OET interlinear REV 21:6

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

τὸ Ἄλφα καὶ τὸ Ὦ, ἡ ἀρχὴ καὶ τὸ τέλος

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί εἶπεν μοί Γέγοναν Ἐγώ τό Ἄλφα καί τό Ω ἡ ἀρχή καί τό τέλος Ἐγώ τῷ διψῶντι δώσω ἐκ τῆς πηγῆς τοῦ ὕδατος τῆς ζωῆς δωρεάν)

These two phrases mean similar things. John is using repetition to emphasize the idea that the phrases express. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could combine them. Alternate translation: [the very beginning and the very end]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / merism

τὸ Ἄλφα καὶ τὸ Ὦ, ἡ ἀρχὴ καὶ τὸ τέλος

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί εἶπεν μοί Γέγοναν Ἐγώ τό Ἄλφα καί τό Ω ἡ ἀρχή καί τό τέλος Ἐγώ τῷ διψῶντι δώσω ἐκ τῆς πηγῆς τοῦ ὕδατος τῆς ζωῆς δωρεάν)

God is using two pairs of extremes, the Alpha and the Omega and the beginning and the end, to mean those extremes and everything in between. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or plain language. Alternate translation: [the one who began everything and who will finish everything]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

τὸ Ἄλφα καὶ τὸ Ὦ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί εἶπεν μοί Γέγοναν Ἐγώ τό Ἄλφα καί τό Ω ἡ ἀρχή καί τό τέλος Ἐγώ τῷ διψῶντι δώσω ἐκ τῆς πηγῆς τοῦ ὕδατος τῆς ζωῆς δωρεάν)

God is speaking as if he were literally two letters of the alphabet. Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and Omega is the last letter, so God means that he has existed from all eternity and will exist to all eternity. If your language uses figures of speech, you could use the first and last letters of your own alphabet. Alternatively, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [the A and the Z] or [the First and the Last]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐγὼ τῷ διψῶντι δώσω ἐκ τῆς πηγῆς τοῦ ὕδατος τῆς ζωῆς δωρεάν.

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί εἶπεν μοί Γέγοναν Ἐγώ τό Ἄλφα καί τό Ω ἡ ἀρχή καί τό τέλος Ἐγώ τῷ διψῶντι δώσω ἐκ τῆς πηγῆς τοῦ ὕδατος τῆς ζωῆς δωρεάν)

God is speaking as if he would literally give water to someone who was thirsting. He is using thirst to represent a person’s desire for everlasting life and he is using drinking life-giving water to represent that person receiving everlasting life. If it would be clearer in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [I will give everlasting life to the one who eagerly desires to have it]