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Introduction to Revelation

Part 1: General Introduction

Outline of the Book of Revelation

  1. Opening (1:1-20)
  2. Letters to the seven churches (2:1-3:22)
  3. Vision of God in heaven, and a vision of the Lamb (4:1-11)
  4. The seven seals (6:1-8:1)
  5. The seven trumpets (8:2-13:18)
  6. Worshipers of the Lamb, the martyrs, and the harvest of wrath (14:1-20)
  7. The seven bowls (15:1-18:24)
  8. Worship in heaven (19:1-10)
  9. The Lamb's judgment, the destruction of the beast, the thousand years, the destruction of Satan, and the final judgment (20:11-15)
  10. The new creation, the new Jerusalem (21:1-22:5)
  11. Jesus' promise to return, the witness from the angels, John's closing words, Christ's message to his church, the invitation and the warning (22:6-21)

What is the Book of Revelation about?

Revelation talks about "the end of time." Many commentators understand this to be the entire period of the Christian church, because it has always been under attack. Other interpreters view Revelation's description of events as relating to a more tightly limited period closer to Christ's return to earth. While some of the book gives specific words of prophecy to churches, most of the events described in the book concern the wrath of God being poured out on creation. During this time, the opposition of the antichrist will unfold over a period of seven years. Ultimately, Jesus will be victorious, and all who put their trust in him will live forever with him. This book warns its readers and gives them assurance that God is in control. Eventually, evil and sin will come to an end. (See: rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/prophet, rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/evil and rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/sin)

How should the title of this book be translated?

Translators may choose to call this book by its traditional title, "Revelation," "The Revelation of Jesus Christ," "The Revelation to Saint John," or "The Apocalypse of John." Or they may choose a possibly clearer title, such as "The Things that Jesus Christ Showed to John." (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names)

Who wrote the Book of Revelation?

The Book of Revelation was probably written by the apostle John. He wrote the Book of Revelation while on the island of Patmos, where he was exiled for preaching the good news about Jesus Christ.

What type of writing is the Book of Revelation?

John uses many images throughout the book to describe the things he saw. He uses a special style typical of writing about the end of this world. Many symbols and events symbolic of other events are usually present in such writing, as well as many dreams and visions.

Part 2: Important Religious and Cultural Concepts

Are the events of Revelation past or future?

Scholars have many different theories about the Book of Revelation. Some treat the events of the book as symbols, while others treat them as being fulfilled (at least in part) by the destruction of the Jewish temple in A.D. 70. Others believe that the events of the book are entirely set in the future. It is probable that at least many of the events are still for future fulfillment, and that any fulfillment of these prophecies in the past was either partial or a foreshadowing of what would eventually come. If this is allowed by the project language's preferences, the translator should leave the prophecies in the tense they are found in the ULB.

How does the Book of Revelation relate to the rest of scripture?

While the Book of Revelation is very different than the rest of scripture, it is rooted in the Old Testament understanding of the end times. Revelation, Daniel, Ezekiel, Zechariah and a number of other books are all thematically related to each other; they form one cohesive account of the end times. Because of their shared imagery and background, it may be beneficial to translate Revelation about the same time that one translates Daniel.

Part 3: Important Translation Issues

Does one need to understand the Book of Revelation in order to translate it?

One does not need to have a definite understanding of the theology of the Book of Revelation in order to properly translate it. Symbols should not be given any possible identification to their meaning. The same holds true for numbers, which have great significance in the Book of Revelation. (See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/writing-apocalypticwriting)

How are the ideas of "holy" and "sanctify" represented in Revelation ULB?

The scriptures use such words to indicate any one of various ideas. For this reason, it is often difficult for translators to represent them well in their versions. In translating into English, Revelation ULB uses the following principles:

  • In one passage, the context mainly implies moral holiness. Here, the ULB uses "holy." (See: 22:11)
  • Usually the context in Revelation mainly indicates a simple reference to Christians without implying any particular role filled by them. In these cases, Revelation ULB uses "believer" or "believers." (See: 5:8; 8:3, 4; 11:18; 13:7; 14:12; 16:6; 17:6; 18:20, 24; 19:8; 20:9)

As translators think about how to represent these ideas in their own versions, they will often be helped by the choices made in the ULB.

What are the major issues in the text of the Book of Revelation?

The following are the most significant textual issues in the Book of Revelation:

  • "'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God, 'the one who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty'" (1:8). The ULB, UDB, and most modern versions have this reading. Some versions add the phrase "the Beginning and the End."
  • "the elders lay down and worshiped" (5:14). The ULB, UDB, and most modern versions have this reading. Some older versions have, "the twenty-four elders lay down and worshiped the one who lives forever and ever."
  • "so that a third of it [the earth] was burned up" (8:7). The ULB, UDB, and most modern versions have this reading. Some older versions omit this phrase.
  • Some manuscripts add the phrase "and who is to come" (11:17). But the ULB, UDB, and most modern versions do not.
  • Some manuscripts add the phrase "before the throne of God" (14:5). But the ULB, UDB, and most modern versions do not.
  • "the one who is and who was, the Holy One" (ULB) (16:5). The ULB, UDB, and most modern versions have this reading. Some older manuscripts read, "O Lord, the One who is and who was and who is to be."
  • "The nations will walk by the light of that city" (21:24). The ULB, UDB, and most modern versions have this reading. Some older manuscripts read, "The nations that are saved will walk by the light of that city."
  • "Blessed are those who wash their robes" (22:14). The ULB, UDB, and most modern versions have this reading. Some older manuscripts read "Blessed are those who do his commandments."
  • "God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city" (22:19). The ULB, UDB, and most modern versions have this reading. Some older manuscripts read, "God will take away his share in the book of life and in the holy city."

(See: rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-textvariants)

Periods of time

There are many different periods of time referenced in Revelation. For example, there are many references to forty-two months, seven years, and three and a half days. Scholars are divided over whether or not these time periods are symbolic. The translator should treat these time periods as referencing actual periods of time. It is then up to the interpreter to determine their significance or what they may represent. It is also probable that these time periods give the Book of Revelation some overall structure, but the exact chronology of these events is very difficult to determine.