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Revelation 1:16-18
New English Translation
Revelation 1:16-18
New English Translation
16 He held[a] seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp double-edged sword extended out of his mouth. His[b] face shone like the sun shining at full strength. 17 When[c] I saw him I fell down at his feet as though I were dead, but[d] he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid! I am the first and the last, 18 and the one who lives! I[e] was dead, but look, now I am alive—forever and ever—and I hold the keys of death and of Hades![f]
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- Revelation 1:16 tn Grk “and having.” In the Greek text this is a continuation of the previous sentence, but because contemporary English style employs much shorter sentences, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronoun “he.”
- Revelation 1:16 tn This is a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text, but a new sentence was started here in the translation.
- Revelation 1:17 tn Grk “And when.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
- Revelation 1:17 tn Here the Greek conjunction καί (kai) has been translated as a contrastive (“but”) due to the contrast between the two clauses.
- Revelation 1:18 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
- Revelation 1:18 tn Concerning “Hades” BDAG 19 s.v. ᾅδης 1 and 2 states: “Orig. proper noun, god of the nether world, ‘Hades’, then the nether world, Hades as place of the dead, Ac 2:27, 31 (Ps 16:10; Eccl 9:10; PGM 1, 179; 16, 8; Philo, Mos. 1, 195; Jos., Bell. 1, 596, Ant. 6, 332). Of Jonah’s fish ἐκ τοῦ κατωτάτου ᾅδου. In the depths, contrasted w. heaven ἕως (τοῦ) ᾅδου Mt 11:23; Lk 10:15 (PsSol 15:10; cf.; Is 14:11, 15); ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ 16:23; ἐν ῝Αιδου ApcPt Rainer. Accessible by gates (but the pl. is also used [e.g. Hom., X., Ael. Aristid. 47, 20 K.=23 p. 450 D.] when only one gate is meant), hence πύλαι ᾅδου (Il. 5, 646; Is 38:10; Wsd 16:13; 3 Macc 5:51; Pss. Sol. 16:2.—Lucian, Menipp. 6 the magicians can open τοῦ ῝Αιδου τὰς πύλας and conduct people in and out safely) Mt 16:18…locked ἔχω τὰς κλεῖς τοῦ θανάτου καὶ τοῦ ᾅδου Rv 1:18 (the genitives are either obj. [Ps.-Apollod. 3, 12, 6, 10 Aeacus, the son of Zeus holds the κλεῖς τοῦ ῝Αιδου; SEG VIII, 574, 3 (III ad) τῷ τὰς κλεῖδας ἔχοντι τῶν καθ᾿ ῝Αιδου (restored)] or possess.; in the latter case death and Hades are personif.; s. 2)…Hades personif.…w. θάνατος (cf. Is 28:15; Job 38:17…) Rv 6:8; 20:13f.” sn In the OT, Hades was known as Sheol. It is the place where the unrighteous will reside (Matt 11:23; Luke 16:23; Rev 20:13-14).
Revelation 2:1
New English Translation
Revelation 2:1
New English Translation
To the Church in Ephesus
2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write the following:[a]
“This is the solemn pronouncement of[b] the one who has a firm grasp on[c] the seven stars in his right hand[d]—the one who walks among the seven golden[e] lampstands:
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- Revelation 2:1 tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.
- Revelation 2:1 tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” The expression τάδε λέγει (tade legei) occurs eight times in the NT, seven of which are in Rev 2-3. “The pronoun is used to add solemnity to the prophetic utterance that follows.…In classical drama, it was used to introduce a new actor to the scene (Smyth, Greek Grammar, 307 [§1241]). But the τάδε λέγει formula in the NT derives from the OT, where it was used to introduce a prophetic utterance (BAGD, s.v. ὅδε, 1)” (ExSyn 328). Thus, the translation “this is the solemn pronouncement of” for τάδε λέγει is very much in keeping with the OT connotations of this expression.sn The expression This is the solemn pronouncement of reflects an OT idiom. The LXX has the same Greek phrase (τάδε λέγει, tade legei) about 350 times, with nearly 320 of them having “the Lord” (Heb יהוה, Yahweh) as subject. That the author of Revelation would use such an expression seven times with the risen Christ as the speaker may well imply something of Christ’s sovereignty and deity. Cf. also Acts 21:11 in which the Holy Spirit is the speaker of this expression.
- Revelation 2:1 tn Grk “holds,” but the term (i.e., κρατῶν, kratōn) with an accusative object, along with the context, argues for a sense of firmness. (Cf. ExSyn 132.)
- Revelation 2:1 sn On seven stars in his right hand see 1:16.
- Revelation 2:1 tn Grk “lampstands of gold” with the genitive τῶν χρυσῶν (tōn chrusōn) translated as an attributive genitive.
Revelation 3:1
New English Translation
Revelation 3:1
New English Translation
To the Church in Sardis
3 “To[a] the angel of the church in Sardis write the following:[b]
“This is the solemn pronouncement of[c] the one who holds[d] the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a reputation[e] that you are alive, but[f] in reality[g] you are dead.
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- Revelation 3:1 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.
- Revelation 3:1 tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.
- Revelation 3:1 tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.sn The expression This is the solemn pronouncement of reflects an OT idiom. See the note on this phrase in 2:1.
- Revelation 3:1 tn Grk “who has” (cf. 1:16).
- Revelation 3:1 tn Grk “a name.”
- Revelation 3:1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
- Revelation 3:1 tn The prepositional phrase “in reality” is supplied in the translation to make explicit the idea that their being alive was only an illusion.
Revelation 3:7
New English Translation
Revelation 3:7
New English Translation
To the Church in Philadelphia
7 “To[a] the angel of the church in Philadelphia write the following:[b]
“This is the solemn pronouncement of[c] the Holy One, the True One, who holds the key of David, who opens doors[d] no one can shut, and shuts doors[e] no one can open:
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- Revelation 3:7 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.
- Revelation 3:7 tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.
- Revelation 3:7 tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.sn The expression This is the solemn pronouncement of reflects an OT idiom. See the note on this phrase in 2:1.
- Revelation 3:7 tn The word “door” is not in the Greek text but has been supplied in the translation. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context. Since the following verse does contain the word “door” (θύραν, thuran), that word has been supplied as the direct object here.
- Revelation 3:7 tn See the note on the word “door” earlier in this verse.
New English Translation (NET)
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