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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
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Rev 10 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V7 V8 V9 V10 V11
OET (OET-LV) And I_saw another messenger mighty, coming_down out_of the heaven, having_been_clothed in_a_cloud, and the rainbow on the head of_him, and the face of_him like the sun, and the feet of_him like pillars of_fire,
OET (OET-RV) Then in the vision I saw another powerful messenger coming down from heaven wrapped in a cloud and with a rainbow above his head. His face was like the sun and his feet were like pillars of fire,
In this section, John saw a powerful angel come down from heaven to the earth. John described what the angel looked like. When the angel shouted, John heard seven beings speak with loud voices like thunder. God told John not to write what they said. The powerful angel announced that when the seventh angel blew his trumpet, God would finish his plan. Then God told John to eat the scroll that the angel held. He also told John that he would show him more future events.
Other examples of headings for this section are:
John saw an angel holding a small scroll
The Angel with the Little Scroll (NRSV)
Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven,
¶ Then I saw another powerful angel descending from heaven.
another mighty angel: The word another indicates that this was an angel that John had not seen before. It was not one of the angels that John had seen holding the trumpets.
mighty: This word indicates that this was a powerful angel. It is the same word that is used in 5:2.
heaven: Here the word heaven refers to the place where God lives.
wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head.
He was wrapped in a cloud. He had a rainbow on his head,
His robe was a cloud. His headdress was a rainbow.
A cloud covered him like a robe, and a rainbow was on his head.
wrapped in a cloud: The Greek word that the BSB translates as wrapped indicates that the cloud wrapped around him. Other ways to translate this clause are:
He was robed in a cloud (NIV)
He was dressed in a cloud (GW)
with a rainbow above his head: The Greek word that the BSB translates as above is literally “on.” The rainbow probably looked like it was on the angel’s head like a hat or headdress. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
and a rainbow was on his head
and had a rainbow standing/rising up from his head
His face was like the sun,
his face shone like the sun,
His face was as bright as the sun.
His face was like the sun: This clause indicates that the angel’s face shone brightly. For example:
his face shone like the sun (REB)
and his legs were like pillars of fire.
and his legs were like columns on fire.
His legs appeared to be burning poles/posts.
his legs were like pillars of fire: A pillar has the same shape as a thick pole or post but is made of stone. Pillars are used to support a building or roof. Other ways to translate this clause are:
his legs were like fiery pillars (NIV)
his legs looked like pillars/posts that were on fire
The phrase “pillars of fire” might indicate that the angel’s legs were made only of fire that flamed upward like a pillar, as in Exodus 13:21, where God revealed his presence in a fire shaped like a pillar. But it seems unlikely that God would directly picture his presence as legs of an angel. The pillars of fire are probably only a hint or reminder of Exodus 13:21, rather than a direct connection to it.Aune (page 558) says, ‘The reference to the angel’s legs as ‘pillars of fire’ is often considered an allusion to Exodus 13:21…where the guiding presence of God is described as…‘a pillar of fire,’ though it is not clear that this is anything but a formal allusion without material significance. In 1 Enoch 18:11 and 21:7, Enoch sees ‘pillars of fire’ falling from heaven, both in contexts of divine punishment.”
See how you translated the word pillar in 3:12.
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive
περιβεβλημένον νεφέλην
˓having_been˒_clothed ˱in˲_˓a˒_cloud
If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: [whose clothing was a cloud]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
περιβεβλημένον νεφέλην
˓having_been˒_clothed ˱in˲_˓a˒_cloud
John speaks of the angel as if he were wearing a cloud as his clothing. This expression could be understood as figurative. However, because very unusual things were often seen in visions, it could also be understood as a literally true statement in its context. Alternate translation: [in the midst of a cloud]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / simile
καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ὡς ὁ ἥλιος, καὶ οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ ὡς στῦλοι πυρός
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί εἶδον ἄλλον ἄγγελον ἰσχυρόν καταβαίνοντα ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ περιβεβλημένον νεφέλην καί ἡ ἶρις ἐπί τήν κεφαλήν αὐτοῦ καί τό πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ὡς ὁ ἥλιος καί οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ ὡς στῦλοι πυρός)
The point of these comparisons is that the angel’s face was very bright, like the sun, and that the angel’s feet were glowing like fire. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make these points explicitly. It may be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: [The angel’s face was very bright, like the sun, and his feet were glowing as if they were on fire]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ
the feet ˱of˲_him
Since John compares the feet of the angel to pillars, it is likely that by feet he means “legs” by association. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [his legs]
10:1–11:14 This interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets is divided into two parts: (1) the seven thunders and the small scroll (10:1-11), and (2) the two witnesses (11:1-13). The interlude ends with the announcement that the second terror is finished (11:14).
10:1 another mighty angel (see 5:2; 7:2; cp. 1:12-16): This angel appears similar to the huge bronze Colossus that stood as a symbol of human power in the harbor of Rhodes for several decades before it was toppled by an earthquake in the late 200s BC. The statue still lay broken at the time that John wrote Revelation. It was about 100 feet tall and represented the sun god, Helios. The angel was surrounded by a cloud, suggesting that he dwarfed the Rhodes statue and, by implication, all idols. The rainbow over his head is a reminder that the enthroned God is encircled by a rainbow (4:3), a biblical symbol of God’s covenant with humanity (Gen 9:8-17).
OET (OET-LV) And I_saw another messenger mighty, coming_down out_of the heaven, having_been_clothed in_a_cloud, and the rainbow on the head of_him, and the face of_him like the sun, and the feet of_him like pillars of_fire,
OET (OET-RV) Then in the vision I saw another powerful messenger coming down from heaven wrapped in a cloud and with a rainbow above his head. His face was like the sun and his feet were like pillars of fire,
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.
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