In the Spirit he carried me away: as in 17.3. Translators may choose to say “The Spirit (or, God’s Spirit) possessed (or, took control of) me, and the angel carried me to….”

To a great, high mountain: “to the top of a very high mountain.” It should be made clear that the writer was carried to the top of the mountain (as Good News Translation renders it).

The holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God: as in Rev. 21.2. In both passages holy has the basic meaning of “belonging to God,” “God’s own city.” For city see 3.12; 11.2, and elsewhere.

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• God’s Spirit took control of me, and the angel carried me to the top of a very high mountain. There he showed me God’s city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from the presence of God.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Revelation to John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .