Revelation 18:6 — Greek interlinear

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strong's
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. Ἀπόδοτε
2. ἀποδίδωμι
3. Give back
4. Pay
5. G591 ↗
6. V-MAA2··P
7. give_back
8. give_back
9. S
10. Y96; R164168
11. 164205
1. αὐτῇ
2. αὐτός
3. to her
4. -
5. G846 ↗
6. R-···3DFS
7. ˱to˲ her
8. ˱to˲ her
9. -
10. Y96; R164086; Location=Babylon
11. 164206
1. αὐτήν
2. αὐτός
3. -
4. -
5. G846 ↗
6. R-···3AFS
7. her
8. her
9. -
10. -
11. 164207
1. ὡς
2. ὡς
3. as
4. -
5. G5613 ↗
6. C-·······
7. as
8. as
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164208
1. καί
2. καί
3. also
4. -
5. G2532 ↗
6. D-·······
7. also
8. also
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164209
1. αὐτή
2. αὐτός
3. she
4. -
5. G846 ↗
6. R-···3NFS
7. she
8. she
9. -
10. Y96; R164086; Location=Babylon
11. 164210
1. ἀπέδωκεν
2. ἀποδίδωμι
3. gave back
4. back
5. G591 ↗
6. V-IAA3··S
7. gave_back
8. gave_back
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164211
1. ὑμῖν
2. σύ
3. -
4. -
5. G4771 ↗
6. R-···2D·P
7. you_all
8. you_all
9. -
10. -
11. 164212
1. καί
2. καί
3. and
4. -
5. G2532 ↗
6. C-·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164213
1. διπλώσατε
2. διπλόω
3. double
4. double
5. G1363 ↗
6. V-MAA2··P
7. double
8. double
9. -
10. Y96; R164168
11. 164214
1. τά
2. ὁ
3. the
4. -
5. G3588 ↗
6. E-····ANP
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164215
1. αὐτῇ
2. αὐτός
3. -
4. -
5. G846 ↗
6. R-···3DFS
7. ˱to˲ her
8. ˱to˲ her
9. -
10. -
11. 164216
1. διπλᾶ
2. διπλός
3. double
4. double
5. G1362 ↗
6. S-····ANP
7. double
8. double
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164217
1. κατά
2. κατά
3. according to
4. -
5. G2596 ↗
6. P-·······
7. according_to
8. according_to
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164218
1. τά
2. ὁ
3. the
4. -
5. G3588 ↗
6. E-····ANP
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164219
1. ἔργα
2. ἔργον
3. works
4. done
5. G2041 ↗
6. N-····ANP
7. works
8. works
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164220
1. αὐτῆς
2. αὐτός
3. of her
4. her
5. G846 ↗
6. R-···3GFS
7. ˱of˲ her
8. ˱of˲ her
9. -
10. Y96; R164086; Location=Babylon
11. 164221
1. ἐν
2. ἐν
3. in
4. in
5. G1722 ↗
6. P-·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164222
1. τῷ
2. ὁ
3. the
4. -
5. G3588 ↗
6. E-····DNS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164223
1. ποτηρίῳ
2. ποτήριον
3. cup
4. cup
5. G4221 ↗
6. N-····DNS
7. cup
8. cup
9. -
10. Y96; F164226
11. 164224
1. αὐτῆς
2. αὐτός
3. -
4. -
5. G846 ↗
6. R-···3GFS
7. ˱of˲ her
8. ˱of˲ her
9. -
10. -
11. 164225
1. ᾧ
2. ὅς
3. which
4. -
5. G3739 ↗
6. R-····DNS
7. which
8. which
9. -
10. Y96; R164224
11. 164226
1. ἐκέρασεν
2. κεραννύω
3. she mixed
4. -
5. G2767 ↗
6. V-IAA3··S
7. ˱she˲ mixed
8. ˱she˲ mixed
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164227
1. κεράσατε
2. κεραννύω
3. mix
4. Mix
5. G2767 ↗
6. V-MAA2··P
7. mix
8. mix
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164228
1. αὐτῇ
2. αὐτός
3. to her
4. -
5. G846 ↗
6. R-···3DFS
7. ˱to˲ her
8. ˱to˲ her
9. -
10. Y96; R164086; Location=Babylon
11. 164229
1. διπλοῦν
2. διπλοῦς
3. double
4. -
5. G1362 ↗
6. S-····ANS
7. double
8. double
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164230

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 18:1–24: Announcements/Messages about Babylon

In this section, three heavenly beings each announce something about Babylon. The first announcement is that the city is destroyed. Her riches and prosperity have been taken away.

The second announcement is that God’s people should leave Babylon before God destroys her. It also describes how kings and others mourn over the destroyed city.

The third announcement is that Babylon will never be built again.

Other examples of headings for this section are:

An angel announced that Babylon was destroyed, and some groups are sad

Announcements about the destruction of Babylon

Various people talk about Babylon

18:6a–7a

In 18:6–7a the speaker now urged someone to punish Babylon. It is not clear to whom the voice spoke. He used four different commands. Two commands urge them to give her a punishment that is equal to her sin. Two commands urge them to give her double the punishment. The four commands together urge them to fully and completely punish Babylon.

The four commands are all addressed to more than one person or being. If you must say to whom the speaker is speaking, use a general plural word. For example:

You, ^(plur) give back to her….

18:6a

Give back to her as she has done to others;

Repay her the same way she repaid others, (NET)
Pay her back as she herself has paid you^(plur) and others back.

Give back to her as she has done to others: The Greek clause is literally “Reward her as she also rewarded (you/others).” The context indicates that Babylon had done bad things, and these people were to do bad things to her in return. Other ways to translate this clause are:

Pay her back even as she has paid (NASB)

Do to her as she has done to others (NLT)

Give back to her as she has given (NIV)

18:6b

pay her back double for what she has done;

and repay her double according to her deeds.
Indeed, pay her back with double the punishment for her deeds.

pay her back double for what she has done: The Greek clause is literally “double the double according to her deeds.” It refers to punishing Babylon twice as much as she deserved for the evil deeds she did. Other ways to translate this clause are:

repay her double for her deeds (RSV)

Double her penalty for all her evil deeds (NLT)

indeed, double the punishment for her deeds

18:6c

mix her a double portion in her own cup.

In the cup in which she mixed, mix^(plur) twice as much for her.
She mixed a cup of terror/evil and gave it to others, so give to her two cups of her own mixture.
She did a vast amount of evil deeds to others. So do twice as many of those evil deeds to her.

mix her a double portion in her own cup: This clause refers figuratively to punishing Babylon by doing twice the evil to her. It commands the people to do what she had done to others, but twice as much. For example:

in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her (NASB)

In some languages a literal translation would not have the correct meaning. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

Translate the literal meaning and explain its figurative meaning in a footnote. For example:
This saying refers figuratively to people punishing Babylon by doing what she had done to others, but twice as much.
Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:
Punish her in the same ways that she did bad things to others, but punish her twice as much You may then want to indicate the literal meaning in a footnote. An example footnote is:
Literally: “in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her.”
Explain the figurative meaning in your translation. For example:
Punish her in the same ways that she did bad things to others, but give to her as if twice as much in her cup

mix her: At the time wine was often mixed with water and spices before drinking. There are several ways to interpret the Greek word that the BSB translates as mix:

It refers to mixing two or more liquids together. For example, the RSV says:
mix…for her (BSB, RSV, NIV, NASB, ESV, NET)
It refers to pouring something into a cup. For example, the GNT says:
Fill her cup (GNT, KJV, NABRE, NIV11)
It refers to giving something. For example, the GW says:
Give her (GW, REB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because the lexicons support it.Only the L&N have “pour” as a sense of the Greek word, but it lists this verse under the sense of “mix.” Beale, Aune, Hughes, Lenski, Smalley, and Kistemaker also support interpretation (1).

The word mix refers here to getting the portion ready for the woman to drink. Other ways to translate this clause are:

prepare (NCV)

make

her: The BSB omits the word “for” in a natural English style. In many languages, this word must be explicit. For example, the RSV says:

for her

a double portion: There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the BSB translates as a double portion:

It refers to twice as much liquid (twice as much wine and water mixed together). For example, the NET says:
double the amount (BSB, RSV, NIV, NASB, NABRE, ESV, NLT, GW, CEV, NET)
It refers to twice as much wine but the same amount of water. For example, the GNT says:
twice as strong (GNT, NJB, REB, NCV)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), because of the connection to the amount of her sins in 18:5 and “pay her back double” in 18:6b.Aune, Lenski, Osbourne, and Smalley also support interpretation (1).

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

ἀπόδοτε αὐτῇ ὡς καὶ αὐτὴ ἀπέδωκεν, καὶ διπλώσατε τὰ διπλᾶ, κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῆς

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἀπόδοτε αὐτῇ ὡς καί αὐτή ἀπέδωκεν καί διπλώσατε τά διπλᾶ κατά τά ἔργα αὐτῆς ἐν τῷ ποτηρίῳ ᾧ ἐκέρασεν κεράσατε αὐτῇ διπλοῦν)

The voice from heaven is using a characteristic form of Hebrew speech. The voice is naming a number and then, for emphasis, naming the next higher number. An example of this is in Amos 1:3, “For three sins of Damascus, even for four, I will not turn away punishment.” If it might seem to your readers that the voice from heaven was contradicting itself, first saying to punish Babylon one way (just as much as the city hurt others) and then saying to punish Babylon a different way (twice as much as the city hurt others), you could show in your translation that this is actually a progression for emphasis. UST models one way to do this.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / yousingular

ἀπόδοτε & διπλώσατε & κεράσατε

All of these imperatives are plural. (They seem to address the angels whom God has appointed to punish Babylon, as UST indicates.) So use plural imperatives in your translation if your language marks that distinction.

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

διπλώσατε τὰ διπλᾶ, κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῆς; ἐν τῷ ποτηρίῳ ᾧ ἐκέρασεν, κεράσατε αὐτῇ διπλοῦν

double (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἀπόδοτε αὐτῇ ὡς καί αὐτή ἀπέδωκεν καί διπλώσατε τά διπλᾶ κατά τά ἔργα αὐτῆς ἐν τῷ ποτηρίῳ ᾧ ἐκέρασεν κεράσατε αὐτῇ διπλοῦν)

These two phrases mean similar things. The voice from heaven is using repetition to emphasize the idea that the phrases express. The first phrase expresses it literally and the second phrase expresses it figuratively. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could combine the two phrases. UST models one way of doing this.

Note 4 topic: writing-poetry

διπλώσατε τὰ διπλᾶ

The voice is using a construction in which a verb and its object come from the same root. You may be able to use the same construction in your language to express the meaning here. Alternatively, your language may have its own way of expressing the same meaning. Alternate translation: [repay her double]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐν τῷ ποτηρίῳ ᾧ ἐκέρασεν, κεράσατε αὐτῇ διπλοῦν

in the cup which ˱she˲_mixed mix ˱to˲_her double

The voice is speaking as if Babylon had literally mixed a cup of wine for others to drink. This is a reprise of the image in 14:8. However, the emphasis here is on how drinking too much wine makes a person stagger. This is an image of how Babylon will stagger from God’s punishments. If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [punish her in a way that will make her stagger twice as much as she made others stagger]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

1. OET-LV words
2. OET-RV words
3. Strong's
4. Greek word
5. Greek lemma
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. Give back
2. Pay
3. G591 ↗
4. Ἀπόδοτε
5. ἀποδίδωμι
6. V-MAA2··P
7. give_back
8. give_back
9. S
10. Y96; R164168
11. 164205
1. to her
2. -
3. G846 ↗
4. αὐτῇ
5. αὐτός
6. R-···3DFS
7. ˱to˲ her
8. ˱to˲ her
9. -
10. Y96; R164086; Location=Babylon
11. 164206
1. as
2. -
3. G5613 ↗
4. ὡς
5. ὡς
6. C-·······
7. as
8. as
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164208
1. also
2. -
3. G2532 ↗
4. καί
5. καί
6. D-·······
7. also
8. also
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164209
1. she
2. -
3. G846 ↗
4. αὐτή
5. αὐτός
6. R-···3NFS
7. she
8. she
9. -
10. Y96; R164086; Location=Babylon
11. 164210
1. gave back
2. back
3. G591 ↗
4. ἀπέδωκεν
5. ἀποδίδωμι
6. V-IAA3··S
7. gave_back
8. gave_back
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164211
1. and
2. -
3. G2532 ↗
4. καί
5. καί
6. C-·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164213
1. double
2. double
3. G1363 ↗
4. διπλώσατε
5. διπλόω
6. V-MAA2··P
7. double
8. double
9. -
10. Y96; R164168
11. 164214
1. the
2. -
3. G3588 ↗
4. τά
5. ὁ
6. E-····ANP
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164215
1. double
2. double
3. G1362 ↗
4. διπλᾶ
5. διπλός
6. S-····ANP
7. double
8. double
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164217
1. according to
2. -
3. G2596 ↗
4. κατά
5. κατά
6. P-·······
7. according_to
8. according_to
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164218
1. the
2. -
3. G3588 ↗
4. τά
5. ὁ
6. E-····ANP
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164219
1. works
2. done
3. G2041 ↗
4. ἔργα
5. ἔργον
6. N-····ANP
7. works
8. works
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164220
1. of her
2. her
3. G846 ↗
4. αὐτῆς
5. αὐτός
6. R-···3GFS
7. ˱of˲ her
8. ˱of˲ her
9. -
10. Y96; R164086; Location=Babylon
11. 164221
1. in
2. in
3. G1722 ↗
4. ἐν
5. ἐν
6. P-·······
7. in
8. in
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164222
1. the
2. -
3. G3588 ↗
4. τῷ
5. ὁ
6. E-····DNS
7. the
8. the
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164223
1. cup
2. cup
3. G4221 ↗
4. ποτηρίῳ
5. ποτήριον
6. N-····DNS
7. cup
8. cup
9. -
10. Y96; F164226
11. 164224
1. which
2. -
3. G3739 ↗
4. ᾧ
5. ὅς
6. R-····DNS
7. which
8. which
9. -
10. Y96; R164224
11. 164226
1. she mixed
2. -
3. G2767 ↗
4. ἐκέρασεν
5. κεραννύω
6. V-IAA3··S
7. ˱she˲ mixed
8. ˱she˲ mixed
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164227
1. mix
2. Mix
3. G2767 ↗
4. κεράσατε
5. κεραννύω
6. V-MAA2··P
7. mix
8. mix
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164228
1. to her
2. -
3. G846 ↗
4. αὐτῇ
5. αὐτός
6. R-···3DFS
7. ˱to˲ her
8. ˱to˲ her
9. -
10. Y96; R164086; Location=Babylon
11. 164229
1. double
2. -
3. G1362 ↗
4. διπλοῦν
5. διπλοῦς
6. S-····ANS
7. double
8. double
9. -
10. Y96
11. 164230

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.