Reading Revelation

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Revelation 6:10):

καὶ ἔκραξαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ λέγοντες· ἕως πότε, ὁ δεσπότης ὁ ἅγιος καὶ ἀληθινός, οὐ κρίνεις καὶ ἐκδικεῖς τὸ αἷμα ἡμῶν ἐκ τῶν κατοικούντων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς;

Transliteration:

kai ekraxan phōnȩ̄ megalȩ̄ legontes; heōs pote, ho despotēs ho hagios kai alēthinos, ou krineis kai ekdikeis to haima hēmōn ek tōn katoikountōn epi tēs gēs?

Translation (NRSV):

they cried out with a loud voice, “Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?”

Analysis (Zerwick):

ἔκραξαν : aorist of κράζω : they cried out.
πότε : when? : ἕως πότε how long.
δεσπότης : master, lord ; ὁ with nominative for vocative.
ἀληθινός : genuine, true.
ἐκδικέω : vindicate ; ἐκδικέω τι ἐκ τινος avenge something on one.
κατοικούντων : participle of κατοικέω dwell, live ; τῶν κατοικούντων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς the inhabitants of the earth.

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Revelation 6:11):

καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς ἑκάστῳ στολὴ λευκὴ καὶ ἐρρέθη αὐτοῖς ἵνα ἀναπαύσονται ἔτι χρόνον μικρόν

Transliteration:

kai edothē autois hekastō̧ stolē leukē kai errethē autois hina anapausontai eti chronon mikron

Translation (NRSV):

They were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer

Comment by Grant R. Osborne in Revelation (BECNT; Grand Rapids: Baker, 2006), brackets added.

God responds in two ways in 6:11. First, he gives "each of"¹ the martyrs (another divine passive ἐδόθη [edothē, it was given] indicating the sovereign will of God) στολὴ λευκή (stolē leukē, a white robe). [...] The martyrs are then called to have the same patience that characterized their patience on earth. God tells them² ἵνα ἀναπαύσονται ἔτι χρόνον μικρόν (hina anapausontai eti chronon mikron, that they should wait for a short time yet).³ The imminence of the eschaton is strongly emphasized in "a little longer," and as Schüssler Fiorenza (1985, 49) states, "all the visions and images of Revelation are determined by such an imminent expectation" [...]. Throughout the book God is seen in process of bringing the world to an end in his own time yet promising that this time will be short. Satan "knows his time is short" (12:12), and the "delay" is over (10:6). There is probably also double meaning in ἀναπαύσονται, which means not only "wait" but also "rest." This verse parallels 14:8, in which martyred saints are told they will "rest from their labor" in heaven. With the "white robe" of glory, this is a promise that they will "rest" in the glory of heaven as they "await" the consummation of God's victory on their behalf.

¹The stress on the individual occurs seven times [...] and is an important feature. God does not vindicate just the church but every believer within it.
²The impersonal passive ἐρρέθη αὐτοῖς (errethē autois, it was told to them) followed by the content of the message in a ἵνα clause may well be used to avoid saying the name of God (due to Jewish piety) and should be translated, "God told them that ...."
³This is an adverbial accusative of time, "for a little longer."

Analysis (Zerwick):

ἐδόθη : aorist passive of δίδωμι : it was given.
στολή : long robe.
λευκός : white.
ἐρρέθη : aorist passive of λέγω: ἐρρέθη αὐτοῖς ἵνα here with future (normally subjunctive) for objective infinitive they were told to rest.
ἀναπαύσονται : future middle of ἀναπαύω cause to rest ; middle rest intransitive.
χρόνος : time ; χρόνον μικρόν (for) a little while, accusative of duration.

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Revelation 6:12a):

Καὶ εἶδον ὅτε ἤνοιξεν τὴν σφραγῖδα τὴν ἕκτην, καὶ σεισμὸς μέγας ἐγένετο

Transliteration:

Kai eidon hote ēnoixen tēn sphragida tēn hektēn, kai seismos megas egeneto

Translation (TNIV):

I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake.

Analysis (Zerwick):

ἕκτος : sixth.
σεισμός : earthquake.
ἐγένετο : aorist of γίνομαι : there was.

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Revelation 6:12b):

καὶ ὁ ἥλιος ἐγένετο μέλας ὡς σάκκος τρίχινος καὶ ἡ σελήνη ὅλη ἐγένετο ὡς αἷμα

Transliteration:

kai ho hēlios egeneto melas hōs sakkos trichinos kai hē selēnē holē egeneto hōs haima

Translation (TNIV):

The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red

Analysis (Zerwick):

ἥλιος : sun.
ἐγένετο : aorist of γίνομαι : became
μέλας : black.
σάκκος = Hebrew saq, sackcloth, garment of mourning.
τρίχινος : (< θρίξ hair) (made) of hair.
σελήνη : moon.

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Revelation 6:13):

καὶ οἱ ἀστέρες τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἔπεσαν εἰς τὴν γῆν, ὡς συκῆ βάλλει τοὺς ὀλύνθους αὐτῆς ὑπὸ ἀνέμου μεγάλου σειομένη,

Transliteration:

kai hoi asteres tou ouranou epesan eis tēn gēn, hōs sykē ballei tous olynthous autēs hypo anemou megalou seiomenē,

Translation (TNIV):

and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind.

Analysis (Zerwick):

ἀστήρ : star.
ἔπεσαν : aorist of πίπτω fall.
συκῆ : fig-tree.
βάλλω : here drop.
ὄλυνθος : late (so unripe) fig.
ἄνεμος : wind.
σειομένη : passive participle of σείω shake.

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Revelation 6:14):

καὶ ὁ οὐρανὸς ἀπεχωρίσθη ὡς βιβλίον ἑλισσόμενον καὶ πᾶν ὄρος καὶ νῆσος ἐκ τῶν τόπων αὐτῶν ἐκινήθησαν.

Transliteration:

kai ho ouranos apechōristhē hōs biblion helissomenon kai pan oros kai nēsos ek tōn topōn autōn ekinēthēsan.

Translation (NRSV):

The sky vanished like a scroll rolling itself up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

Analysis (Zerwick):

ἀπεχωρίσθη : aorist passive of ἀποχωρίζω separate ; passive be parted.
βιβλίον : scroll.
ἑλισσόμενον : passive participle of ἑλίσσω roll up, i.e. like the two halves of a split scroll rolled up and disappeared, Isa 34:3.
νῆσος : island.
ἐκινήθησαν : aorist passive of κινέω was moved.

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Revelation 6:15):

Καὶ οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς καὶ οἱ μεγιστᾶνες καὶ οἱ χιλίαρχοι καὶ οἱ πλούσιοι καὶ οἱ ἰσχυροὶ καὶ πᾶς δοῦλος καὶ ἐλεύθερος ἔκρυψαν ἑαυτοὺς εἰς τὰ σπήλαια καὶ εἰς τὰς πέτρας τῶν ὀρέων

Transliteration:

Kai hoi basileis tēs gēs kai hoi megistanes kai hoi chiliarchoi kai hoi plousioi kai hoi ischyroi kai pas doulos kai eleutheros ekrypsan heautous eis ta spēlaia kai eis tas petras tōn oreōn

Translation (NRSV):

Then the kings of the earth and the magnates and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains,

Analysis (Zerwick):

μεγιστάν : great man, magnate.
χιλίαρχος : (leader of 1000) properly a military tribune, here high ranking officer, general.
πλούσιος : rich man.
ἰσχυρός : powerful.
ἐλεύθερος : free (man).
ἔκρυψαν : aorist of κρύπτω hide.
σπήλαιον : cave.
πέτρα : rock.
ὀρέων : genitive plural (rarely contracted) of ὄρος.

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Revelation 6:16):

καὶ λέγουσιν τοῖς ὄρεσιν καὶ ταῖς πέτραις· πέσετε ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς καὶ κρύψατε ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ καθημένου ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ὀργῆς τοῦ ἀρνίου,

Transliteration:

kai legousin tois oresin kai tais petrais; pesete ephÕ hēmas kai krypsate hēmas apo prosōpou tou kathēmenou epi tou thronou kai apo tēs orgēs tou arniou,

Translation (NRSV):

calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb;

Analysis (Zerwick):

πέσετ : aorist imperative of πίπτω fall.
κρύψατε : aorist imperative of κρύπτω hide.
θρόνος : throne.
ὀργή : wrath.
ἀρνίον : lamb.

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Revelation 6:17):

ὅτι ἦλθεν ἡ ἡμέρα ἡ μεγάλη τῆς ὀργῆς αὐτῶν, καὶ τίς δύναται σταθῆναι;

Transliteration:

hoti ēlthen hē hēmera hē megalē tēs orgēs autōn, kai tis dynatai stathēnai?

Translation (NRSV):

for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

Analysis (Zerwick):

σταθῆναι : to stand, aorist passive infinitive (intransitive) ἵστημι.

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Revelation 7:1):

Μετὰ τοῦτο εἶδον τέσσαρας ἀγγέλους ἑστῶτας ἐπὶ τὰς τέσσαρας γωνίας τῆς γῆς, κρατοῦντας τοὺς τέσσαρας ἀνέμους τῆς γῆς ἵνα μὴ πνέῃ ἄνεμος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς μήτε ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης μήτε ἐπὶ πᾶν δένδρον.

Transliteration:

Meta touto eidon tessaras aggelous hestōtas epi tas tessaras gōnias tēs gēs, kratountas tous tessaras anemous tēs gēs hina mē pneȩ̄ anemos epi tēs gēs mēte epi tēs thalassēs mēte epi pan dendron.

Translation (NRSV):

After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth so that no wind could blow on earth or sea or against any tree.

Analysis (Zerwick):

τέσσαρας = 4.
ἑστῶτας : standing, perfect (intransitive with present meaning) participle of ἵστημι.
γωνία : angle, corner.
κρατοῦντας : participle of κρατέω hold fast ; restrain.
ἄνεμος : wind.
πνέῃ : subjunctive of πνέω blow.
μήτε ... μήτε : neither ... nor, μήτε ἐπὶ πᾶν (Semitism) nor on any.*
δένδρον : tree.

*BG: Instead of οὐδείς we have the Semitic οὐ ... πᾶς (= the Hebrew lō’ ... kol).

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Revelation 7:2):

Καὶ εἶδον ἄλλον ἄγγελον ἀναβαίνοντα ἀπὸ ἀνατολῆς ἡλίου ἔχοντα σφραγῖδα θεοῦ ζῶντος, καὶ ἔκραξεν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ τοῖς τέσσαρσιν ἀγγέλοις οἷς ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς ἀδικῆσαι τὴν γῆν καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν

Transliteration:

Kai eidon allon aggelon anabainonta apo anatolēs hēliou echonta sphragida theou zōntos, kai ekraxen phōnȩ̄ megalȩ̄ tois tessarsin aggelois hois edothē autois adikēsai tēn gēn kai tēn thalassan

Translation (NRSV):

I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to damage earth and sea,

Analysis (Zerwick):

ἀναβαίνοντα : participle of ἀναβαίνω go up.
ἀνατολή : (< ἀνα-τέλλω rise) rising of the sun.
ἥλιος : sun.
ἔχοντα : participle of ἔχω : having.
σφραγίς : seal ; on absence of article : in Semitic usage the substantive would be in the "construct" state and so without the article (BG ¶182).
ζῶντος : participle of ζάω : living.
ἔκραξεν : aorist of κράζω : he cried out.
ἐδόθη : aorist passive of δίδωμι (understand, e.g., ἐξουσία 13:5b) ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς ἀδικῆσαι (aorist infinitive of ἀδικέω 6:6) who had been authorize to harm, relative past time.
αὐτοῖς : redundant after οἷς = Semitism.*

*BG: The use of a pronoun repeating the relative is very frequent in Semitic languages, where it is often necessary to the sense; for the Hebrew relative particle asher or the Aramaic di is indeclinable and hence its determination in gender, number and case requires (save when it belongs to the verb) an added pronoun (¶201).

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Revelation 7:3):

λέγων· μὴ ἀδικήσητε τὴν γῆν μήτε τὴν θάλασσαν μήτε τὰ δένδρα, ἄχρι σφραγίσωμεν τοὺς δούλους τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τῶν μετώπων αὐτῶν.

Transliteration:

legōn; mē adikēsēte tēn gēn mēte tēn thalassan mēte ta dendra, achri sphragisōmen tous doulous tou theou hēmōn epi tōn metōpōn autōn.

Translation (NRSV):

"Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God."

Analysis (Zerwick):

ἀδικήσητε : aorist subjunctive of ἀδικέω harm.
ἄχρι : with subjunctive until.
σφραγίσωμεν : aorist subjunctive of σφραγίζω set a mark or seal on something, to serve as protection or identification.
μέτωπον : forehead.

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Revelation 7:4):

Καὶ ἤκουσα τὸν ἀριθμὸν τῶν ἐσφραγισμένων, ἑκατὸν τεσσεράκοντα τέσσαρες χιλιάδες, ἐσφραγισμένοι ἐκ πάσης φυλῆς υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ·

Transliteration:

Kai ēkousa ton arithmon tōn esphragismenōn, hekaton tesserakonta tessares chiliades, esphragismenoi ek pasēs phylēs huiōn Israēl;

Translation (NIV):

Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

Analysis (Zerwick):

ἤκουσα : aorist of ἀκούω : I heard.
ἀριθμός : number.
ἐσφραγισμένων : perfect passive participle of σφραγίζω seal.
ἑκατόν = 100.
τεσσεράκοντα τέσσαρες = 44.
φυλη : tribe.

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Revelation 7:5):

ἐκ φυλῆς Ἰούδα δώδεκα χιλιάδες ἐσφραγισμένοι, ἐκ φυλῆς Ῥουβὴν δώδεκα χιλιάδες, ἐκ φυλῆς Γὰδ δώδεκα χιλιάδες

Transliteration:

ek phylēs Iouda dōdeka chiliades esphragismenoi, ek phylēs Hroubēn dōdeka chiliades, ek phylēs Gad dōdeka chiliades

Translation (ESV):

12,000 from the tribe of Judah were sealed,12,000 from the tribe of Reuben,12,000 from the tribe of Gad

Analysis (Zerwick):

φυλή : tribe.
δώδεκα = 12.
χιλιάς = 1000.
ἐσφραγισμένοι : nominative plural masculine perfect passive participle sealed.

[John Reece]

NA27 Text (Revelation 7:6-8):

ἐκ φυλῆς Ἀσὴρ δώδεκα χιλιάδες,
ἐκ φυλῆς Νεφθαλὶμ δώδεκα χιλιάδες,
ἐκ φυλῆς Μανασσῆ δώδεκα χιλιάδες,
ἐκ φυλῆς Συμεὼν δώδεκα χιλιάδες,
ἐκ φυλῆς Λευὶ δώδεκα χιλιάδες,
ἐκ φυλῆς Ἰσσαχὰρ δώδεκα χιλιάδες,
ἐκ φυλῆς Ζαβουλὼν δώδεκα χιλιάδες,
ἐκ φυλῆς Ἰωσὴφ δώδεκα χιλιάδες,
ἐκ φυλῆς Βενιαμὶν δώδεκα χιλιάδες ἐσφραγισμένοι.

Transliteration:

ek phylēs Asēr dōdeka chiliades,
ek phylēs Nephthalim dōdeka chiliades,
ek phylēs Manassē dōdeka chiliades,
ek phylēs Symeōn dōdeka chiliades,
ek phylēs Leui dōdeka chiliades,
ek phylēs Issachar dōdeka chiliades,
ek phylēs Zaboulōn dōdeka chiliades,
ek phylēs Iōsēph dōdeka chiliades,
ek phylēs Beniamin dōdeka chiliades esphragismenoi.

Translation (ESV):

12,000 from the tribe of Asher, 12,000 from the tribe of Naphtali, 12,000 from the tribe of Manasseh, 12,000 from the tribe of Simeon, 12,000 from the tribe of Levi, 12,000 from the tribe of Issachar, 12,000 from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000 from the tribe of Joseph, 12,000 from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed.

Analysis (Zerwick):

φυλή : tribe.
δώδεκα = 12.
χιλιάς = 1000.
ἐσφραγισμένοι : nominative plural masculine perfect passive participle sealed.