angel

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The Greek, Hebrew, Ge’ez, and Aramaic that is translated as “angel” in English versions is translated in many ways:

  • Pintupi-Luritja: ngaṉka ngurrara: “one who belongs in the sky” (source: Ken Hansen quoted in Steven 1984a, p. 116.)
  • Tetela, Kpelle, Balinese, and Mandarin Chinese: “heavenly messenger”
  • Shilluk / Igede: “spirit messenger”
  • Mashco Piro: “messenger of God”
  • Batak Toba: “envoy, messenger”
  • Navajo (Dinė): “holy servant” (source for this and above: Bratcher / Nida 1961; Igede: Andy Warren-Rothlin)
  • Central Mazahua: “God’s worker” (source: Ronald D. Olson in Notes on Translation January, 1968, p. 15ff.)
  • Saramaccan: basia u Masa Gaangadu köndë or “messenger from God’s country” (source: Jabini 2015, p. 86)
  • Mairasi: atatnyev nyaa or “sent-one” (source: Enggavoter 2004)
  • Shipibo-Conibo: “word bringer” (source: James Lauriault in The Bible Translator 1951, p. 32ff. )
  • Apali: “God’s one with talk from the head” (“basically God’s messenger since head refers to any leader’s talk”) (source: Martha Wade)
  • Michoacán Nahuatl: “clean helper of God” (source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)
  • Noongar: Hdjin-djin-kwabba or “spirit good” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Wè Northern (Wɛɛ): Kea ‘a “sooa or “the Lord’s soldier” (also: “God’s soldier” or “his soldier”) (source: Drew Maust)
  • Iwaidja: “a man sent with a message” (Sam Freney explains the genesis of this term [in this article ): “For example, in Darwin last year, as we were working on a new translation of Luke 2:6–12 in Iwaidja, a Northern Territory language, the translators had written ‘angel’ as ‘a man with eagle wings’. Even before getting to the question of whether this was an accurate term (or one that imported some other information in), the word for ‘eagle’ started getting discussed. One of the translators had her teenage granddaughter with her, and this word didn’t mean anything to her at all. She’d never heard of it, as it was an archaic term that younger people didn’t use anymore. They ended up changing the translation of ‘angel’ to something like ‘a man sent with a message’, which is both more accurate and clear.”)

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) is used as in mi-tsukai (御使い) or “messenger (of God).” (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

See also angel (Acts 12:15) and this devotion on YouVersion .

complete verse (Revelation 9:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 9:15:

  • Uma: “[So] he freed them. From long ago those four angels were prepared ahead of time so that at the year and at the month and at the day and at the hour that was set for them, they could kill one third of all mankind.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “So-then the four demons were untied. They had been ready beforehand and had been told to wait for this time, this day, this month and this year and now it had come. They should kill one part of the people in the world. Two parts would not be killed.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Then the four angels were released. They were prepared beforehand for now so that they might kill a third part of all mankind.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “And he went and untied-them, because they had been prepared for this exact year and month, day and hour in which to go kill a third of the people.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well, those four angels referred to were then let go, who were already in readiness, for God had really determined not only the year and the month but the day and hour as well when they would go-and-kill the third part of people here under the heavens.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The four angels were released then so that they would kill part of the people who live on earth. But it didn’t come up to half that were killed. This was the work which was determined for them to do when the hour came, the day came, the year came to do it.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Revelation 9:15

The four angels were released: the translation can be “The sixth angel released those four angels.”

Had been held ready: the form of this expression shows that it was God who had determined the exact time when these angels would be released to do the work that God had for them. For comments on the Greek verb translated held ready, see “arrayed” in Rev. 9.7.

The hour, the day, the month, and the year: it may be more natural to have something like Good News Translation, or else “the moment of that day of that very month and year.” New Jerusalem Bible has “this hour of this day of this month of this year”; Revised English Bible translates “this very year, month, day, and hour.” God had fixed the precise time of their release. However, in languages that do not have vocabulary for such precise time divisions, one may say “at this exact time.”

To kill a third of mankind: unlike Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation, it seems best to connect this purpose clause to the verb released (and not to had been held ready); so An American Translation, Barclay, Phillips, Translator’s New Testament, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, New International Version. On the translation of third see 8.7.

An alternative translation model for languages that do not have the passive is:

• The sixth angel released those four angels to kill a third of all humans (or, people on the earth). God had kept them ready for this exact time.

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 9:15

9:15a

the four angels who had been prepared: Earlier, God had prepared these angels for the task of killing one third of mankind. The clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

whom ⌊God⌋ had prepared ⌊beforehand⌋

the four angels: This phrase refers to the same four angels of 9:14b. For example:

These four angels (New Jerusalem Bible)

9:15b

for this hour and day and month and year: This phrase refers to the exact time in history that these angels are released. The four time words in this phrase emphasizes the fact that it is an exact time. God chose that time, and it will happen at that time.

In some languages it is more natural to start with the longest time period (year) and end with the shortest time period (hour). For example:

for this very year and month and day and hour

this: The Greek word is literally “the.” The Berean Standard Bible translates the Greek word as this to help indicate an exact time. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

that (God’s Word)
-or-
this exact

hour: Here the word hour refers to a point in time. The angels were prepared to begin at that exact time.

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

• Use a word or phrase for an exact time. For example:

moment
-or-

⌊exact⌋ time

• Use the word or phrase from the major language.

In some languages, the phrase “day and month and year” may imply the exact time of day. If that is true in your language, translating the word hour may not be necessary. For example:

for this very day and month and year

9:15c

were released: This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

⌊the sixth angel⌋ released them

a third of mankind: Here the word third means “one part out of three parts.” For example, in a group of three thousand people, one thousand people would die. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

one part in three ⌊parts⌋ of mankind
-or-
one of every three of all people
-or-
one part of mankind and two parts not

See how you translated the phrase a third of in 8:7 (in “a third of the trees”).

mankind: The word mankind refers to all the people living on the earth. Other ways to translate this word are:

all people/humans
-or-
all the people of the earth

General Comment on 9:15a–c

All of 9:15a–b is the subject phrase for the main verb phrase “were released” in 9:15c. In some languages it is more natural to make 9:15a–b a background sentence. For example:

15a These four angels had been kept ready 15b for this very hour and day and month and year. 15c And at this time they were released to kill a third of mankind.

This example uses active clauses instead of passive ones:

15a God had prepared these four angels 15b for this very hour and day and month and year. 15c And at this time the sixth angel released them to kill a third of mankind.

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