Revelation 9
New English Translation
9 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] 2 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. 3 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. 4 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. 5 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] 6 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.
7 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. 8 They[ab] had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9 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
- Revelation 9:1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
- Revelation 9:1 tn Or “from heaven” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).
- 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 9:11…φρέαρ τῆς ἀ. 9:1f; capable of being sealed 9:1; 20:1, 3.”
- Revelation 9:2 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
- Revelation 9:2 tn Grk “the shaft,” but since this would be somewhat redundant in English, the pronoun “it” is used here.
- Revelation 9:2 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
- Revelation 9:3 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
- Revelation 9:3 tn See BDAG 352 s.v. ἐξουσία 2, “potential or resource to command, control, or govern, capability, might, power.”
- Revelation 9:4 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
- 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).
- Revelation 9:4 tn Grk “men”; but ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is used in a generic sense here of both men and women.
- Revelation 9:4 tn The article τῶν (tōn) has been translated as a possessive pronoun here (ExSyn 215).
- Revelation 9:5 tn Grk “It was not permitted to them”; the referent (the locusts) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Revelation 9:5 tn The word “permission” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
- 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).
- 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.”
- Revelation 9:5 tn The pronoun “them” is not in the Greek text but is picked up from the previous clause.
- Revelation 9:5 tn Grk “like the torture,” but this is redundant in contemporary English.
- Revelation 9:5 tn Grk “a man”; but ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is used here in an individualized sense without being limited to the male gender.
- Revelation 9:6 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
- Revelation 9:6 tn Grk “men”; but ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is used in a generic sense here of both men and women.
- Revelation 9:6 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
- 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.
- 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.
- Revelation 9:7 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
- 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”).
- 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.
- Revelation 9:8 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
- 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.
- Revelation 9:10 tn In the Greek text there is a shift to the present tense here; the previous verbs translated “had” are imperfects.
- Revelation 9:10 tn See BDAG 352 s.v. ἐξουσία 2, “potential or resource to command, control, or govern, capability, might, power.”
- Revelation 9:11 sn Both the Hebrew Abaddon and the Greek Apollyon mean “Destroyer.”
- Revelation 9:12 tn Grk “behold.” Here ἰδού (idou) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in the context.
- Revelation 9:13 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
- 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.
- Revelation 9:14 tn Grk “having.”
- 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.”
- Revelation 9:15 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
- Revelation 9:15 tn The Greek article τήν (tēn) has been translated with demonstrative force here.
- 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.
- Revelation 9:15 tn Grk “so that they might kill,” but the English infinitive is an equivalent construction to indicate purpose here.
- Revelation 9:16 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
- Revelation 9:16 tn Grk “twenty thousand of ten thousands.”
- 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.
- Revelation 9:17 tn Grk “and those seated on them.”
- Revelation 9:17 tn Grk “the vision”; the Greek article has been translated as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
- 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.’”
- 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.”
- Revelation 9:17 tn On this term BDAG 446 s.v. θειώδης states, “sulphurous Rv 9:17.”
- Revelation 9:17 sn The colors of the riders’ breastplates parallel the three plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur in v. 18.
- Revelation 9:17 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
- Revelation 9:17 tn Traditionally, “brimstone.”
- 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”).
- Revelation 9:19 tn See BDAG 352 s.v. ἐξουσία 2, “potential or resource to command, control, or govern, capability, might, power.”
- Revelation 9:19 tn Grk “is.”
- Revelation 9:20 tn The word “made” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.”
启示录 9
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
9 第五位天使吹號,我就看見一顆星從天上落到地上,有無底坑的鑰匙賜給它。 2 它開了無底坑,就有煙從坑裡冒出來,好像大火爐的煙,太陽和天空因這坑的煙就都變黑了。 3 有蝗蟲從煙裡出來到了地上;有能力賜給牠們,好像地上蠍子的能力一樣。 4 有話吩咐牠們,不可傷害地上的草,和所有青翠的東西,以及所有的樹木,只可傷害那些額上沒有 神印記的人。 5 蝗蟲沒有能力殺死他們,只可使他們受痛苦五個月。他們的痛苦就像人給蠍子螫了的痛苦一樣。 6 在那些日子,人要求死,卻決不得死;切願要死,死卻遠離他們。
7 蝗蟲的形象,好像是預備好了要上陣的戰馬一樣。牠們頭上戴的好像金冠冕,臉像人的面孔, 8 牠們的頭髮好像女人的頭髮,牙齒好像獅子的牙齒; 9 牠們的胸甲像鐵甲,牠們翅膀的聲音好像許多馬車奔馳上陣的聲音。 10 牠們好像蠍子一樣有尾巴和毒刺,牠們的尾巴能傷害人五個月。 11 牠們有無底坑的使者作王統治牠們。這王的名字,希伯來話叫阿巴頓,希臘話叫阿波倫。
12 第一樣災禍過去了。看哪,以後還有兩樣災禍要來!
13 第六位天使吹號,我聽見有一個聲音從 神面前金壇的四角發出來, 14 對拿著號筒的第六位天使說:“把捆綁在幼發拉底大河的那四個使者放了吧!” 15 那四個使者就被釋放了,他們已經預備好,要在某年某月某日某時殺害人類的三分之一。 16 馬兵的數目有二萬萬;他們這個數目我聽見了。 17 在異象中,我看見那些馬和騎馬的是這樣:騎馬的穿著火紅紫青和硫磺色的胸甲,馬的頭好像獅子頭,有火、煙和硫磺從馬的口中噴出來。 18 馬口中噴出來的火、煙和硫磺這三種災害,殺死了人類的三分之一。 19 馬的能力是在口中和尾巴上。牠們的尾巴像蛇,並且有頭用來傷人。
20 其餘沒有在這些災難中被殺的人,仍然不為他們手所作的悔改,還是去拜鬼魔和那些金、銀、銅、石頭、木頭做的,不能看、不能聽、也不能走路的偶像。 21 他們也不為自己的兇殺、邪術、淫亂和偷盜悔改。
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