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Then[a] the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky[b] to the earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the abyss.[c] He[d] opened the shaft of the abyss and smoke rose out of it[e] like smoke from a giant furnace. The[f] sun and the air were darkened with smoke from the shaft. Then[g] out of the smoke came locusts onto the earth, and they were given power[h] like that of the scorpions of the earth. They[i] were told[j] not to damage the grass of the earth, or any green plant or tree, but only those people[k] who did not have the seal of God on their[l] forehead. The locusts[m] were not given permission[n] to kill[o] them, but only to torture[p] them[q] for five months, and their torture was like that[r] of a scorpion when it stings a person.[s] In[t] those days people[u] will seek death, but[v] will not be able to[w] find it; they will long to die, but death will flee from them.

Now[x] the locusts looked like horses equipped for battle. On[y] their heads were something like crowns similar to gold,[z] and their faces looked like men’s[aa] faces. They[ab] had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. They had breastplates[ac] like iron breastplates, and the sound of their wings was like the noise of many horse-drawn chariots charging into battle. 10 They have[ad] tails and stingers like scorpions, and their ability[ae] to injure people for five months is in their tails. 11 They have as king over them the angel of the abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon.[af]

12 The first woe has passed, but[ag] two woes are still coming after these things!

13 Then[ah] the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a single voice coming from the[ai] horns on the golden altar that is before God, 14 saying to the sixth angel, the one holding[aj] the trumpet, “Set free[ak] the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates!” 15 Then[al] the four angels who had been prepared for this[am] hour, day,[an] month, and year were set free to kill[ao] a third of humanity. 16 The[ap] number of soldiers on horseback was 200,000,000;[aq] I heard their number. 17 Now[ar] this is what the horses and their riders[as] looked like in my[at] vision: The riders had breastplates that were fiery red,[au] dark blue,[av] and sulfurous[aw] yellow in color.[ax] The[ay] heads of the horses looked like lions’ heads, and fire, smoke, and sulfur[az] came out of their mouths. 18 A third of humanity was killed by these three plagues, that is,[ba] by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur that came out of their mouths. 19 For the power[bb] of the horses resides[bc] in their mouths and in their tails, because their tails are like snakes, having heads that inflict injuries. 20 The rest of humanity, who had not been killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so that they did not stop worshiping demons and idols made[bd] of gold, silver,[be] bronze, stone, and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk about. 21 Furthermore,[bf] they did not repent of their murders, of their magic spells,[bg] of their sexual immorality, or of their stealing.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 9:1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
  2. Revelation 9:1 tn Or “from heaven” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).
  3. Revelation 9:1 tn On this term BDAG 2 s.v. ἄβυσσος 2 states, “netherworld, abyss, esp. the abode of the dead Ro 10:7 (Ps 106:26) and of demons Lk 8:31; dungeon where the devil is kept Rv 20:3; abode of the θηρίον, the Antichrist 11:7; 17:8; of ᾿Αβαδδών (q.v.), the angel of the underworld 9:11φρέαρ τῆς ἀ. 9:1f; capable of being sealed 9:1; 20:1, 3.”
  4. Revelation 9:2 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  5. Revelation 9:2 tn Grk “the shaft,” but since this would be somewhat redundant in English, the pronoun “it” is used here.
  6. Revelation 9:2 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  7. Revelation 9:3 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
  8. Revelation 9:3 tn See BDAG 352 s.v. ἐξουσία 2, “potential or resource to command, control, or govern, capability, might, power.”
  9. Revelation 9:4 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  10. Revelation 9:4 tn The dative indirect object (αὐταῖς, autais) was converted into the subject (“they”) as this more closely approximates English usage. The following ἵ῞να (hina) is taken as substantival, introducing a direct object clause. In this case, because it is reported speech, the ἵνα is similar to the declarative ὅτι (hoti).
  11. Revelation 9:4 tn Grk “men”; but ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is used in a generic sense here of both men and women.
  12. Revelation 9:4 tn The article τῶν (tōn) has been translated as a possessive pronoun here (ExSyn 215).
  13. Revelation 9:5 tn Grk “It was not permitted to them”; the referent (the locusts) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  14. Revelation 9:5 tn The word “permission” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
  15. Revelation 9:5 tn The two ἵνα (hina) clauses of 9:5 are understood to be functioning as epexegetical or complementary clauses related to ἐδόθη (edothē).
  16. Revelation 9:5 tn On this term BDAG 168 s.v. βασανισμός states, “1. infliction of severe suffering or pain associated with torture or torment, tormenting, torture Rv 9:5b.—2. the severe pain experienced through torture, torment vs. 5a; 14:11; 18:10, 15; (w. πένθος) vs. 7.”
  17. Revelation 9:5 tn The pronoun “them” is not in the Greek text but is picked up from the previous clause.
  18. Revelation 9:5 tn Grk “like the torture,” but this is redundant in contemporary English.
  19. Revelation 9:5 tn Grk “a man”; but ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is used here in an individualized sense without being limited to the male gender.
  20. Revelation 9:6 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  21. Revelation 9:6 tn Grk “men”; but ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is used in a generic sense here of both men and women.
  22. Revelation 9:6 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
  23. Revelation 9:6 tn The phrase “not be able to” was used in the translation to emphasize the strong negation (οὐ μή, ou mē) in the Greek text.
  24. Revelation 9:7 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the introduction of the description of the locusts, which is somewhat parenthetical in the narrative.
  25. Revelation 9:7 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  26. Revelation 9:7 tn The translation attempts to bring out the double uncertainty in this clause in the Greek text, involving both the form (ὡς στέφανοι, hōs stephanoi, “like crowns”) and the material (ὅμοιοι χρυσῷ, homoioi chrusō, “similar to gold”).
  27. Revelation 9:7 tn Or “human faces.” The Greek term ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is often used in a generic sense, referring to both men and women. However, because “women’s hair” in the next clause suggests a possible gender distinction here, “men’s” was retained.
  28. Revelation 9:8 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  29. Revelation 9:9 tn Or perhaps, “scales like iron breastplates” (RSV, NRSV) although the Greek term θώραξ (thōrax) would have to shift its meaning within the clause, and elsewhere in biblical usage (e.g., Eph 6:14; 1 Thess 5:8) it normally means “breastplate.” See also L&N 8.38.
  30. Revelation 9:10 tn In the Greek text there is a shift to the present tense here; the previous verbs translated “had” are imperfects.
  31. Revelation 9:10 tn See BDAG 352 s.v. ἐξουσία 2, “potential or resource to command, control, or govern, capability, might, power.”
  32. Revelation 9:11 sn Both the Hebrew Abaddon and the Greek Apollyon mean “Destroyer.”
  33. Revelation 9:12 tn Grk “behold.” Here ἰδού (idou) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in the context.
  34. Revelation 9:13 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
  35. Revelation 9:13 tc ‡ Several key mss (P47 א1 A 0207 1611 2053 2344 lat syh co) lack the word τεσσάρων (tessarōn, “four”) before κεράτων (keratōn, “horns”). The word seems to have been added by scribes because a “horned” altar (described in the OT [Exod 30:2, 10]) could have only four “horns” or projections at the corners. NA28 includes the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
  36. Revelation 9:14 tn Grk “having.”
  37. Revelation 9:14 tn On λῦσον (luson) BDAG 606-7 s.v. λύω 2 states, “set free, loose, untie—a. lit. a pers., animal, or thing that is bound or tied…Angels that are bound Rv 9:14f.”
  38. Revelation 9:15 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
  39. Revelation 9:15 tn The Greek article τήν (tēn) has been translated with demonstrative force here.
  40. Revelation 9:15 tn The Greek term καί (kai) has not been translated here and before the following term “month” since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
  41. Revelation 9:15 tn Grk “so that they might kill,” but the English infinitive is an equivalent construction to indicate purpose here.
  42. Revelation 9:16 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  43. Revelation 9:16 tn Grk “twenty thousand of ten thousands.”
  44. Revelation 9:17 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the introduction of the description of the horses and riders, which is somewhat parenthetical in the narrative.
  45. Revelation 9:17 tn Grk “and those seated on them.”
  46. Revelation 9:17 tn Grk “the vision”; the Greek article has been translated as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
  47. Revelation 9:17 tn L&N 79.33 states, “‘fiery red’…. One may also render ‘fiery red’ as ‘red like fire’ or ‘the color of fire.’”
  48. Revelation 9:17 tn On this term BDAG 1022 s.v. ὑακίνθινος states, “hyacinth-colored, i.e., dark blue (dark red?) w. πύρινος Rv 9:17.”
  49. Revelation 9:17 tn On this term BDAG 446 s.v. θειώδης states, “sulphurous Rv 9:17.”
  50. Revelation 9:17 sn The colors of the riders’ breastplates parallel the three plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur in v. 18.
  51. Revelation 9:17 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  52. Revelation 9:17 tn Traditionally, “brimstone.”
  53. Revelation 9:18 tn The phrase ἐκ τοῦ πυρὸς καὶ τοῦ καπνοῦ καὶ τοῦ θείου τοῦ ἐκπορευομένου ἐκ τῶν στομάτων αὐτῶν (“by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur that came out of their mouths”) is taken as epexegetical (explanatory) to the phrase τῶν τριῶν πληγῶν τούτων (“these three plagues”).
  54. Revelation 9:19 tn See BDAG 352 s.v. ἐξουσία 2, “potential or resource to command, control, or govern, capability, might, power.”
  55. Revelation 9:19 tn Grk “is.”
  56. Revelation 9:20 tn The word “made” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
  57. Revelation 9:20 tn The Greek conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here or before the following materials in this list, since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
  58. Revelation 9:21 tn Grk “and.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation, with “furthermore” used to indicate a continuation of the preceding.
  59. Revelation 9:21 tn On the term φαρμακεία (pharmakeia, “magic spells”) see L&N 53.100: “the use of magic, often involving drugs and the casting of spells upon people—‘to practice magic, to cast spells upon, to engage in sorcery, magic, sorcery.’ φαρμακεία: ἐν τῇ φαρμακείᾳ σου ἐπλανήθησαν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ‘with your magic spells you deceived all the peoples (of the world)’ Re 18:23.”

第五位天使吹号,我就看见一颗星从天上落到地上,有无底坑的钥匙赐给它。 它开了无底坑,就有烟从坑里冒出来,好象大火炉的烟,太阳和天空因这坑的烟就都变黑了。 有蝗虫从烟里出来到了地上;有能力赐给牠们,好象地上蝎子的能力一样。 有话吩咐牠们,不可伤害地上的草,和所有青翠的东西,以及所有的树木,只可伤害那些额上没有 神印记的人。 蝗虫没有能力杀死他们,只可使他们受痛苦五个月。他们的痛苦就像人给蝎子螫了的痛苦一样。 在那些日子,人要求死,却决不得死;切愿要死,死却远离他们。

蝗虫的形象,好象是预备好了要上阵的战马一样。牠们头上戴的好象金冠冕,脸像人的面孔, 牠们的头发好象女人的头发,牙齿好象狮子的牙齿; 牠们的胸甲像铁甲,牠们翅膀的声音好象许多马车奔驰上阵的声音。 10 牠们好象蝎子一样有尾巴和毒刺,牠们的尾巴能伤害人五个月。 11 牠们有无底坑的使者作王统治牠们。这王的名字,希伯来话叫阿巴顿,希腊话叫阿波伦。

12 第一样灾祸过去了。看哪,以后还有两样灾祸要来!

13 第六位天使吹号,我听见有一个声音从 神面前金坛的四角发出来, 14 对拿着号筒的第六位天使说:“把捆绑在幼发拉底大河的那四个使者放了吧!” 15 那四个使者就被释放了,他们已经预备好,要在某年某月某日某时杀害人类的三分之一。 16 马兵的数目有二万万;他们这个数目我听见了。 17 在异象中,我看见那些马和骑马的是这样:骑马的穿著火红紫青和硫磺色的胸甲,马的头好象狮子头,有火、烟和硫磺从马的口中喷出来。 18 马口中喷出来的火、烟和硫磺这三种灾害,杀死了人类的三分之一。 19 马的能力是在口中和尾巴上。牠们的尾巴像蛇,并且有头用来伤人。

20 其余没有在这些灾难中被杀的人,仍然不为他们手所作的悔改,还是去拜鬼魔和那些金、银、铜、石头、木头做的,不能看、不能听、也不能走路的偶像。 21 他们也不为自己的凶杀、邪术、淫乱和偷盗悔改。

The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth.(A) The star was given the key(B) to the shaft of the Abyss.(C) When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace.(D) The sun and sky were darkened(E) by the smoke from the Abyss.(F) And out of the smoke locusts(G) came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions(H) of the earth. They were told not to harm(I) the grass of the earth or any plant or tree,(J) but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.(K) They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months.(L) And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion(M) when it strikes. During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.(N)

The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle.(O) On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces.(P) Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth.(Q) They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle.(R) 10 They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months.(S) 11 They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss,(T) whose name in Hebrew(U) is Abaddon(V) and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).

12 The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.(W)

13 The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the four horns(X) of the golden altar that is before God.(Y) 14 It said to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels(Z) who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”(AA) 15 And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released(AB) to kill a third(AC) of mankind.(AD) 16 The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand. I heard their number.(AE)

17 The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths(AF) came fire, smoke and sulfur.(AG) 18 A third(AH) of mankind was killed(AI) by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur(AJ) that came out of their mouths. 19 The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.

20 The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent(AK) of the work of their hands;(AL) they did not stop worshiping demons,(AM) and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk.(AN) 21 Nor did they repent(AO) of their murders, their magic arts,(AP) their sexual immorality(AQ) or their thefts.