They shall bring: as it stands in Revised Standard Version, the subject of this verb is “the kings” of verse 24. This is possible, but in light of the fact that in Greek the verb here is in the future tense, whereas in verse 24 it is in the present tense, it is possible that this third person plural active form of the verb is the equivalent of a passive, “will be brought in,” with no indication of who the actor is. Following this interpretation the translation can be “the people of the world will bring” (New Revised Standard Version “People will bring…”). However, in languages that do not use the passive, translators will need to express this clause in a way similar to Revised Standard Version, using the pronoun they to refer to unknown subjects.

The glory and the honor: these two abstract nouns stand for concrete objects: “their treasure and their wealth” (New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Revised); Revised English Bible has “splendour and wealth.”

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• They will bring all the beautiful things and possessions of the people of the world into the city.

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 .