On the term φαρμακεία ( farmakeia , “magic spells”) see L&N 53.100: “the use of magic, often involving drugs and the casting of spells upon people – ‘to practice magic, to cast spells upon, to engage in sorcery, magic, sorcery.’ φαρμακεία : ἐν τῇ φαρμακείᾳ σου ἐπλανήθησαν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ‘with your magic spells you deceived all the peoples (of the world)’ Re 18:23 .”


Grk “idolaters.”


Grk “their share.”


Traditionally, “brimstone.”


Grk “sulfur, which is.” The relative pronoun has been translated as “that” to indicate its connection to the previous clause. The nearest logical antecedent is “the lake [that burns with fire and sulfur],” although “lake” ( λίμνη , limnh ) is feminine gender, while the pronoun “which” ( ὅ , Jo ) is neuter gender. This means that (1) the proper antecedent could be “their place” ( Grk “their share,”) agreeing with the relative pronoun in number and gender, or (2) the neuter pronoun still has as its antecedent the feminine noun “lake,” since agreement in gender between pronoun and antecedent was not always maintained, with an explanatory phrase occurring with a neuter pronoun regardless of the case of the antecedent. In favor of the latter explanation is Rev 20:14 , where the phrase “the lake of fire” is in apposition to the phrase “the second death.”


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.


Grk “with me.” The translation “with me” implies that John was engaged in a dialogue with the one speaking to him (e.g., Jesus or an angel) when in reality it was a one-sided conversation, with John doing all the listening. For this reason, μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ ( met ’ emou , “with me”) was translated as “to me.” See also v. 15 .


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s invitation.


Or “in the spirit.” “Spirit” could refer either to the Holy Spirit or the human spirit, but in either case John was in “a state of spiritual exaltation best described as a trance” (R. H. Mounce, Revelation [NICNT], 75).


Grk “to a mountain great and high.”


Grk “from God, having the glory of God.” Here a new sentence was started in the translation by supplying the words “the city” to refer back to the previous clause and translating the participle (“having”) as a finite verb.


On the term ἰάσπιδι ( iaspidi ) BDAG 465 s.v. ἴασπις states, “ jasper, a precious stone found in various colors, mostly reddish, somet. green…brown, blue, yellow, and white. In antiquity the name was not limited to the variety of quartz now called jasper, but could designate any opaque precious stone. Rv 21:18 f. W. λίθος 4:3 (TestSol C 11:8 ). λίθος ἴασπις κρυσταλλίζων a stone of crystal-clear jasper 21:11 (cp. Is 54:12 ); perh. the opal is meant here; acc. to some, the diamond.”


Grk “jasper, having.” Here a new sentence was started in the translation.


Grk “a (city) wall great and high.”


On this term BDAG 897 s.v. πυλών 1 states, “ gate , esp. of the large, impressive gateways at the entrance of temples and palaces…of the entrances of the heavenly Jerusalem… οἱ πυλῶνες αὐτῆς οὐ μὴ κλεισθῶσιν its entrances shall never be shut Rv 21:25 ; cp. vss. 12ab, 13abcd, 15, 21ab; 22:14 .”


Grk “of the sons of Israel.” The translation “nation of Israel” is given in L&N 11.58.


Grk “on them”; the referent (the gates) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


The words “There are” have been supplied to make a complete English sentence. This is a continuation of the previous sentence, a lengthy and complicated one in Greek.


The word “side” has been supplied four times in this verse for clarity.


Here καί ( kai ) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.


Grk “the one”; the referent (the angel of v. 9 ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the somewhat parenthetical nature of the description of the city.


Or “the city lies square.” On κεῖμαι ( keimai ) in this context, BDAG 537 s.v. 2 states, “ lie, of things… ἡ πόλις τετράγωνος κεῖται is laid out as a square Rv 21:16 .”


Grk “with the rod”; the word “measuring” is supplied from the description in v. 15 .


Or “two thousand two hundred kilometers,” Grk “12,000 stades.” A stade was a measure of length about 607 ft (185 m).


Here the measurement was kept in cubits in the translation because of the possible symbolic significance of the number 144 (12 times 12). This is about 216 ft (65 m).


Here L&N 81.1 translate the phrase μέτρον ἀνθρώπου , ὅ ἐστιν ἀγγέλου ( metron anqrwpou, {o estin angelou ) “‘the unit of measurement used by a person, that is, by an angel’ Re 21:17 .” It is more likely that μέτρον is an accusative of respect or reference.


Grk “and its wall”; the referent of the pronoun (the city) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί ( kai ) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.


The phrase ἡ ἐνδώμησις τοῦ τείχους ( Jh endwmhsi" tou teicou" ) is difficult to translate precisely. BDAG 334 s.v. ἐνδώμησις states, “primary mng. ‘interior structure’; in our lit. prob.= construction, hence material τοῦ τείχους Rv 21:18 .” The phrase could then be translated, “the foundation of the city wall was jasper” or “the material used for the wall of the city was jasper.” The latter alternative has been used in the translation because the text goes on to discuss the foundation in 21:19 (using the term θεμέλιος [ qemelios ]), which is somewhat redundant if the foundation is mentioned here.


Or “transparent crystal.” See L&N 6.222, which notes the emphasis is on transparency here. The same Greek word, καθαρός ( kaqaros ), means both “pure” (referring to the gold) and “transparent” (referring to the glass).


The perfect participle here has been translated as an intensive (resultative) perfect.


The Greek word πλατεῖα ( plateia ) refers to a major (broad) street (L&N 1.103).


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic. Every verse from here to the end of this chapter begins with καί in Greek, but due to differences between Greek and contemporary English style, these have not been translated.


On this word BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent ( One ) only of God…( ὁ ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π . … Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22 .”


Or “the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).


Or “splendor”; Grk “glory.”


On the translation “during the day” see BDAG 436 s.v. ἡμέρα 1.a, “But also, as in Thu. et al., of time within which someth. occurs, ἡμέρας during the day Rv 21:25 .”


The Greek connective γάρ ( gar ) most often expresses some sort of causal connection. However, in this context there is no causal force to the second phrase; γάρ simply expresses continuation or connection. Because of this it has been translated as “and.” See BDAG 189-90 s.v. 2 .


The clause has virtually the force of a parenthetical comment.


Grk “honor,” but BDAG 1005 s.v. τιμή 2.b states, “An outstanding feature of the use of τ ., as already shown in several passages, is its combination w. δόξα …of earthly possessions τὴν δόξαν καὶ τὴν τιμὴν τῶν ἐθνῶν Rv 21:26 ( τιμή concr.=an object of value: Ezk 22:25).”


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.


Here BDAG 552 s.v. κοινός 2 states, “pert. to being of little value because of being common, common, ordinary, profane …b. specifically, of that which is ceremonially impure: Rv 21:27 .”


Or “what is abhorrent”; Grk “who practices abominations.”


Grk “practicing abomination or falsehood.” Because of the way βδέλυγμα ( bdelugma ) has been translated (“does what is detestable”) it was necessary to repeat the idea from the participle ποιῶν ( poiwn , “practices”) before the term “falsehood.” On this term, BDAG 1097 s.v. ψεῦδος states, “ ποιεῖν ψεῦδος practice (the things that go with) falsehood Rv 21:27; 22:15 .” Cf. Rev 3:9 .


Grk “those who are written”; the word “names” is implied.


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.


Grk “he”; the referent (the angel mentioned in 21:9, 15 ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “proceeding.” Water is more naturally thought to pour out or flow out in English idiom.


Grk “its”; the referent (the city, the new Jerusalem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


The Greek word πλατεῖα ( plateia ) refers to a major (broad) street (L&N 1.103).


Grk “From here and from there.”


Or “twelve crops” (one for each month of the year).


The words “of the year” are implied.


Or “be anything accursed” (L&N 33.474).


Grk “in it”; the referent (the city, the new Jerusalem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “city, and his.” Although this is a continuation of the previous sentence in Greek, a new sentence was started here in the translation because of the introduction of the Lamb’s followers.


See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1 .


Or “will serve.”


Grk “he”; the referent (the angel mentioned in 21:9, 15; 22:1 ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


Grk “faithful.”


Or “I am John, the one who heard and saw these things.”


The pronoun “them” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.


Grk “I fell down and worshiped at the feet.” BDAG 815 s.v. πίπτω 1.b. α . ב . has “ fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion or humility, before high-ranking persons or divine beings.”


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present here.


On the elliptical expression ὅρα μή ( {ora mh ) BDAG 720 s.v. ὁράω B.2 states: “Elliptically… ὅρα μή (sc. ποιήσῃς ) watch out! don’t do that! Rv 19:10; 22:9 .”


Grk “fellow slave.” Though σύνδουλος ( sundoulos ) is here translated “fellow servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1 .


Grk “keep” (an idiom for obedience).


Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.


Grk “must do evil still.”


For this translation see L&N 88.258; the term refers to living in moral filth.


Grk “filthy, and the.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in Greek, but because of the length and complexity of the construction a new sentence was started in the translation.


The Greek term may be translated either “pay” or “pay back” and has something of a double meaning here. However, because of the mention of “wages” (“reward,” another wordplay with two meanings) in the previous clause, the translation “pay” for ἀποδοῦναι ( apodounai ) was used here.


Grk “so that there will be to them authority over the tree of life.”


On the term φάρμακοι ( farmakoi ) see L&N 53.101.


Or “lying,” “deceit.”


On this expression BDAG 892 s.v. πρωϊνός states, “ early, belonging to the morning ὁ ἀστὴρ ὁ πρ . the morning star, Venus Rv 2:28; 22:16 .”


Grk “written.”


Most mss ( א Ï ) read “amen” ( ἀμήν , amhn ) after “all” ( πάντων , pantwn ). It is, however, not found in other important mss (A 1006 1841 pc ). It is easier to account for its addition than its omission from the text if original. Such a conclusion is routinely added by scribes to NT books because a few of these books originally had such an ending (cf. Rom 16:27 ; Gal 6:18 ; Jude 25 ). A majority of Greek witnesses have the concluding ἀμήν in every NT book except Acts, James, and 3 John (and even in these books, ἀμήν is found in some witnesses). It is thus a predictable variant.