The Living Bible (534 page)
Authors: Inc. Tyndale House Publishers
Tags: #BIBLES / Other Translations / Text
6:6
A loaf of bread for $20, or three pounds of barley flour,
literally, “A choenix of wheat for a denarius, and three choenix of barley for a denarius”
there is no olive oil or wine,
literally, “do not damage the oil and wine.”
6:13
appeared to be falling to earth,
literally, “fell to the earth.”
6:14
the starry heavens disappeared,
literally, “the sky departed.”
7:17
in front of the throne,
literally, “in the center of the throne”; i.e., directly in front, not to one side. An alternate rendering might be, “at the heart of the throne.”
8:8-9
turned red as blood,
literally, “became blood.”
8:11
“Bitterness,”
literally, “Wormwood.”
9:1
one who had fallen to earth from heaven,
literally, “a star fallen from heaven”; it is unclear whether this person is of satanic origin, as most commentators believe, or whether the reference is to Christ.
9:11
(and in English, the Destroyer),
implied.
9:14
mighty demons,
literally, “[fallen] angels.”
9:16
If this is a literal figure, it is no longer incredible, in view of a world population in excess of 6 billion in the near future. In China alone, in 1961, there were an “estimated 200 million armed and organized militiamen” (Associated Press Release, April 24, 1964).
warriors,
literally, “horsemen.”
11:1
a measuring stick . . . and to count the number of worshipers,
literally, “Rise and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.”
11:2
forty-two months,
three and a half years, as in Daniel 12:7; also for
1,260 days
in v. 3.
11:4
two olive trees,
see Zechariah 4:3, 11.
11:7
the bottomless pit,
see 9:11.
11:15
The Kingdom of this world now belongs to our Lord, and to his Christ; and he shall reign forever and ever,
or “The Lord and his Anointed shall now rule the world from this day to eternity.”
12:14
three and a half years,
literally, “a time and times and half a time.”
13:7
The Dragon gave him power to fight against God’s people,
literally, “It was permitted to fight against God’s people.”
13:8
whose names were not written . . . in the slain Lamb’s Book of Life,
or “those whose names were not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain before the founding of the world.” That is, regarded as slain in the eternal plan and knowledge of God.
13:10
The people of God . . . will be killed,
or “If anyone imprisons you, he will be imprisoned! If anyone kills you, he will be killed.”
13:18
666,
some manuscripts read “616.”
14:4
For they are spiritually undefiled, pure as virgins,
literally, “They have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins.”
14:9
from the sea,
implied.
14:13
his martyrs,
literally, “those who die in the faith of Jesus”; v. 12 implies death from persecution for Christ’s sake.
14:14
“The Son of Man,”
literally, “one like a Son of Man.”
14:18
who has power to destroy the world with fire,
literally, “who has power over fire.”
15:3-4
O King of Ages.
Some manuscripts read, “King of the Nations.”
16:7
I heard the angel of the altar say,
literally, “I heard the altar cry.”
16:10
from the sea,
implied.
16:13
his False Prophet,
described in 13:11-15 and 19:20.
16:17
It is finished,
literally, “It has happened.” An epoch of human history has come to an end.
17:3
a scarlet animal that had seven heads and ten horns.
The Dragon—Satan—and the Creature from the sea are also described in 12:3, 9, and 13:1.
17:8
go to eternal destruction,
literally, “go to perdition.”
dumbfounded at his reappearance after being dead,
literally, “dumbfounded at the ruler who was, and is not, and will be present.”
17:9
represent a certain city,
implied in v. 18.
18:2
every kind of evil spirit,
literally, “every foul and hateful bird.”
18:3
have enjoyed themselves with her,
literally, “have committed fornication with her.”
18:22
no more pianos, saxophones, and trumpets,
literally, “harpers, pipers, and trumpeters.”
19:2
sin,
literally, “fornication,” the word used symbolically throughout the prophets for the worship of false gods.
19:9
the angel,
literally, “he”; the exact antecedent is unclear.
God himself has stated this,
literally, “These are the true words of God.”
19:10
The purpose of all prophecy . . . is to tell about Jesus,
literally, “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
19:12
A name was written on his forehead,
implied.
19:13
“The Word of God,”
literally, “The Logos,” as in John 1:1—the ultimate method of God’s revealing himself to man.
19:20
the False Prophet;
see 13:11-16.
20:9
of Jerusalem,
implied.
20:10
will again,
implied from v. 3.
20:11
they found no place to hide,
literally, “there was no longer any place for them.”
21:3
be among them;
some manuscripts add, “and be their God.”
21:17
216 feet across . . . using standard units,
literally, “144 cubits by human measurements.” A cubit was the average length of a man’s arm—not an angel’s! The angel used normal units of measurement that John could understand.
21:18-20
layer,
literally, “foundation.”
21:22
are worshiped in it everywhere,
literally, “are its temple.”
22:2
Trees of Life,
literally, “The tree of life”—used here as a collective noun, implying plurality.
22:6-7
soon,
or “suddenly,” “unexpectedly”; also in vv. 12 and 20.