As Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation show, the writer refers to the angel as “the one I saw standing on the sea and on the land.” In some languages this redundant information may be unnatural, and it may be more effective to say simply “And then the angel raised his right hand….”

Lifted up his right hand to heaven: this is the gesture of one who makes a vow, or a promise, before God, as specified in the next verse (see Dan 12.7; Deut 32.40). To heaven may also be expressed as “towards heaven.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Revelation to John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .