naked

The Greek, Latin and Hebrew that is translated as “naked” in English is translated in Enlhet with a figure of speech: “(one’s) smoothness.” (Source: Jacob Loewen in The Bible Translator 1969, p. 24ff. )

In Elhomwe the word for “naked” is “shameful to use, and would never be used by a preacher in church.” Therefore “without clothes” is used. (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

complete verse (Revelation 16:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 16:15:

  • Uma: “The Lord Yesus said: ‘Listen! I will come suddenly, like the coming of a thief. Blessed/Fortunate are the people who are on-the-watch and who take care of their clothes. When I come, they will not walk naked and they will not be ashamed in the eyes of the crowd/people, for they will be calm/still [here used in the sense: ready/prepared] for me to come. ‘” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Then Isa Almasi spoke, he said, ‘Listen. I will just suddenly arrive like a thief entering your house at a time when you don’t expect it. Happy are the people who when I arrive are still awake waiting for me and have been clothed beforehand. They won’t be naked and there will be nothing to make them ashamed even if they go out among many people.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then the demons will gather together the kings and their soldiers in the land which in the Hebrew language is called Armageddon. ‘Listen carefully to this,’ says Jesus Christ, ‘because My return will be like the coming of a thief. The person who doesn’t sleep but prepares his clothing, which is to say, he expects Me, he will rejoice at that time because he will not be naked, which is to say, he will not be ashamed.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “That being so, they gathered the rulers and their soldiers in the place designated Armageddon in the Hebreo language. Therefore the Lord Jesus said/says, ‘Listen (you pl) to this. My coming will be sudden/unexpected like the coming of a thief. Fortunate is the one who doesn’t sleep who is dressed who is ready, because he will not be shamed at my coming like a naked soldier who has to get-up to get dressed, then goes to wage-war.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “‘Listen!’ says the Lord Jesu-Cristo. ‘I will really appear at an hour when you don’t know when it will be, like a thief does. Therefore the one can be happy who is like staying awake for he is expecting/awaiting his master. And he doesn’t take his clothes off so that when (he) arrives, he won’t be undressed and ashamed going to meet him.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Now all who listen to this word written here, listen well to the word Christ speaks. He says: ‘On the day I will come, suddenly I will arrive, like when a thief comes and it isn’t known what day he will come. But the good fortune will be met up with by whoever isn’t asleep, who keeps his white clothing carefully so that he won’t be naked and ashamed that he doesn’t have white clothing to wear,’ he says.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

1st person pronoun referring to God (Japanese)

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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 Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.

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

See also pronoun for “God”.

Translation commentary on Revelation 16:15

Both Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation indicate that this verse is not part of the narrative as such but is a word from the Lord Jesus Christ. Revised Standard Version does this by means of quotation marks and parentheses, Good News Bible by quotation marks and a paragraph. It will be appropriate to say specifically, as Bible en français courant does, “The Lord says….”

Lo: as in “Behold” in 1.7.

I am coming like a thief: suddenly and undetected (see 3.3).

Blessed: see 1.3.

Who is awake: that is, who stays awake; who doesn’t fall asleep; who keeps watch. The verb is used in the sense of “wake up” in 3.2, 3.

Keeping his garments that he may not go naked: this can mean “keeping his clothes on” (New Jerusalem Bible, Translator’s New Testament, New Revised Standard Version [“is clothed”]); but it may also mean “keeps his clothes ready (to put on),” as Revised English Bible, New American Bible, Revised, Phillips, Barclay translate. This seems to be preferable. It is possible that the Greek phrase (which says, simply, “keeping his clothes”) means “keeping his clothes clean” (as is said clearly in 3.4), but this is rather unlikely.

Be seen exposed: this translates the Greek “they see his shame,” where “shame” is regarded by many as a euphemism for “private parts” of the body. The third plural active of the verb “to see” is an impersonal plural, meaning simply “and be seen,” as Revised Standard Version has it. The noun translated exposed occurs in the New Testament only here and in Rom 1.27, “shameless” (see in 3.18 the more complete phrase “the shame of your nakedness”).

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• The Lord says, “Pay attention! I am coming just like a thief comes (at night). How fortunate is the person who stays awake, keeping his clothes ready so that he will not walk around naked and be ashamed (or, lose face) when people look at him.”

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 16:15

Paragraph 16:15

16:15a–b

This verse interrupts the story of the sixth angel. The verse was probably placed here in response to talking about the “great day of God Almighty.” Jesus wants his followers to be ready for that day.

Therefore, you may want to:

• Indicate that the verse interrupts the narrative. The Berean Standard Bible and Good News Translation use a separate paragraph for this verse. The Revised Standard Version puts this whole verse in parentheses. The New Jerusalem Bible puts a long dash before and after this verse. The NET Bible uses an indented paragraph and parentheses. Almost all the English versions on Translator’s Workplace include this in quotation marks to show that it is Jesus interrupting what John saw. For example:

(“See, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and is clothed, not going about naked and exposed to shame.”) (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-

14…on that great judgment day of God the Almighty.

15 “Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.”

16 And the demonic spirits gathered… (New Living Translation (2004))

• Indicate in your translation that Jesus spoke. For example:

⌊Suddenly Jesus spoke,⌋ “Look, I will come like a thief! Favored is the one who remains alert and keeps his clothes on, so that he will not be naked and people see his shame/nakedness.”
-or-

⌊Jesus interrupted,⌋ “Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.”

• Put this verse after 16:16 and name the combined verses 16:15–16. You may then want to make clear that the warning refers to the “great day of God Almighty.” For example:

⌊Regarding the great day of God Almighty, the Lamb said,⌋ “Behold, I come…

This verse is a warning from Jesus. It warns believers to be ready.

16:15a

Behold: This word means “look.” The word emphasizes or calls attention to the words that follow. It is not a command to look at something. Other ways to translate this word are:

Indeed/Hey
-or-
Look (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
Listen! (Good News Translation)

I am coming like a thief: This clause indicates that Jesus will come unexpectedly, as thieves do. The phrase like a thief does not mean that he will come to steal. It has the same meaning as in 3:3. See how you translated it there.

16:15b

Blessed: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Blessed describes a person who is in a good situation. In the Bible, the good situation results from God showing favor/kindness to the person.

This word does not primarily refer to a feeling. However, a person in this good situation will frequently have good feelings like happiness and joy. Do not use a word that only refers to material prosperity or physical health.

Other ways to translate this word are:

Favored
-or-
How good it is
-or-
In a good/desirable position ⌊in God’s eyes⌋
-or-
Shown kindness ⌊by God⌋

See how you translated this word in 1:3 or 14:13.

16:15b–c

the one who remains awake and clothed: These words refer figuratively to a believer being prepared and ready for something to happen.

In some languages a literal translation would wrongly refer only to being awake and keeping clothes nearby. It would not refer to being prepared and ready for something to happen. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

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

These words refer figuratively to a believer being prepared and ready for something to happen.

• Translate literally and explain its meaning in your translation. For example:

⌊being prepared/ready like⌋ the person who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him

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

he who is prepared and ready

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

Literally: “he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him.”

the one: The words the one refers to anyone, man or woman.

remains awake: The Greek word here can mean “be awake” (as in the Revised Standard Version, New International Version, and Good News Translation) or “be on watch” (as in the New Jerusalem Bible). Translate this phrase so that it clearly refers to a believer remaining strong in his faith.

clothed: The Greek words are literally “keeping his clothes.” It probably implies wearing and guarding the clothes. Other ways to translate these words are:

has kept his clothes on (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
guards his clothes (Good News Translation)

16:15d

go naked: The Greek words are literally “walk naked.” It refers to being naked in public. For example:

walk around naked (Good News Translation)

let his shame be exposed: The Greek clause is literally “they see his shame” (as in the King James Version). The pronoun “they” is general and refers to anyone.

The word “shame” refers to the feeling of being naked in public, which would cause him shame. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

be ashamed in public (Good News Translation)
-or-
people see his shame/nakedness

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