Wahyu 12:4-9

12:4 Now ¹  the dragon’s ²  tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth. Then ³  the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child as soon as it was born. 12:5 So ⁴  the woman gave birth to a son, a male child, ⁵  who is going to rule ⁶  over all the nations ⁷  with an iron rod. ⁸  Her ⁹  child was suddenly caught up to God and to his throne, 12:6 and she ¹⁰  fled into the wilderness ¹¹  where a place had been prepared for her ¹²  by God, so she could be taken care of ¹³  for 1,260 days.

War in Heaven

12:7 Then ¹⁴  war broke out in heaven: Michael ¹⁵  and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 12:8 But ¹⁶  the dragon was not strong enough to prevail, ¹⁷  so there was no longer any place left ¹⁸  in heaven for him and his angels. ¹⁹  12:9 So ²⁰  that huge dragon – the ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world – was thrown down to the earth, and his angels along with him.

[12:4]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate that this remark is virtually parenthetical.

[12:4]  ² tn Grk “its”; the referent (the dragon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:4]  ³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[12:5]  ⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the conclusion of the anticipated birth.

[12:5]  ⁵ tn On this term BDAG 135 s.v. ἄρσην states: “male…The neut. ἄρσεν Rv 12:5, difft. vs. 13, comes fr. Is 66:7 and is in apposition to υἱόν. On the juxtaposition s. FBoll, ZNW 15, 1914, 253; BOlsson, Glotta 23, ’34, 112.”

[12:5]  ⁶ tn Grk “shepherd.”

[12:5]  ⁷ tn Or “all the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).

[12:5]  ⁸ tn Or “scepter.” The Greek term ῥάβδος (rJabdo") can mean either “rod” or “scepter.”

[12:5]  sn An allusion to Ps 2:9 (see also Rev 2:27; 19:15).

[12:5]  ⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[12:6]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “and the woman,” which would be somewhat redundant in English.

[12:6]  ¹¹ tn Or “desert.”

[12:6]  ¹² tn Grk “where she has there a place prepared by God.”

[12:6]  ¹³ tn Grk “so they can take care of her.”

[12:7]  ¹⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[12:7]  ¹⁵ sn The archangel Michael had a special role in protecting the nation of Israel in the OT (Dan 10:13, 21; 12:1; see also Jude 9).

[12:8]  ¹⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the implied contrast.

[12:8]  ¹⁷ tn The words “to prevail” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[12:8]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “found.”

[12:8]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “for them”; the referent (the dragon and his angels, v. 7) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:9]  ²⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the war in heaven.