See comments on the same sentence at 2.7.

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 .

The opening of the sixth seal sets off a series of eschatological events (6.12-17); after an interlude (7.1-17) the seventh seal is broken (8.1).

When he opened: it is well to make the subject explicit, “When the Lamb opened.”

I looked, and behold: see 4.1. Revised Standard Version translates a Greek text that has behold (or “lo,” as in 4.1); this word is lacking in most manuscripts, and most modern translations do not include it. New Revised Standard Version has “When he opened the sixth seal, I looked….”

There was a great earthquake: earthquakes are frequently one of the great events marking the end of the age (see Isa 29.6; Joel 2.10; Hag 2.6; Mark 13.8). They are caused by God as a prelude to the Last Judgment. In languages that have no specific word for earthquakes, something like “a violent shaking of the earth (or, ground)” may be said.

The sun became black as sackcloth: this means that the sun stopped shining (see Isa 13.10; Ezek 32.7-8; Joel 2.10; Amos 8.9; Mark 13.24). Sackcloth is a coarse black cloth that was worn in times of mourning (see Isa 50.3). Bible en français courant, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, and Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje translate here “a mourning garment,” “mourning clothes.” In certain languages the figure of sackcloth will be unnatural. In such cases one may say, for example, “the sun stopped shining and there was complete darkness” or “the sun became dark as night.”

The full moon became like blood: the moon turned completely red, as red as blood (see the quotation of Joel 2.31 in Acts 2.20). The translation should not say, or imply, that the moon became a liquid solution, like blood. The color chosen by translators should if possible be a dark red bordering on red purple. Translators in languages that have terms like “blood red” or “blood color” should use those. One may also translate became like blood as “turn red like blood.”

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 .

From the smoke that filled the air, locusts descended upon the earth. Huge swarms of locusts were not uncommon in that part of the world (see Exo 10.1-20 for the plague of locusts in Egypt), and the prophet Joel spoke of swarms of locusts as instruments of God’s wrath. In cultures where locusts do not exist but grasshoppers are known, one may say “grasshoppers.” However, in cultures where creatures like this are nonexistent, it may be necessary to borrow a word from English or some other major language and describe the creature in the glossary. A picture of a locust will also be helpful. In some parts of the world a cultural equivalent in jungle areas may be used; for example, “(large) leaf-eating insect.” However, the insect chosen should have the tendency to appear in large numbers or swarms, as locusts do.

They were given power: these creatures are under God’s control; the power they receive is the power to injure people—the kind of power that scorpions have, that is, to sting people. As in verse 10, power here means something more like “capacity,” “capability.” In languages that do not use the passive, translators may say, for example, “they received the ability” or “someone gave them the ability.”

Scorpions of the earth: scorpions are small creatures with eight legs and a long tail that has a poisonous sting; they can inflict very painful wounds, which are sometimes fatal. The added phrase of the earth seems to mean that these are actual scorpions, unlike the locusts, which are demonic beings (verses 7-11).

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• Locusts came down out of the smoke onto the earth, and they received the power to sting people, like that of scorpions.

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 .

In Revised Standard Version the last verse of this chapter is numbered 17, and it includes what appears as verse 18 in Good News Translation. But New Revised Standard Version has verse 18 also, in agreement with the UBS Greek New Testament.

The dragon was angry with the woman: the Greek verb “to be angry” appears in Revelation only here and in 11.18, where it is translated “raged”; see the related noun “anger,” “wrath” in 6.16, 17; 11.18.

Went off to make war: see the similar expression in Rev. 12.7.

The rest of her offspring: these “other descendants” are in addition to her son (verses 5, 13); they are the faithful Christians, as the next statement makes clear. In certain languages her offspring will be expressed as “her children and grandchildren” or “those who came down from her.”

Keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus: here the verb “to keep” means “to obey” (see 1.3). And for bear testimony to Jesus, the Greek has “and have (or, hold) the testimony of Jesus,” which may be translated as Good News Translation has it, “are faithful to the truth revealed by Jesus.” See the discussion of “testimony of Jesus Christ” in 1.2, where it is taken to mean “truth coming from Jesus Christ.”

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 .

Another angel: this one is in addition to the three angels of verses 6, 8, 9. It should be quite clear in translation that the phrase another angel does not imply that “the one like a son of man” is also an angel.

The temple: this is the temple in heaven, as in verse 17, below. It will be helpful in many languages to make this information explicit and say “the temple in heaven,” as this is the first mention of this temple since 11.19.

Calling with a loud voice: this angel is announcing God’s command to the Messiah. As the New Testament makes clear, only God knows the time of the final Judgment (see Mark 13.32). In certain languages translators will prefer to say “and shouted” or similar language.

Put in your sickle, and reap: the most natural way of saying this may be “Start working with your sickle and reap,” “Start reaping with your sickle,” or “Take your sickle and begin to cut.”

The harvest of the earth is fully ripe: there may be some trouble in making the meaning of this clear. Here the earth stands for humanity, so that “the earth” itself is the harvest. The translation should try to keep the figure of reaping the harvest with a sickle. However, if the word for reap in a language means literally to “cut and collect” or “gather” crops, alternative ways of translating the command would be “Get to work with your sickle! The harvest on earth is now completely ripe, and the time has come to reap the harvest” or “Start cutting with your sickle (or, knife, or machete for reaping). What is to be gathered on the earth is now ripe (or, ready), and it is now the time to gather them.”

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 .

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls: these are the angels of chapter 16.

Came: presumably the angel came from heaven down to earth, where John was.

The judgment of the great harlot: see comments on the verb “to judge,” 6.10; the noun occurs also at 18.10, 20; 20.4. The word for judgment may mean “condemnation,” so that a translation can say “I will show you how God is going to condemn (or, punish) the great harlot.” In translating the word for harlot, care should be taken not to use a vulgar or obscene term. The translation of great is a problem, for in English, at least, “great” refers either to size (large) or quality (excellent). Something like “notorious,” or “powerful,” or “infamous” will be better. Other terms for harlot in various languages are “woman who sells her body,” “woman of the night,” “woman of bad reputation,” or just “bad woman.”

John is speaking of “Babylon,” that is, Rome (see comment at verse 18). The prophet Nahum (3.1-4) called Nineveh a whore, and Isaiah said the same of Jerusalem (1.21) and of the city of Tyre (23.15-16).

Who is seated upon many waters: this describes the city as being near rivers, which fits the city of Babylon (see Jer 51.13), not the city of Rome itself. The Greek preposition translated upon by Revised Standard Version may mean “by” or “near” as in John 21.1, “by the Sea of Tiberias,” which suits the meaning of the passage here. There may be some difficulty in maintaining the figure of a prostitute sitting near many rivers, and a translation may want to follow the lead of Good News Translation and say “the infamous prostitute, that is, the great city that stands near many rivers.”

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 .

They threw dust on their heads: a sign of grief (see Ezek 27.30). So one may translate “They threw dust on their heads to show their grief (or, how sorry they were).”

Wept and mourned: as in verses 11 and 15.

Alas, alas for the great city: as in verses 10 and 16.

Where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth: “all seafaring traders became rich from her wealth (or, prosperity)” or “all shipowners who travel on the sea to buy and sell gained many possessions from Babylon’s wealth.” The Greek word translated wealth is the superlative form of the adjective “valuable” (see its use in verse 12, “costly wood”), and appears only here in the New Testament.

In one hour she has been laid waste: see the similar expression in verse 17.

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 .