SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 2020 – Page 48

SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 21:25

21:25a–b

Its gates will never be shut at the end of the day, because there will be no night there: Here the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as day refers to the hours of daylight. There will be no night, so the gates of the city wall will always be open. Other ways to translate these words are:

In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
The gates of the city will stand open all day; they will never be closed, because there will be no night there (Good News Translation)

21:25b

because: This conjunction introduces the reason or explanation for the gates never being shut.

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 21:26

21:26

And into the city will be brought: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as will be brought is literally “(they) will bring.” Although the Berean Standard Bible translates this word as a passive clause, it is active in the Greek. The implied pronoun “they” may refer to:

(1) the kings of the earth (21:24b);

(2) the nations (21:24a);

(3) people in general.

Some ways to translate it are:

• Use a passive clause, as the Berean Standard Bible does. For example:

shall be brought into it (Revised English Bible)

• Use an active clause with a general subject. For example:

they shall bring into it (Revised Standard Version)

• Use an active clause and refer to the nations. For example:

all the nations will bring (New Living Translation (2004))

the glory and honor of the nations: There are several ways to interpret the Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as glory and honor :

(1) The words glory and honor have their usual meanings here. For example:

the nations’ grandeur and honor

(2) The word glory has its usual meaning, but the word honor refers to wealth here. For example:

The greatness and the wealth of the nations (Good News Translation)

(3) The words glory and honor refer to treasure and wealth here. For example:

their treasure and their wealth (New Jerusalem Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). But you should follow the same interpretation that you used in 21:24b.

glory: Here this Greek word means “splendor,” or “majesty.” See how you translated this word in 21:24.

honor: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as honor means “respect, reverence.” See how you translated this word in 5:12 or 7:12.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 21:27

21:27a

But nothing unclean will ever enter it: The Greek clause is literally “Every profane (thing) shall never enter it.” This clause refers to things as well as people. Translate this clause so that it includes people. For example:

Nothing ⌊or no one⌋ impure will ever enter it
-or-
No impure thing ⌊or person⌋ will ever enter it

unclean: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as unclean is literally “common” or “ordinary.” Here the word is used as an opposite to “holy.” So it means “anything that God says is bad.” Other ways to translate this word are:

unworthy (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
not holy
-or-
against God

21:27b

nor anyone who practices an abomination or a lie: The phrase “will ever enter it” is implied from 21:27a but not repeated here. In some languages it is more natural to include some or all of the implied words. For example:

nor ⌊will⌋ anyone who practices an abomination or a lie ⌊ever enter it⌋

anyone who practices an abomination: The Greek phrase is literally “the (one) doing abomination.” This phrase refers to people who do things that God considers detestable or very awful. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

anyone who does what is shameful (New International Version)
-or-
anyone who does obscene things
-or-
anyone who does what is detestable (NET Bible)

a lie: This word refers to a person who tells lies as a way of life.

21:27c

but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life: This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active or intransitive clause. Jesus probably wrote the book, since it is his. For example:

only those whose names ⌊the Lamb⌋ had written in his Book of Life
-or-
only those whose names were in the Lamb’s Book of Life

If you translate according to the last example, your translation should imply that the names were written.

the Lamb’s Book of Life: This phrase refers to a Book that has in it the names of people to whom God will give eternal Life. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

the Lamb’s Book ⌊in which is the names⌋ of ⌊those who have⌋ ⌊eternal⌋ life
-or-
the Lamb’s Book ⌊with/having the names⌋ of ⌊those to whom God will give⌋ ⌊eternal⌋ life

See how you translated the phrase “the Book of Life” in 3:5 or 20:12.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 22:1

Paragraph 22:1–3a

22:1a

the angel: This is the same angel as in 21:9–17.

showed me a river of the water of life:
This clause indicates that the water in the river was the water of life. For example:

showed me a river filled with the water of life (God’s Word)

the water of life: This phrase indicates that the water is a source of eternal life. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

water that gives ⌊eternal⌋ life
-or-
life-giving water

See how you translated this phrase in 7:17 (“living water”) or 21:6.

as clear as crystal: There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as clear :

(1) The word means bright or sparkling here. For example:

sparkling like crystal (Good News Translation)

(2) The word means clear here. For example:

crystal–clear (New Jerusalem Bible)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because that is the usual meaning of the Greek word.

crystal: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as crystal refers to various substances that are bright, shiny, and have flat surfaces. (See drawing at 4:6.) The Greek word probably refers only to crystals that let light shine through them. Quartz, diamond, and sapphire are examples of crystals. Here the focus is on the fact that the crystal is shiny.

In some languages people are not familiar with crystal. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Use the characteristics of crystals that are important here. For example:

bright and sparkling

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

Crystals are hard substances that are see-through, shiny, and have flat surfaces. The water in this verse is shiny and sparkling like crystal.

See how you translated this word in 4:6 or 21:11.

22:1b

flowing from: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as flowing from is literally “coming out of.” The phrase indicates that the river came out of the throne. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

coming from (Good News Translation)
-or-
pouring out from (NET Bible)

the throne of God and of the Lamb: The throne belongs to both God and the Lamb. It is where God and the Lamb rule.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 22:2

22:2a

down the middle of the main street of the city: The river splits this street down its length into two parts.

22:2b

On either side of the river stood a tree of life: The Greek words are literally “on this (side) and on that (side) of the river (a/the) tree of life.” There are several ways to interpret the Greek words:

(1) It refers to one tree that spans the river. For example, the Revised Standard Version says:

on either side of the river, the tree of life

(2) It refers to two trees, one on each side of the river. For example, the New Living Translation (2004) says:

On each side of the river grew a tree of life (New Living Translation (2004))

(3) It refers to more than one tree on each side of the river. For example, the New Jerusalem Bible says:

on either bank of the river were the trees of life

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because the Greek word for tree is singular.

a tree of life: This phrase indicates that this tree is a source of life. Those who eat the fruit will have eternal life. For example:

life-giving tree

See how you translated this phrase in 2:7.

22:2c

bearing twelve kinds of fruit and yielding a fresh crop for each month: The Greek words are literally “producing twelve fruits according to each month yielding its fruit.” Here the Greek phrase “twelve fruits” refers to twelve crops of fruit. There are two ways to interpret this clause:

(1) The tree produces a different kind of fruit each month. For example:

with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month (Revised Standard Version)

(2) The tree produces the same fruit each month. For example:

which bears fruit twelve times a year, once each month (Good News Translation)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because of the phrase “according to each month” in the Greek probably indicates twelve kinds of fruit.

22:2d

And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations: The leaves have the ability to heal all the peoples of the world. Other ways to translate this clause are:

The leaves were used for medicine to heal the nations (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
The leaves of the tree will heal the nations (God’s Word)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 22:3

22:3a

No longer will there be any curse: The Greek clause is literally “every curse will no longer be/exist.” There are two ways to interpret this clause:

(1) This clause indicates that all promises of destruction are gone. For example:

There will no longer be any curse (New American Standard Bible)

(2) This clause indicates that all people and things that God has promised to destroy are gone. For example:

Nothing that is under God’s curse will be found in the city (Good News Translation)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because the focus of the clause is on the curse and not on who or what is cursed.

curse: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as curse means “promising to completely destroy something.” Other ways to translate this word are:

promise to destroy
-or-
curse of destruction (New Jerusalem Bible)

Paragraph 22:3b–5

22:3b

the city: The Greek word here is “her.” In Greek “street” (22:2a) is also feminine, but city (21:23a) makes more sense here.

22:3c

His servants: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as servants can also be translated as “slaves.” Here the phrase refers to believers serving God. The difference between “slave” and “servant” is not important here. See how you translated the word servants in 2:20 or 19:2.

worship: Here the word worship refers to doing religious duties. These duties include worship and doing the work of a priest. Other ways to translate this word are:

do his will
-or-
do everything that he commands them to do

See how you translated this word in 7:15, where the Berean Standard Bible translates it as “serve.”

Him: This pronoun probably refers to God here.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 22:4

22:4

They will see His face: No human has seen God’s face (Exodus 33:20, 1 Timothy 6:16). But God will make his people (“servants,” 22:3c) holy, so that they can come to him and see his face. This clause implies that they can speak personally with God. For example:

they will see him face to face (New Jerusalem Bible)

His: This pronoun probably refers to God here.

His name will be on their foreheads: This clause indicates that the people belong to God and have a relationship with him.

In some languages people will think the name on their foreheads has another purpose. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

• Explain the correct meaning in your translation. For example:

his name will be on their foreheads ⌊to show that they belong to him⌋

• Explain the correct meaning in a footnote. For example:

The name on their foreheads indicates that the people belong to God and have a relationship with him.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 22:5

22:5a

There will be no more night in the city: The Greek clause is literally “night will no longer be/exist.” This clause indicates that there will no longer be times of darkness. For example:

Night will be no more (NET Bible)

22:5b

they will have no need for the light of a lamp or of the sun: God will cause the whole city to always be lit. It will probably be brightly lit, like the sun lights a city. So the people of the city will not need lamps or sunlight in order to see. Other ways to translate this clause are:

they will not need lamps or sunlight (Good News Translation)
-or-
no one who lives there will ever need a lamp or the sun (Contemporary English Version)

22:5c

For: This conjunction introduces the reason why the people have no need for a lamp or the sun.

the Lord God: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Lord means “the one who has authority over (something),” or “owner.” God has authority over everyone. See how you translated this word in 21:22.

will shine on them: The Greek words are literally “will shine on them” (as in the New Living Translation (2004)). The glory of God will light the city (21:23b). Other ways to translate this phrase are:

will illumine them (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
will be their light (Revised Standard Version)

22:5d

reign: This word refers to ruling people as king. For example:

rule as kings (Good News Translation)

forever and ever: The Greek phrase is literally “into the ages of the ages.” The word “age” refers to a very long time, so the phrase “the ages of the ages” refers to eternity. For example:

for timeless ages (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Revelation 2020