Nothing unclean: the use of the neuter “no thing” in the Greek seems to imply vessels or other objects used in worship; but in light of the following masculine, literally “the one who does abomination and lie,” the initial nothing unclean probably includes people as well as objects. Here unclean means ceremonially impure, profane as opposed to sacred. In certain languages this will be expressed as “taboo objects” or “objects with bad taboo.”

Anyone who practices abomination or falsehood: for abomination see 17.4, 5; and see “polluted” and comments in 21.8. In the Old Testament both terms are used to indicate the worship of idols, and that may be the meaning here.

Those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life: see 3.5; 13.8; 17.8; 20.12, 15.

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 .