Revelation 19:11–16

The Son of God Goes to War

19:11 Then26 I saw heaven opened and here came27 a white horse! The28 one riding it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice29 he judges and goes to war. 19:12 His eyes are like a fiery30 flame and there are many diadem crowns31 on his head. He has32 a name written33 that no one knows except himself. 19:13 He is dressed in clothing dipped34 in blood, and he is called35 the Word of God. 19:14 The36 armies that are in heaven, dressed in white, clean, fine linen,37 were following him on white horses. 19:15 From his mouth extends a sharp sword, so that with it he can strike the nations.38 He39 will rule40 them with an iron rod,41 and he stomps the winepress42 of the furious43 wrath of God, the All-Powerful.44 19:16 He has a name written on his clothing and on his thigh: “King of kings and Lord of lords.”

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26	tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
27	tn The phrase “and here came” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou).
28	tn A new sentence was started in the translation at this point and καί (kai) was not translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
29	tn Or “in righteousness,” but since the context here involves the punishment of the wicked and the vindication of the saints, “justice” was preferred.
30	tn The genitive noun πυρός (puros) has been translated as an attributive genitive (see also Rev 1:14).
31	tn For the translation of διάδημα (diadēma) as “diadem crown” see L&N 6.196. sn Diadem crowns were a type of crown used as a symbol of the highest ruling authority in a given area, and thus often associated with kingship.
32	tn Grk “head, having.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
33	tn Although many translations supply a prepositional phrase to specify what the name was written on (“upon Him,” NASB; “on him,” NIV), there is no location for the name specified in the Greek text.
34	tc It appears that “dipped” (βεβαμμένον, bebammenon), supported by several uncials and other witnesses (A 051 𝔐), is the original reading. Due to the lack of the preposition “in” (ἐν, en) after the verb (βεβαμμένον αἵματι, bebammenon haimati), and also probably because of literary allusions to Isa 63:3, several mss and versions seem to have changed the text to “sprinkled” (either ῥεραντισμένον [rherantismenon] in P 2329 al; ἐρραντισμένον [errantismenon] in 1006 1841; ἐρραμμένον [errammenon] in 2053 2062; or ῥεραμμένον [rherammenon] in 1611; or in one case περιρεραμμένον [perirerammenon] in א[2]). The reading most likely to give rise to the others is “dipped.” tn Or perhaps “soaked.”
35	tn Grk “the name of him is called.”
36	tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
37	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.”
38	tn Or “the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).
39	tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
40	tn Grk “will shepherd.”
41	tn Or “scepter.” The Greek term ῥάβδος (rhabdos) can mean either “rod” or “scepter.” sn A quotation from Ps 2:9 (see also Rev 2:27, 12:5).
42	sn He stomps the winepress. See Isa 63:3, where Messiah does this alone (usually several individuals would join in the process), and Rev 14:20.
43	tn The genitive θυμοῦ (thumou) has been translated as an attributed genitive. Following BDAG 461 s.v. θυμός 2, the combination of the genitives of θυμός (thumos) and ὀργή (orgē) in Rev 16:19 and 19:15 are taken to be a strengthening of the thought as in the OT and Qumran literature (Exod 32:12; Jer 32:37; Lam 2:3; CD 10:9).
44	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.”

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