before / in the sight of / presence of (God) (Japanese honorifics)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, the “divine” honorific prefix mi- (御 or み) can be used, as in mi-mae (御前) or “before (God)” in the referenced verses. In some cases in can also be used in reference to being before a king, such as in 1 Samuel 16:16.

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also presence (Japanese honorifics) and before you / to you.

Translation commentary on Revelation 12:10

And I heard a loud voice in heaven: see 10.4; 11.12. John is on earth, the voice comes from heaven. The speaker is not identified, but the phrase the accuser of our brethren may lead one to infer that the speaker is one of the martyrs at the foot of the altar in heaven (6.9-11), or else one of the enormous crowd of the redeemed standing in front of the throne of God (7.9-17). But it seems more likely that the speaker is an angel; it should be noticed that in 19.10 the angel says to John “I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brothers.” In any case a translation should not try to identify the speaker. However, in some languages one must say “Then I heard someone in heaven speaking with a loud voice, saying….”

Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God … have come: the adverb Now is quite important and should not be overlooked: “At last God….” It is not very natural to use the verb “to come” with the nouns salvation and power. Many passages in the New Testament affirm that God’s kingdom has come, is coming, or will come, by which is meant that God rules or will rule as king over the world (see 11.15). As for salvation (see 7.10), it will most often be necessary to use a verbal phrase, “God will now save his people.” Some scholars believe that salvation here means “victory”: “God has now won the victory.” It seems preferable to express the idea of salvation. As for power (see 3.8), it is to be noticed that Good News Translation connects this with the following kingdom: “God has shown his power as King!” Or it is possible to say “God will now use his power and rule as king over the world” (see 11.17). The verbal phrase have come translates the same verb used in 11.15, but here it is used in the sense “have come into existence.”

In the same way the authority of his Christ must be translated “and his Messiah will now exercise his authority over the world.” For authority see 2.26; for his Christ see 11.15. This phrase may also be rendered as “and his chosen Savior will now use his authority.”

For the accuser of our brethren … who accuses them day and night: this describes the Devil either as a prosecuting attorney in the heavenly court, who tries to get God to condemn people (see Job 1.6-12; Zech 3.1-4), or else as one who appears in court to testify against the person on trial (accusers in court are mentioned in Acts 23.30, 35; 25.16, 18). Accuses may also be rendered as “tell what they have done wrong.” In at least one language it is expressed as “break word on someone.” Here our brethren should be made inclusive of both genders, “our fellow believers,” “our brothers and sisters,” since it is not restricted to males.

Day and night before our God: the phrase day and night may be rendered “continuously,” “without ceasing”; the possessive our is inclusive.

A possible model for ordering the various elements in this verse may be as follows:

• Then I heard someone in heaven say in a loud voice: “Now our God will save his people! (or, Now our God has won the victory!) Now he will use his power and rule as king! Now his Messiah will assert his authority over the world! For the Devil no longer stands in the presence of our God, accusing our fellow servants day and night. The Devil has been thrown out of heaven!

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 12:10

Paragraph 12:10–12

12:10a

a loud voice in heaven: John does not say who spoke here, but it does not refer to God (12:10b). Use a phrase that refers to anyone (except God) in heaven. For example:

loud speech in heaven
-or-

⌊someone⌋ say loudly in heaven

12:10b–c

Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Christ: Here the phrase have come indicates that God’s salvation, power, kingdom, and Christ’s authority are now present and completely in effect.

In many languages it is not possible or natural to use the word come with the words salvation, power, kingdom, and authority. If that is true in your language, you may need to translate differently. For example:

the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ have been completed/achieved
-or-
God’s salvation has arrived! His power is at work! His kingdom is present! Christ’s authority is in effect!
-or-
This is the time when our God finishes the work of saving people, the time of his full power and kingdom, and this is the time when his Christ has full authority.

12:10b

Now: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Now is emphatic. It indicates that finally the time had come. For example:

It has come at last (New Living Translation (2004))

the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God: The phrase of our God belongs to all three nouns: salvation, power, and kingdom. For example:

our God’s salvation, power, and kingdom

salvation: This word refers to saving people from hell, death, or danger. Here it also refers to saving people from the deceiver, Satan. The word is a noun that refers to an event. In some languages it is more natural to use a phrase with a verb here. For example:

saving/freeing by God ⌊of his people⌋
-or-
for God to save mankind
-or-
saving from death

See how you translated this word in 7:10.

kingdom: This word refers to a group of people ruled by one king. For example:

empire (New Jerusalem Bible)

Here the word kingdom probably refers to the fact that God rules over all things. For example:

kingship
-or-
position of ruling ⌊over all things⌋

See how you translated this word in 1:6 or 5:10.

12:10c

authority: This word refers to having the right and power to control or rule over someone or something. Here the word is general and indicates that Jesus has the right and power to do anything he chooses to do.

Christ: The word Christ is a title for Jesus. It means “the anointed one.” See how you translated this word in 1:1 or 11:15.

General Comment on 12:10b–c

The Berean Standard Bible has placed the verb phrase “have come” before the subject. This is a formal English poetic style. In the Greek the verb is in the normal place for a Greek clause. You should place it in the normal place for your language. For example, the Revised Standard Version says:

the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come

General Comment on 12:10b–c

In some languages it is more natural to translate this exclamation as two or more sentences. For example:

Now God’s salvation has come! Now God has shown his power as King! Now his Messiah has shown his authority! (Good News Translation)

12:10d

For: This conjunction introduces the basis for 12:10b–c. 12:10d–f indicate why the salvation, power, kingdom, and authority are in full effect. For example:

because (NET Bible)

accuser: This word refers to someone who claims another person has done wrong. Here the word refers to Satan. Satan is always going to God and accusing believers of sinning. Other ways to translate this word are:

the one who always accuses
-or-
continually blaming person

brothers: This word refers generally to both men and women believers. For example:

brothers and sisters (New Living Translation (2004))

has been thrown down: The clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

⌊they⌋ threw him down

12:10d–e puts the focus on Satan. Some languages may need to reorder the 12:10d–e. For example:

For ⌊Michael and his angels⌋ 10e have thrown down 10d the accuser of our brothers, 10f who accuses them day and night before our God .
-or-
For ⌊Michael and his angels⌋ 10e have thrown down 10d the accuser of our brothers. 10f He accused them day and night before our God.

General Comment on 12:10d–e

Both 12:10d and 12:10e use a form of the word “accuse.” In some languages it is more natural to combine 12:10d–e. For example:

Satan accuses our people in the presence of God day and night. Now he has been thrown out! (Contemporary English Version)

12:10e

he who accuses them day and night before our God: The clause he who accuses them day and night before our God tells the reader more about the accuser (12:10d). In some languages a literal translation would wrongly indicate that there are other accusers and only this one accuses them day and night before our God. If that is true in your language, translate these words so that they tell more about the accuser. One way to do that is to start a new sentence here. For example:

10e has been hurled down. 10f He accuses them before our God day and night.

day and night: This phrase indicates that Satan accuses believers all the time.

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