16:9a

And the people were scorched by intense heat: This clause indicates that people received severe and painful burns from the sun. The clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. For example:

The intense heat scorched them

scorched: This word refers to burning something quickly. Other ways to translate this word are:

scorched (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
burned (Good News Translation)

intense heat: Here the word intense means “much.” This heat was very hot. For example:

fierce heat (Good News Translation)

16:9b

and: There is some contrast here between the heat burning the people and the people not repenting but instead cursing God. For example:

but (New Revised Standard Version)

But in some languages it is more natural not to translate the contrast, as in the Berean Standard Bible. In some languages it is more natural to allow the context to indicate the correct connection and not translate the conjunction.

they cursed the name of God: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as cursed can also mean “blasphemed.” Here it refers to speaking evil about God. Other ways to translate this clause are:

they blasphemed/dishonored God’s name
-or-
they greatly slandered God

See how you translated a similar clause in 13:6 (“blasphemies against God,” Berean Standard Bible).

16:9c

who had authority over these plagues: The Greek words are literally “the one having authority over these plagues.” It indicates that God commanded the angels to send these plagues. Other ways to translate these words are:

who had control over these plagues (New International Version)
-or-
who had the power to cause such plagues (New Jerusalem Bible)

This clause tells the reader more about God. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly indicate that John was thinking of other gods and only this one had authority over these plagues. If that is true in your language, translate this clause so that it tells more about God. For example:

because he had authority over these plagues

16:9d

yet: The Greek connects 16:9d to 16:9b with the common conjunction that is often translated as “and.” People in some languages will see no contrast here between cursing God and refusing to repent. For example:

and (Revised Standard Version)

they did not repent and give Him glory: The Berean Standard Bible literally represents the Greek here. This phrase indicates that the people did not turn away from their worship of false gods. The purpose of turning away from false gods was to honor the one true God. Other ways to translate this clause are:

they did not repent and acknowledge God’s glory
-or-
they would not turn from their sins and praise his greatness (Good News Translation)
-or-
But no one turned to God and praised him. (Contemporary English Version)

repent: This word refers to changing one’s mind, heart, and actions. In this case it refers to no longer worshiping the image of the beast. Some other examples are:

turn back to God
-or-
change their hearts and lives (New Century Version)
-or-
leave the ways of sin ⌊and follow the ways of God⌋

See how you translated this word in 2:5 or 9:20.

give Him glory: This phrase refers to agreeing that God has glory. Other ways to translate this word are:

acknowledge his majesty
-or-
praise him that he is awesome

See how you translated similar phrases in 4:9 (“give glory”) or 14:7 (“give him glory”).

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