SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 2020 – Page 2

SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 20:1

Section 20:1–6

Christ reigned for a thousand years

In this section, John saw an angel take Satan and put him into the Abyss. The angel then locked the opening to it. Satan had to stay in the Abyss for one thousand years. He was not allowed to deceive the nations during that time.

Then John saw that Christ ruled during those one thousand years. He gathered believers whom the beast had beheaded and caused them to live again. He had them rule with him.

Other examples of headings for this section are:

The Thousand Year Reign (NET Bible)
-or-
Christ ruled for 1,000 years

Paragraph 20:1–3

20:1a

heaven: Here this word refers to the place where God lives.

20:1b

with the key to the Abyss, holding in his hand a great chain: The Greek words are literally “having the key to the Abyss and a great chain in his hand.” It indicates that the angel held both a key and a chain in his hand. For example:

He had the key to the bottomless pit and a large chain in his hand (New Century Version)
-or-
holding in his hand the key of the abyss and a heavy chain (Good News Translation)

the Abyss: The word Abyss refers to a very deep pit or chasm. It indicates that the pit or chasm was too deep to measure. Here it probably refers to something underground rather than a chasm. See how you translated this word in 9:1 or 17:8.

a great chain: A chain is made from circles of metal linked together. It is flexible like rope but much stronger. Here the chain is used to restrain Satan.

In some languages people are not familiar with chains. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Use a word in your language for something used to tie people so they cannot escape. For example:

rope

You may then want to explain the literal word in a footnote. An example footnote is:

Literally: “chain.” A chain is made by linking circles of metal together. Here the chain is used like rope to tie/restrain Satan so that he cannot escape.

• Use the major language word. If people are not familiar with this word, explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:

A chain is made by linking circles/ovals of metal together. Here the chain is used like rope to tie/restrain Satan so that he cannot escape.

great: This word indicates that the chain was thick and strong.

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 21:18

21:18a

jasper: This word refers to a spotted or veined stone of a variety of colors. It is often a reddish color, but can also be deep green, brown, or deep yellow. See how you translated this word in 21:11.

21:18b

the city itself of pure gold: This phrase indicates that everything in the city was made of pure gold. This would include the buildings and at least the main street (21:21b).

pure gold: The word pure refers to something without dirt or blemish. The gold had nothing else in it.

as pure as glass: There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as pure :

(1) The phrase indicates that the gold is very pure. For example:

as pure as glass (New Century Version)

(2) The phrase indicates the gold is see-through. For example:

as clear as glass (Good News Translation)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because the word pure should be understood in the same way here as in the phrase “pure gold.” Other ways to translate this phrase are:

with the brilliance of glass (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
bright as clear glass (Revised English Bible)

The Greek word also means “clean.” John probably implies that the city is acceptable to God. The Jews and Jesus used the word “clean” in the same way (Matthew 23:26, Luke 11:41, John 13:10) The gold of the city is completely without dirt or blemish. For example:

as clean as glass

SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 1:18

1:18a

the Living One: The phrase the Living One is a second title. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

and the Living One
-or-
and ⌊I am⌋ the One Who Lives

The title the Living One means “the one who lives.” Jesus used it as a title for himself.

1:18b

I was dead: Here the past tense indicates that Jesus was dead in the past, but God caused him to live again. He was alive at the time he spoke to John.

In some languages it is more natural to include the implied information that Jesus was dead but now is no longer dead. For example:

⌊Previously⌋ I was dead
-or-
I was dead ⌊before⌋

behold: This word emphasizes or calls attention to the words that follow. Here it indicates that what Jesus was about to say is important. Sometimes behold is translated as “look.” However, here it is not a command to look at something.

If you have a word that emphasizes the words that follow, you may want to use it here. Some examples are:

see (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
indeed/hey
-or-
look (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
listen

forever and ever: The Greek phrase is literally “into/unto the ages of the ages.” The phrase means “always” or “eternally.” Other ways to translate this phrase are:

for evermore (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
for all ages to come

You should translate this phrase as you did in 1:6.

1:18c

I hold the keys of: The symbol of the keys indicates that Jesus had power and authority over death and Hades. Other ways to translate this clause are:

I have the keys of (English Standard Version)
-or-
I have authority over (Good News Translation)

Hades: The word Hades refers to the place where the spirits of dead people live before God judges everyone.

Some ways to translate Hades are:

• Use the name in your language for the place of the spirits of dead people.

Use a descriptive phrase. For example:

the place of the dead (New Century Version)
-or-
the land/world of the dead

• Use the Greek word and explain it in your translation. For example:

Hades, ⌊the place of the dead⌋

• Use the Greek word and explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:

Hades is the place where the spirits of dead people live until God judges everyone.

Or see Hades in the Key Biblical Terms.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 3:2

3:2a

Wake up: This is a figure of speech by which Jesus commanded the believers at Sardis to begin following/obeying him well. He compares this change to waking up from sleep and being alert. He wanted them to understand the danger they were in.

In some languages the expression Wake up is not used in that way. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Explain the meaning in your translation. For example:

Wake up ⌊and see/realize that your faith is dead.⌋

• Use another saying that warns someone about a danger. For example:

Look out!
-or-
Pay attention!

You may then want to tell the literal words in a footnote. For example:

Literally: “Wake up!”

• Translate literally and explain its meaning in a footnote. Some example footnotes are:

This command indicates that the believers in Sardis needed to become aware that they were not following/obeying Jesus well. They needed to realize that they were in danger because of that.
-or-
This command indicates that these believers needed to realize they were following/obeying Jesus poorly.

strengthen what remains, which was about to die: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as what remains is “the remaining (things).” It probably refers to all the good ways that believers are supposed behave in regard to their faith. They should have love, faith, service, and perseverance. The believers in Sardis did not love very much or believe very much or serve very much or persevere very much.

The phrase was about to die indicates that their small amount of love, faith, service, and perseverance was becoming even less. The command to strengthen indicates that they should increase their love, faith, service, and perseverance. Other ways to translate this whole clause are:

strengthen what you still have before it dies completely (Good News Translation)
-or-
Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. (New Living Translation (2004))

In some languages a literal translation would not have the correct meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Explain what this refers to in your translation. For example:

strengthen your weak faith that is left which is close to ceasing-to-exist.
-or-
Your faith is growing small and about to end, so make it big/full

• Speak of people strengthening themselves. For example:

Make yourselves stronger before what you have left dies completely. (New Century Version)
-or-
You have only a little strength left, and it is almost gone. So try to become stronger. (Contemporary English Version)

• Use words different from strengthen or die. For example:

your faith is small and getting smaller, so make it big
-or-
your way of doing good deeds is like a fire about to go out, so help each other make the way good again

3:2b

for: This word introduces a reason for the warning in 3:2a.

I have found your deeds incomplete: There are two ways to interpret the Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as I have found your deeds incomplete :

(1) It refers to the believers not finishing the deeds that God or Jesus had given them to do. For example:

I have found that what you are doing has not been completed (God’s Word)

(2) It refers to the believers not doing the deeds well. For example:

I find that what you have done is not yet perfect (Good News Translation)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because the Greek word refers to something which is full or complete rather than the quality of something which is perfect. Other ways to translate interpretation (1) are:

I have not found any work of yours brought to completion (Revised English Bible)
-or-
I have found that what you are doing is less than what my God wants. (New Century Version)

in the sight of My God: This phrase is more literally “before My God.” It means “as God thinks about it” or “according to God.” Other ways to translate this phrase are:

before God (King James Version)
-or-
by God’s measure

SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 3:13

Paragraph 3:13

3:13

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches: Translate this command as you did in 3:6.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 5:12

5:12a

In a loud voice they were saying: The Greek words are literally “saying with a loud voice” (as in the Revised Standard Version). They probably all spoke in unison. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

They proclaimed with loud voices (Revised English Bible)
-or-
loudly chanting (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
saying ⌊in unison⌋ with loud voices

5:12b–d

5:12b–d is an exclamation of praise. It is like a song or poem. You may want to translate it like a song or poem.

The angels sang about Jesus using the third person (“he, him”). But Jesus was there (5:8). In some languages it is more natural to use second person (“you”). For example:

The Lamb, you were slain and you are worthy to receive…

5:12b

Worthy is the Lamb: See how you translated the word Worthy in 5:9. Here the word Worthy is emphasized in the Greek and the Berean Standard Bible. If possible, emphasize the word Worthy naturally in your language. For example:

The Lamb is indeed worthy

who was slain: This clause tells the reader more about the Lamb. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly indicate that there are other people with the title “Lamb,” and only this one was slain. If that is true in your language, translate this clause so that it tells more about the Lamb. One way to do that is to start a new sentence here. For example:

He was slain.

This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. In this verse, the exact people who killed Jesus is not important. For example:

whom ⌊they/people⌋ killed
-or-

⌊They/People⌋ killed him

See how you translated the similar clause “to have been slain” in 5:6.

5:12c

to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength: The Lamb is worthy to have power and riches and wisdom and strength. This phrase is similar to 4:11b where the elders said that God was worthy “to receive glory and honor and power.” Some languages are able to translate in a similar way here. For example:

for ⌊people/everyone⌋ to praise your power and wealth and wisdom and strength
-or-
that we acknowledge your power and wealth and wisdom and strength
-or-
that ⌊all beings⌋ praise your power and wealth and wisdom and strength

power…strength: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as power and strength are similar. They both refer to power, force, and strength. The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as power also can refer to ability.

Both words are probably used here to emphasize God’s power. If possible, use two different words for the meaning of “power,” “strength,” “might,” or “ability.”

In some languages, there is only one word that means both power and strength. If that is true in your language, either translate the first as “ability,” or use just the one word for a total of three things in this list. For example:

to receive ability and wealth and wisdom and strength
-or-
to receive power and wealth and wisdom

wisdom: The word wisdom means “be able to understand events and know what should be done.”

In some languages it is more natural to translate wisdom as a phrase. For example:

wise words and actions
-or-
right and just thinking

5:12d

and honor and glory and blessing: These words continue the list that started in 5:12c. The words honor and glory are used in a similar way in 4:11. See how you translated those words there.

In some languages it is more natural to start a new sentence here. For example:

The Lamb is ⌊also⌋ worthy for everyone to honor, glorify, and praise him!

blessing: The Greek word the Berean Standard Bible translates as blessing can also be translated as “praise.” It refers to speaking good words about someone or honoring him. The Lamb is worthy of everyone’s blessing/praise.

In some languages it is more natural to translate this noun as a verb. See the above example.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 7:16

7:16a–b

‘Never again will they hunger, and never will they thirst: The Greek words are literally “They will hunger no more and thirst no more” (as in the New Revised Standard Version). The phrase “no more” is repeated to emphasize that phrase. The repeated words in the Greek makes the two clauses poetic. For example:

Those people will never be hungry again, and they will never be thirsty again (New Century Version)

But in some languages it is more natural not to repeat the words. For example:

They will never hunger or thirst again (New Jerusalem Bible)

7:16c–d

nor will the sun beat down upon them, nor any scorching heat: These two clauses have a similar meaning. Together they emphasize that the believers will not suffer from the hot sun anymore. John probably implies a complete lack of suffering or trouble here, but the English versions all translate the Greek literally. Other ways to translate these words are:

Neither the sun nor any burning heat will ever overcome them (God’s Word)
-or-
neither sun nor any scorching heat will burn them (Good News Translation)
-or-
The sun will not hurt them, and no heat will burn them (New Century Version)

nor any scorching heat: The phrase “will…beat down upon them” is implied from 7:16c. But it is not repeated here in the Greek or in the Berean Standard Bible. In some languages it is more natural to repeat some or all of that phrase. For example:

nor will any scorching heat ⌊beat upon them⌋

scorching heat: This phrase refers to heat that can burn. For example:

burning heat (God’s Word)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 9:19

9:19a

For: Here the Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For introduces an explanation for the plagues. Some English versions omit the conjunction. Connect 9:19a to 9:18 in a way that is natural in your language.

the power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails: The horses killed people with the plagues from their mouths. They also hurt people with bites of their snake-like tails.

the power of the horses: Here the word power refers to the ability to hurt people. The word does not refer to physical strength here. In some languages including this implied information in your translation will make the meaning clearer. For example:

The power of the horses ⌊to hurt people⌋
-or-
The horses’ ability ⌊to kill people⌋

9:19b

indeed: This conjunction introduces an explanation of 9:19a. For example:

because (NET Bible)

Some English versions only use a semi-colon or leave the connection implied.

having heads with which to inflict harm: This clause explains how the tails of the horses were like snakes. Their tails had something that looked like the heads of poisonous snakes. Other ways to translate this clause are:

and had heads which inflicted wounds (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
with heads, and they use them to hurt people (Good News Translation)
-or-
having heads that were able to hurt/wound people

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 2020