Revelation 9:1-12
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!
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 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 9:1-12
World English Bible
9 The fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star from the sky which had fallen to the earth. The key to the pit of the abyss was given to him. 2 He opened the pit of the abyss, and smoke went up out of the pit, like the smoke from a[a] burning furnace. The sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke from the pit. 3 Then out of the smoke came locusts on the earth, and power was given to them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 They were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those people who don’t have God’s seal on their foreheads. 5 They were given power, not to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a person. 6 In those days people will seek death, and will in no way find it. They will desire to die, and death will flee from them. 7 The shapes of the locusts were like horses prepared for war. On their heads were something like golden crowns, and their faces were like people’s faces. 8 They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like those of lions. 9 They had breastplates, like breastplates of iron. The sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, or of many horses rushing to war. 10 They have tails like those of scorpions, and stings. In their tails they have power to harm men for five months. 11 They have over them as king the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is “Abaddon”,[b] but in Greek, he has the name “Apollyon”.[c] 12 The first woe is past. Behold, there are still two woes coming after this.
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