Revelation 13:7-9
New English Translation
7 The beast[a] was permitted to go to war against the saints and conquer them.[b] He was given ruling authority[c] over every tribe, people,[d] language, and nation, 8 and all those who live on the earth will worship the beast,[e] everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world[f] in the book of life belonging to the Lamb who was killed.[g] 9 If anyone has an ear, he had better listen!
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- Revelation 13:7 tn Grk “and it was given to him to go to war.” Here the passive construction has been simplified, the referent (the beast) has been specified for clarity, and καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
- Revelation 13:7 tc Many mss omit the phrase “it was given to make war with the saints and to overcome them” (P47 A C 2053 MA sa). It is, however, found in P115vid א 051 1006 (1611) 1841 (1854) 2329 2344 2351 (MK) lat syph,(h) bo. Although the ms evidence is somewhat in favor of the shorter reading, the support of P115 (a recently-discovered ms) for the longer reading balances things out. Normally, the shorter reading should be given preference. However, in an instance in which homoioteleuton could play a role, caution must be exercised. In this passage, accidental omission is quite likely. That this could have happened seems apparent from the two occurrences of the identical phrase “and it was given to him” (καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ, kai edothē autō) in v. 7. The scribe’s eye skipped over the first καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ and went to the second, hence creating an accidental omission of eleven words.
- Revelation 13:7 tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.
- Revelation 13:7 tn Grk “and people,” but καί (kai) has not been translated here or before the following term since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
- Revelation 13:8 tn Grk “it”; the referent (the beast) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Revelation 13:8 tn The prepositional phrase “since the foundation of the world” is traditionally translated as a modifier of the immediately preceding phrase in the Greek text, “the Lamb who was killed” (so also G. B. Caird, Revelation [HNTC], 168), but it is more likely that the phrase “since the foundation of the world” modifies the verb “written” (as translated above). Confirmation of this can be found in Rev 17:8 where the phrase “written in the book of life since the foundation of the world” occurs with no ambiguity.
- Revelation 13:8 tn Or “slaughtered”; traditionally, “slain.”
Revelation 17:7-9
New English Translation
7 But[a] the angel said to me, “Why are you astounded? I will interpret[b] for you the mystery of the woman and of the beast with the seven heads and ten horns that carries her. 8 The beast you saw was, and is not, but is about to come up from the abyss[c] and then go to destruction. The[d] inhabitants of the earth—all those whose names have not been written in the book of life since the foundation of the world—will be astounded when they see that[e] the beast was, and is not, but is to come. 9 (This requires[f] a mind that has wisdom.) The seven heads are seven mountains[g] the woman sits on. They are also seven kings:
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- Revelation 17:7 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
- Revelation 17:7 tn Grk “I will tell you,” but since what follows is the angel’s interpretation of the vision, “interpret for you” is the preferred translation here.
- Revelation 17:8 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 17:8 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
- Revelation 17:8 tn Some translations take the ὅτι (hoti) here as causal: “because he was, and is not, but is to come” (so NIV, NRSV), but it is much more likely that the subject of the ὅτι clause has been assimilated into the main clause: “when they see the beast, that he was…” = “when they see that the beast was” (so BDAG 732 s.v. ὅτι 1.f, where Rev 17:8 is listed).
- Revelation 17:9 tn Grk “Here is the mind that has wisdom.”
- Revelation 17:9 tn It is important to note that the height of “mountains” versus “hills” or other topographical terms is somewhat relative. In terms of Palestinian topography, Mount Tabor (traditionally regarded as the mount of transfiguration) is some 1,800 ft (550 m) above sea level, while the Mount of Olives is only some 100 ft (30 m) higher than Jerusalem.
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