Spirit (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-tama (御霊) or “Spirit (of God)” in the referenced verses.

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

See also Holy Spirit

Translation commentary on Revelation 2:7

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches: this injunction appears in all seven letters. It is much like Christ’s saying, found in all three Synoptic Gospels (see Matt 13.9; Mark 4.9; Luke 8.8). It is addressed to all believers in Ephesus, all of whom are hearing the letter being read to them. The exclusively masculine He who has is easily dealt with by the use of the plural, “Those who have….”

The literal who has an ear, taken to the extreme, can sound ridiculous. Which of the two ears? Is there anyone who doesn’t have an ear? The organ of hearing, “ear,” represents here the sense of hearing. So it is better to translate “If you can hear.” Or, as Revised English Bible has it, “You have ears, so hear…,” or “You can hear can’t you, so listen.” Or note at “Let anyone who can hear listen to…,” or Phillips “Let every listener hear….” The meaning of “let” in such a context is a way of phrasing a command, an order, in English; it does not mean permission.

For the Spirit a translation may need to say “the Holy Spirit” or “the Spirit of God.” And the message, what … says to the churches is precisely the message of the letters and of the whole book. A given letter is addressed not only to one particular church, but to all the churches. God’s Spirit speaks to them through the risen Christ. On the translation of Spirit or “Holy Spirit,” see 1.10, and on churches see 1.4.

To him who conquers: this is not what the Spirit is saying to the churches but is a continuation of the words of the risen Christ. The military figure “to conquer” (see also 2.11, 17, 26; 3.5; 12.11; 21.7) has no direct object; what is implied is all that is opposed to the Christian faith. The Christian life is seen as a combat against the forces of evil. If an object is required, perhaps “forces of evil” can be used. The exclusively male rendering of Revised Standard Version can be easily remedied by using the plural form, “To those who conquer….” Conquers may also be expressed as “has the victory over” or “defeats.”

I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God: the risen Christ promises spiritual food, the food of eternal life in the coming Kingdom of God or Christ. I will grant to eat is not a natural expression in modern English; New Revised Standard Version is better, “I will give permission to eat,” and Revised English Bible “I will give the right to eat.” The imagery is drawn from Gen 2.9; 3.22, 24 (see also Rev 22.2, 14). The phrase of the tree means “the fruits of the tree.” The tree of life is “the life-giving tree” or “the tree that gives life,” not “the tree that lives (forever),” as a literal translation may suggest.

The tree grows in the paradise of God, that is, in the garden of Eden, a symbol of heaven (as in the Septuagint of Ezek 28.13; 31.8). The Greek word translated paradise means a garden, or a fruit orchard, and became a way of speaking of heaven (see Luke 23.43; 2 Cor 12.3).

Alternative translation models for this verse are:

• You can hear, can’t you? Then listen to what (or, the things that) the Spirit of God says to the churches.
To those people who defeat the forces of evil, I will give permission (or, allow) to eat the fruit from the tree that gives life, which grows in the heavenly Garden of God.

Or:

• You have ears, so you must listen to what the Spirit of God says to the groups of God’s people.
I will give those people who are victorious over the forces of evil the right to eat the fruit….

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 2:7

Paragraph 2:7

2:7a–b

He who has an ear, let him hear: This was probably a common saying or proverb in NT times. Similar sayings occur in Matthew 11:15, Mark 4:9, and Luke 8:8. Here Jesus used this saying to urge or warn the believers to think carefully about what he had just said.

In some languages there is a similar saying/proverb urging people to listen carefully to what someone says. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Use it here. For example:

Everyone must give their ears to me

• Explain this saying in a footnote using your saying. An example footnote is:

This means “give your ears to me.”

2:7a

He who has an ear: The phrase He who has an ear figuratively means “Anyone who can hear.” The word ear is a figure of speech representing the ability to hear. It also can refer to the ability to receive information any other way. Jesus was speaking to everyone who hears or receives what he just said in 2:1–6. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

If you have ears (Good News Translation)
-or-
Every person who has ears (New Century Version)
-or-
Anyone with ears to hear (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Since you have received ⌊what I just said⌋
-or-
Can you hear?

2:7b

let him hear: This command is addressed to everyone who hears or receives what he just said in 2:1–6. It indicates that everyone should pay attention to his message. Other ways to translate it are:

then listen
-or-
do not ignore what you hear
-or-
then you should pay attention to

what the Spirit says to the churches: This refers to everything Jesus said in 2:1–3:22. It probably also refers to all of Revelation.

the Spirit: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God together with God the Father and God the Son. The Holy Spirit is Spirit in the sense that he is a living being who does not have a physical body. He is Holy in the sense that he is God. He is perfect in every way and is completely pure and sinless.

In some languages a literal translation would not clearly refer to the Holy Spirit. If this is true in your language, you may want to include the implied information in your translation. For example:

Spirit/Breath ⌊of/from God⌋
-or-

⌊Holy/Pure/Sacred⌋ Spirit

Do not imply that the Spirit is like the ghost of a dead person or that God has died.

churches: This word is plural. It indicates that believers everywhere are to understand and use the teachings in chapters 2–3. See how you translated this word in 1:4.

General Comment on 2:7a–b

2:7a–b is addressed to everyone who can hear. So in some languages it is more natural to use a pronoun other than the third person singular (“he”). These words may be the second person plural or singular (“you”), or the third person plural (“everyone”). For example:

⌊All⌋ you(plur) who have ears, listen to what the Spirit says to the churches!
-or-
Everyone who has ears should listen to the things the ⌊Holy⌋ Spirit says to the churches!
-or-
If you(sing) have ears, listen to what the Spirit says to ⌊these⌋ churches!
-or-
Since everyone has ears, they must use them to listen ⌊and obey⌋ what the Spirit says to these churches!
-or-
Do you(sing) have ears? Then listen to the words that the ⌊Holy⌋ Spirit says to the churches!

2:7c

To the one who overcomes: The phrase To the one who overcomes is emphasized by being first in the clause. If you have a natural way in your language to emphasize this phrase, you may want to do so. For example:

To him who conquers, I will grant (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
To those who win the victory I will give (New Century Version)

In some languages it is not natural to have the phrase To the one who overcomes first in the clause. For example:

I will give to him who overcomes

To the one: Here the word one refers generally to any believer who overcomes evil. Use a pronoun or grammar that is similar to what you used in the statement “He who has an ear” in 2:7a.

overcomes: This word means “triumphs” or “obtains/wins victory.” Here it refers to having success over sin, evil, and pressure to turn away from Jesus. Even though a believer is killed, he wins the victory over evil if he remains faithful to Jesus. He overcomes the power of sin and evil. Other ways to translate this word are:

conquers (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
is victorious (New Living Translation (2004))

Some languages must say what a believer overcomes. If that is true in your language, you should refer generally to “evil” or “sin.” For example:

defeat ⌊evil⌋
-or-
has victory ⌊over sin⌋

2:7d

I will grant the right to eat: The Greek clause is literally “I will give to eat.” The Berean Standard Bible translates “give” as grant and adds the phrase the right as one way to indicate the correct meaning of the Greek clause in English. Other ways to translate this clause are:

I will give permission to eat (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
I will let…eat (Contemporary English Version)

from the tree of life: This phrase indicates that believers will eat the fruit of the tree of life. For example:

the fruit of the tree of life (Good News Translation)

the tree of life: This phrase indicates that the tree is the source of life. Those who eat the fruit will have eternal life. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

the tree that gives life
-or-
the life-giving tree (Contemporary English Version)

If you have translated Genesis 2:9, see how you translated this phrase there.

2:7e

in the Paradise of God: This clause tells the reader more about the tree of life. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly indicate that there are other trees of life and only this one is located in the Paradise of God. If that is true in your language, translate this clause so that it tells more about the tree of life. One way to do that is to start a new sentence here. For example:

It is in the paradise of God.

Paradise of God: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Paradise can refer to an enclosed garden or park. It was also used to refer to a place where there are only good things, as in heaven (as in 2 Corinthians 12:2–3). Here this word refers to the New Jerusalem, where there will be only good and perfect things. This paradise is of God because it belongs to God and he rules over it.

Some languages do not have a word to express this meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Translate the meaning of Paradise. For example:

God’s good place
-or-
God’s land that is perfect
-or-
the garden of God (Revised English Bible)

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

The word “paradise” refers to a place where there are only good things. Here this word refers to the New Jerusalem (21:10, 22:2).

General Comment on 2:7c–e

In some languages it is more natural to tell what Jesus will give before telling to whom he will give it. For example:

7d I will give the privilege of eating from the tree of life, 7e which stands in the paradise of God, 7c to everyone who wins the victory. (God’s Word)

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