Paragraph 14:9–11
14:9a
third: This refers to the next item after the second one. If counted, this item would be counted as number three. See how you translated this word in 4:7 or 11:14.
followed: As in 14:8a, the word followed here refers to appearing in sequence. Translate this word as you did in 14:8.
them: This pronoun refers to the first two angels.
14:9b
If anyone worships the beast: This if-clause is used to introduce a warning of what would happen when someone worships the beast. It does not indicate any doubt about whether anyone will worship the beast.
In some languages a literal translation would wrongly indicate that possibly no one would worship the beast. If that is true in your language, indicate that some people will worship the beast. For example:
As for those who worship the beast…, they, too, will drink…
-or-
This will happen to those who worship the beast…, they, too, will drink…
beast: This word refers to the first beast. See how you translated beast in 13:1 or 13:18.
its image: This word refers to the statue of the first beast. See how you translated image in 13:14.
14:9c
and receives its mark on his forehead or on his hand: See how you translated the similar words “receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead” in 13:16. Translate these words in a similar way, but note the differences here.
its mark: The Berean Standard Bible adds the word its. This word makes it clear that the mark is the mark of the beast. For example:
the mark of the beast (Contemporary English Version)
However, in some languages following the Greek words will clearly refer to the mark of the beast. For example:
a mark (Revised Standard Version)
© 2020 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.