A Vision of Christ

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complete verse (Revelation 1:12)

Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 1:12:

  • Uma: “When I turned around behind me wanting to see who was speaking to me, what should I see but seven lampstands [lit., lamp feet] made of gold.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then I turned to see who was talking to me. There I saw seven golden lampstands.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I turned around so that I might see who was speaking, and I saw seven golden lamps.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When I heard that voice, I turned-around to see who was speaking to me, and I saw seven gold places-on-which-lights -were-put.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When I heard, I turned my head to see who that was who was speaking to me. What I saw was seven lampstands (lit. lamps whose what-placed-on are standing) made purely of gold.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “I, John, turned around in order to see who was speaking to me. When I had turned I saw seven candle holders of gold.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Revelation 1:12

In the Greek text verses 12-16 are one sentence (so Revised Standard Version but not New Revised Standard Version); but the break between verses is quite natural, so that the following discussion will proceed one verse at a time.

I turned to see the voice: this is what the Greek text says, but it is clear that the meaning is “to see the person” or “to see who was speaking to me” (New Jerusalem Bible). New Revised Standard Version, New American Bible, Revised, and Revised English Bible “to see whose voice it was that spoke to me” is unnecessarily wordy.

And on turning I saw: again Revised Standard Version follows literally the Greek form, which began the verse with the finite verb “I turned (to see),” followed here by the aorist participle “having turned (I saw).”

Seven golden lampstands: the lamp in these lampstands was an oil lamp, which consisted of a shallow clay bowl full of olive oil, with a wick lying in the oil; one end of the wick extended onto a lip of the bowl, where the oil in the wick burned so that its flame provided light. A translation must avoid giving the impression that electric light bulbs or wax candles were the source of light. The lampstands themselves were either made of gold or, more likely, were gold plated. Each lampstand, it is assumed, had several lamps on it. Lampstands may in certain languages be rendered as “lamp holders,” “things on which lamps are placed,” or even “poles that have lamps on top.”

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 .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 1:12

Paragraph 1:12–16

1:12a

to see the voice that was speaking: The phrase the voice represents the person who spoke to John. In some languages it is more natural to refer to that person here. For example:

to see who was speaking (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
to see the person who spoke with that voice

1:12b–13c

In these verses the lampstands, the long robe, and the sash may imply a situation similar to that of a Jewish priest leading worship at the temple. A priest wore a long robe and sash, and a lampstand stood in the temple. These things may also imply high status for Jesus. Your translation should allow for one or both implied meanings.

1:12b

And having turned: John already referred to the action of turning in 1:12a. So referring to it a second time here emphasizes that action and what John saw. Other ways to translate this clause are:

And immediately upon turning
-or-
And when I turned (New International Version)
-or-
and so/indeed

golden: The word golden indicates that the lampstands were made of gold. Gold is a rare metal of a somewhat yellow color. It was the most expensive metal at that time. It is naturally shiny and beautiful. Below is a picture of a gold coin made in the Roman era of Caesar Augustus (who was the Roman emperor when Jesus was born).

Some languages do not have a word for “gold.” If that is true in your language, you should use the word from the major language in your area. The people in your language may not be familiar with gold. If that is true in your language, you may want to include a footnote. For example:

Gold is a rare metal of a somewhat yellow color. It was the most expensive metal at that time. It is naturally shiny and beautiful.

lampstands: A lampstand is a 1–2 meter (3–6 feet) tall rack or pillar for holding a lamp. It has a place for a lamp on its top. This context implies that there were lamps on the lampstands. There were many kinds and styles of lampstand. John did not say what kind of lampstand he saw. The drawing here only shows generally what lampstands look like.

A lamp in John’s time was a small clay or metal container in which people burned oil. The lamp was shaped to hold a wick on one side. The exact kind of lamp is not important here. So if you translate the term lampstand with a phrase that means “a holder for a lamp,” in that phrase you should use a word that refers generally to a lamp or light-producing device. Some of the styles of lamps used in John’s time are shown below.

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