Paragraph 1:3

1:3a

Blessed: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Blessed describes a person who is in a good situation. In the Bible, the good situation results from God showing favor/kindness to the person.

This word does not primarily refer to a feeling. However, a person in this good situation will frequently have good feelings like happiness and joy. Do not use a word that only refers to material prosperity or physical health.

Other ways to translate this word are:

Favored
-or-
How good it is
-or-
In a good/desirable position ⌊in God’s eyes⌋
-or-
Shown kindness ⌊by God⌋

This is the same word used in Matthew 5:3–11 in the Beatitudes.

reads aloud: In Greek, the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as reads aloud is more literally “reading.” The Berean Standard Bible supplies the word aloud because at that time the word “reading” normally referred to reading aloud, either to oneself or to others. People did not normally read silently. The context here implies reading aloud to a group (1:3b). However, if possible, translate this word so that it can refer to any kind of reading (See the English Standard Version translation in the Display).

prophecy: The word prophecy refers to a message that God gives to someone. The message may include a vision, as in Ezekiel 1 and Daniel 8. A prophecy may reveal something about past events, current events, or future events. The prophet speaks the prophecy to the people or writes it down for their use.

Many scholars believe that Revelation 2:1 through 3:22 are prophecies about things that were happening at the time John received this revelation. Many also believe that 4:1 through 22:17 are prophecies about future events.

Some languages do not have a word for prophecy. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Use a descriptive phrase. For example:

direct message from God
-or-
God’s ⌊new⌋ message
-or-
a message that God has revealed

• Use the major language word. If people are not familiar with this word, explain it in a footnote. An example footnote is:

The word “prophecy” refers to a message that God gives to someone. The message may include a vision. A prophecy may reveal something about past events, current events, or future events.

1:3b

those who hear and obey what is written in it: John referred here to the people who were listening to someone reading this prophecy aloud (1:3a). He was indicating that people who hear the words of this prophecy also have to obey what is written before they are blessed.

obey: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as obey is literally “keep” (as in the Revised Standard Version). Here the word “keep” refers to following what was said and valuing it. Other ways to translate the Greek word are:

live according to it
-or-
do what is written in it (New Century Version)

1:3c

the time is near: This clause indicates that the events in this prophecy will happen soon. Some languages may need to say explicitly what time is near. For example:

the time is near when all these things will happen (Good News Translation)

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