Revelation 19:1–10

19:1 After these things I heard what sounded like the loud voice of a vast throng in heaven, saying,

“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,

19:2 because his judgments are true and just.1

For he has judged2 the great prostitute

who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality,

and has avenged the blood of his servants3 poured out by her own hands!”4

19:3 Then5 a second time the crowd shouted, “Hallelujah!” The smoke rises from her forever and ever.6 19:4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures threw themselves to the ground7 and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne, saying: “Amen! Hallelujah!”

19:5 Then8 a voice came from the throne, saying:

“Praise our God

all you his servants,

and all you who fear Him,

both the small and the great!”

The Wedding Celebration of the Lamb

19:6 Then9 I heard what sounded like the voice of a vast throng, like the roar of many waters and like loud crashes of thunder. They were shouting:10

“Hallelujah!

For the Lord our God,11 the All-Powerful,12 reigns!

19:7 Let us rejoice13 and exult

and give him glory,

because the wedding celebration of the Lamb has come,

and his bride has made herself ready.

19:8 She was permitted to be dressed in bright, clean, fine linen”14 (for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints).15

19:9 Then16 the angel17 said to me, “Write the following: Blessed are those who are invited to the banquet at the wedding celebration of the Lamb!” He also said to me, “These are the true words of God.” 19:10 So18 I threw myself down19 at his feet to worship him, but20 he said, “Do not do this!21 I am only22 a fellow servant23 with you and your brothers24 who hold to the testimony about25 Jesus. Worship God, for the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

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1	tn Compare the similar phrase in Rev 16:7.
2	tn Or “has punished.” See BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 5.b.α, describing the OT background which involves both the vindication of the innocent and the punishment of the guilty.
3	tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.
4	tn Grk “from her hand” (referring to her responsibility in causing the blood of God’s followers to be shed).
5	tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
6	tn Or “her smoke ascends forever and ever.”
7	tn Grk “creatures fell down.” 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.”
8	tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
9	tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
10	tn Grk “like the voice of a large crowd … saying.” Because of the complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the words “They were.”
11	tc Several mss (א2 P 1611 2053 2344 pc 𝔐K lat) read “the Lord our God” (κύριος ὁ θεός ἡμῶν, kurios ho theos hēmōn). Other important mss (A 1006 1841 pc), however, omit the “our” (ἡμῶν). Further, certain mss (051 𝔐A) omit “Lord” (κύριος), while others (including א) change the order of the statement to “God our Lord” (ὁ θεός ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν). The expression “the Lord God, the All-Powerful” occurs in 6 other places in Revelation (1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22) and the pronoun “our” is never used. Scribes familiar with the expression in this book, and especially with the frequent κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ (kurios ho theos ho pantokratōr*; “the Lord God, the All-Powerful”) in the OT Prophets (LXX; cf. Jer 39:19; Hos 12:6; Amos 3:13; 4:13; 5:8, 14, 15, 16, 27; 9:5, 6, 15; Nah 3:5; Zech 10:3), would naturally omit the pronoun. Its presence may have arisen due to liturgical motivations or to conform to the expression “our God” in 19:1, 5, but this seems much less likely than an aversion to using the pronoun here and only here in the Greek Bible in the fuller title κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ.
12	tn 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 … κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν ὁ π. Rv 19:6.”
13	tn This verb and the next two verbs are hortatory subjunctives (giving exhortations).
14	tn On the term translated “fine linen,” BDAG 185 s.v. βύσσινος states, “made of fine linen, subst. τὸ β. fine linen, linen garment … Rv 18:12 … 16; 19:8, 14.”
15	sn This phrase is treated as a parenthetical explanation by the author.
16	tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
17	tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
18	tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s announcement.
19	tn Grk “I fell down at his 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.”
20	tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
21	tn On the elliptical expression ὅρα μή (hora mē) BDAG 720 s.v. ὁράω B.2 states: “Elliptically … ὅρα μή (sc. λποιήσῃς) watch out! don’t do that! Rv 19:10; 22:9.”
22	tn The lowliness of a slave is emphasized in the Greek text with the emphatic position of σύνδουλος (sundoulos). The use of “only” helps to bring this nuance out in English.
23	tn Grk “fellow slave.” See the note on the word “servants” in v. 2.
24	tn The Greek term “brother” literally refers to family relationships, but here it is used in a broader sense to connote familial relationships within the family of God (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a).
25	tn The genitive Ἰησοῦ (Iēsou) has been translated as an objective genitive here. A subjective genitive, also possible, would produce the meaning “who hold to what Jesus testifies.”

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