17:2a

The kings of the earth were immoral with her: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as with her is literally “with whom” (as in the Revised Standard Version), connecting to “the great prostitute” in 17:1. It is emphasized in the Greek by putting it at the beginning of the sentence. For example:

With her the kings of the earth committed adultery (New International Version (2011))

Some languages must put the phrase with her after the verb, as the Berean Standard Bible does.

The kings of the earth: This phrase refers to the leaders of nations around the world.

were immoral: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as were immoral refers generally to having sexual relations with someone who is not one’s spouse. It refers to both married and unmarried people.

In your culture, you may use a euphemism for this Greek word. For example:

slept with women who was not their spouses
-or-
did wrong with women who were not their wives

The word or phrase you use should be acceptable for reading aloud in public. See how you translated this phrase in 2:14 (“commit sexual immorality”).

This metaphor refers to the shameful deeds and greed of these kings. They were happy to be seduced by this woman. She lured them through offers of riches and power.

In some languages a literal translation would not indicate the figurative meaning of were immoral. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:

The kings of the earth did shameful things/deeds with ⌊the people of⌋ this city

• Explain its figurative meaning in a footnote. For example:

This word/phrase indicates that the kings joined with the people of this city and did shameful things/deeds in the same way that someone commits adultery with a prostitute.

17:2b

those who dwell on the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality: This clause symbolically indicates that the woman’s activities caused people to lose self-control and right thinking, just as wine does.

In some languages it is more natural to translate this clause with her immorality as the subject. You may compare them to wine in a simile. For example:

Her adulteries, like wine, made the people of the earth drunk

It is also possible to leave the wine implicit, because it is implied by the word intoxicated. For example:

Her immoral ways have intoxicated the earth’s inhabitants

were intoxicated: This phrase refers to being drunk, in this case from wine. A person who drinks too much wine is unable to think, speak, or act normally. Use the word or phrase that is natural in your language to describe being intoxicated.

the wine of her immorality: This phrase compares the woman’s immorality to wine. This is a figure of speech referring to the idolatry and excessive pleasures of the great city. Another way to translate this is:

her immoral ways, just like wine

wine: Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from the juice of grapes. In some languages people are not familiar with wine. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Explain the meaning in your translation. For example:

alcoholic grape juice/drink

• Use the word for the common alcoholic beverage in your area. You may then want a footnote to explain the literal word. You may have to use the major language word for wine. For example:

Literally: “wine.”

See how you translated this word in 14:8 or 16:19.

General Comment on 17:2b

17:2b uses the metaphor of being drunk with wine to refer to a state of spiritual folly. The people worshiped the false gods of Babylon and shared in her excessive luxury. This caused them to become incapable of understanding spiritual things, which is like being drunk. In some languages a literal translation would not indicate the correct figurative meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Translate literally and explain its meaning in a footnote. For example:

The phrase “intoxicated with the wine of her immorality” indicates that people participated in idolatry and excessive luxuries with the evil city. That caused them to become spiritually foolish.

• Explain its meaning in your translation. For example:

and the inhabitants of the earth became ⌊spiritually like a⌋ drunk person from sharing in her idolatry and her excessive luxuries

© 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

19:3a

a second time they called out: The Greek clause is literally “they said a second time.” It indicates they spoke more. It does not mean that they repeated exactly what they said earlier.

called out: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as called out is literally “said.” Translate this word as you did in 19:1.

19:3b

Her smoke rises: This phrase refers to evidence of the punishment that was given to Babylon. The beast and the ten kings will burn the city named Babylon (17:16) but God’s punishment lasts forever. The Greek grammar and the Berean Standard Bible have the focus on the smoke. The focus is not on who burned her here. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

her smoke (New Century Version)
-or-
the smoke from her ⌊punishment⌋

forever and ever: The Greek phrase is literally “into the ages of the ages.” The word “age” refers to a very long time. So the phrase “the ages of the ages” refers to eternity. For example:

for timeless ages (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

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Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

20:14a

Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire: This clause symbolically indicates that Death and Hades will be destroyed so that they will no longer have any effect on people. After this time, no one will die and no one will go to Hades.

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

• Explain its meaning in your translation. For example:

death and Hades were ⌊destroyed by being⌋ thrown into the lake of fire
-or-
death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire ⌊and therefore became useless/powerless⌋

• Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:

death and Hades were destroyed
-or-
death and Hades became useless/powerless

You may then want to indicate the literal words in a footnote. An example footnote is:

Literally: “death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.” These words indicate that death and Hades will be destroyed. They will longer have any effect on people.

• Explain its figurative meaning in a footnote. An example footnote is:

This saying refers figuratively to death and Hades being destroyed so that they no longer have any effect on people.

Death and Hades were thrown: This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

⌊God⌋ threw death and Hades
-or-

⌊they/someone⌋ threw death and Hades
-or-

⌊God commanded/caused someone to⌋ throw death and Hades

20:14b

This is the second death—the lake of fire:
The first death is when a person’s body dies on earth. The phrase the second death refers to being thrown into the lake of fire. Other ways to translate this clause are:

The lake of fire is what is called the second death
-or-
The lake of fire is the second time of dying

See how you translated the phrase second death in 20:6.

the second death: This phrase is emphasized in the Greek. If possible, emphasize this phrase.

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Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

3:15a

I know your deeds: Here the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as deeds means “actions” or “activities.” You should translate this clause as you did in 3:8.

you: The Greek pronoun that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you is singular. It refers to the angel of the church as the representative of all the believers there.

In many languages it is more natural to use plural pronouns here. If that is true in your language, use plural forms in the following verses to refer to the believers directly. This is the same issue as in 3:8a.

3:15b

you are neither cold nor hot: This is a metaphor. It is probably comparing the Laodiceans and their deeds to water. In their culture, hot water was useful for certain activities (such as bathing), and cold water was useful for other activities (such as drinking). But the believers in Laodicea were not like the hot water or the cold water. They were not useful for anything.

In some languages it is necessary to make the implied comparison with water explicit. It may also be necessary or more natural to translate this metaphor as a simile. For example:

you are neither ⌊like⌋ hot ⌊water⌋ nor like cold ⌊water⌋

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

• Explain the meaning in your translation. For example:

you are neither ⌊useful⌋ like hot ⌊water⌋ nor ⌊useful⌋ like cold ⌊water⌋

• Translate literally and explain its meaning in a footnote. An example footnote is:

The phrase “neither cold nor hot” uses the metaphor of hot and cold water. Hot water is useful for certain activities, and cold water, for other activities. But the believers in Laodicea were not like the hot water nor the cold water. They were not useful for anything, because their faith bore no fruit (3:17).

3:15c

How I wish you were one or the other: This clause refers to the believers being neither cold nor hot as in the metaphor above. In other words, Jesus wished they would act in some useful manner. Other ways to translate this clause are:

Would that you were cold or hot! (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
I wish that you were hot or cold! (New Century Version)
-or-
I wish that you served me in some useful way!
-or-
If only your deeds were ⌊as useful⌋ as hot water or ⌊as useful⌋ as cold water.

How I wish: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as How I wish introduces an unfulfilled wish. Jesus wanted the believers in Laodicea to be like hot water or cold water, but they were not like either. Other ways to translate this clause are:

It would be better that
-or-
I wish (New International Version)
-or-
If only

one or the other: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as one or the other is literally “cold or hot.” In some languages it is more natural to translate the Greek literally. Use the order that is natural in your language. For example:

cold or hot (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
hot or cold (New Century Version)

© 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

5:14a

And the four living creatures: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as living creatures is literally “living (ones).” The word refers to beings that are like angels yet symbolically look like animals (4:7). See how you translated this phrase in 4:6.

Amen: The word Amen is a Hebrew word that means “even so” or “it is true.” The word is used to agree with what was said. The Greek borrowed the Hebrew word. English borrowed this word as well.

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

• Translate the meaning in your translation. For example:

It is so
-or-
True!

• Borrow this word and spell it as people in your language would say it. You may then want to explain its meaning in a footnote. An example footnote is:

The word “amen” means “even so” or “it is true.”

See how you translated this word in 1:6.

5:14b

fell down: Here the phrase fell down refers to kneeling and putting the face to the ground with arms outstretched toward someone. This position showed complete humility, and it honored the other person. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

prostrated themselves (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
threw themselves to the ground (NET Bible)

Some languages have a different action that shows humility and honors someone. If that is true in your language, you may want to use that word or phrase. See how you translated this phrase in 4:10 or 5:8.

worshiped: This word refers to honoring someone or something as sacred/divine. In some languages it is necessary to add who is worshiped. For example:

worshiped ⌊God and the Lamb⌋
© 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.