual sequence of the points of the compass: east, north, south, west (as in Ezek 42.16-19). In Ezek 48.30-34 the order is north, east, south, west, and in 1 Chr 9.24 it is east, west, north, south. Some try to find a hidden meaning in the order followed; if there is such a meaning, it is not obvious to the reader. Some languages have a fixed sequence that is followed, such as English “north, south, east, and west.” A translator should feel free to follow such a sequence in the language into which the translation is being done.

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 .