Net English TranslationRevelation 8 =
The Seventh Seal
8

1 Now1 when the Lamb2 opened the seventh seal there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 Then3 I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 3 Another4 angel holding5 a golden censer6 came and was stationed7 at the altar. A8 large amount of incense was given to him to offer up, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar that is before the throne. 4 The9 smoke coming from the incense,10 along with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then11 the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it on the earth, and there were crashes of thunder, roaring,12 flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.

6 Now13 the seven angels holding14 the seven trumpets prepared to blow them.

7 The15 first angel blew his trumpet, and there was hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was thrown at the earth so that16 a third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

8 Then17 the second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain of burning fire was thrown into the sea. A18 third of the sea became blood, 9 and a third of the creatures19 living in the sea died, and a third of the ships were completely destroyed.20

10 Then21 the third angel blew his trumpet, and a huge star burning like a torch fell from the sky;22 it landed23 on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 (Now24 the name of the star is25 Wormwood.)26 So27 a third of the waters became wormwood,28 and many people died from these waters because they were poisoned.29

12 Then30 the fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. And there was no light for a third of the day31 and for a third of the night likewise. 13 Then32 I looked, and I heard an33 eagle34 flying directly overhead,35 proclaiming with a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe to those who live on the earth because of the remaining sounds of the trumpets of the three angels who are about to blow them!”36

1tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the resumption of the topic of the seals. 2tn Grk “he”; the referent (the Lamb) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 3tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. 4tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. 5tn Grk “having.” 6sn A golden censer was a bowl in which incense was burned. The imagery suggests the OT role of the priest. 7tn The verb “to station” was used to translate ἑστάθη (Jestaqh) because it connotes the idea of purposeful arrangement in English, which seems to be the idea in the Greek. 8tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. 9tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. 10tn The expression τῶν θυμιαμάτων (twn qumiamatwn) is taken as a “genitive of producer,” i.e., the noun in the genitive produces the head noun. 11tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. 12tn Or “sounds,” “voices.” It is not entirely clear what this refers to. BDAG 1071 s.v. φωνή 1 states, “In Rv we have ἀστραπαὶ καὶ φωναὶ καὶ βρονταί (cp. Ex 19:16) 4:5; 8:5; 11:19; 16:18 (are certain other sounds in nature thought of here in addition to thunder, as e.g. the roar of the storm?…).” 13tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic. 14tn Grk “having.” 15tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. 16tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so that” because what follows has the logical force of a result clause. 17tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. 18tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. 19tn Or “a third of the living creatures in the sea”; Grk “the third of the creatures which were in the sea, the ones having life.” 20tn On the term translated “completely destroyed,” L&N 20.40 states, “to cause the complete destruction of someone or something – ‘to destroy utterly.’ τὸ τρίτον τῶν πλοίων διεφθάρησαν ‘a third of the ships were completely destroyed’ Re 8:9.” 21tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. 22tn Or “from heaven” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”). 23tn Grk “fell.” 24tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” in keeping with the parenthetical nature of this remark. 25tn Grk “is called,” but this is somewhat redundant in contemporary English. 26sn Wormwood refers to a particularly bitter herb with medicinal value. According to L&N 3.21, “The English term wormwood is derived from the use of the plant as a medicine to kill intestinal worms.” This remark about the star’s name is parenthetical in nature. 27tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the star falling on the waters. 28tn That is, terribly bitter (see the note on “Wormwood” earlier in this verse). 29tn Grk “and many of the men died from these waters because they were bitter.” 30tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. 31tn Grk “the day did not shine [with respect to] the third of it.” 32tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. 33tn Grk “one eagle.” 34tc ÏA reads “angel” (ἀγγέλου, angelou) instead of “eagle” (ἀετοῦ, aetou), a reading strongly supported by {א A 046 ÏK and several versions}. On external grounds, ἀετοῦ is clearly the superior reading. ἀγγέλου could have arisen inadvertently due to similarities in spelling or sound between ἀετοῦ and ἀγγέλου. It may also have been intentional in order to bring this statement in line with 14:6 where an angel is mentioned as the one flying in midair. This seems a more likely reason, strengthened by the facts that the book only mentions eagles two other times (4:7; 12:14). Further, the immediate as well as broad context is replete with references to angels. 35tn Concerning the word μεσουράνημα (mesouranhma), L&N 1.10 states, “a point or region of the sky directly above the earth – ‘high in the sky, midpoint in the sky, directly overhead, straight above in the sky.’ εἶδον, καὶ ἤκουσα ἑνὸς ἁετοῦ πετομένου ἐν μεσουρανήματι ‘I looked, and I heard an eagle that was flying overhead in the sky’ Re 8:13.” 36tn Grk “about to sound their trumpets,” but this is redundant in English.
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