UTN uW Translation Notes:

Revelation 19 Chapter Introduction

Structure and Formatting

• Verses 1–4 conclude the topic of the destruction of Babylon.
• Verses 5–10 introduce the topic of the wedding of the Lamb.
• Verses 11–21 describe the destruction of the beast and the false prophet.

Some translations set each line of poetry farther to the right than the rest of the text to make it easier to read. The ULT does this with verses 1–8.

Religious and Cultural Concepts in This Chapter

Songs

The book of Revelation often describes heaven as a place where people sing. They worship God with songs. This illustrates that heaven is a place where God is always worshiped. (See: heaven)

Wedding celebration

The wedding celebration or feast is an important image in Scripture. Jewish culture often pictured paradise, or life with God after death, as a feast. Here, the wedding feast is for the Lamb, who is Jesus, and his bride, meaning all his people.

Translation Issues in This Chapter

“Hallelujah”

The word Hallelujah occurs in verses 1, 3, 4, and 6. This is a Hebrew word that John spells out using Greek letters so that his readers will know how it sounds. The word is a plural imperative that means, “Praise Yahweh!” In your translation, you could spell this word the way it sounds in your language, or you could translate its meaning by using a phrase such as, “Praise God.” (See: translate-transliterate)

“us/our”

In verses 1, 5, and 6, speakers say “our,” and in verse 7 a speaker says “us.” In each case the speaker is referring to himself and to his addressees, so use the inclusive form of those words in your translation if your language marks that distinction. (See: figs-exclusive)