complete verse (Revelation 18:6)

Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 18:6:

  • Uma: “That is why I say, do also to that village like it has done to other people. Pay it back two times more than all its evil deeds. Prepare for that village torture two times as powerful as the torture it tortured other people with.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Do to her as she did to the people. The suffering that she caused people repay double. She influenced the people to taste her bad doings, she shall also be made to feel God’s wrath double strength.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “The persecution she has done to you, you do also to her, but you must double your revenge upon her. Fill her cup with the anger of God for her to drink which will make her twice as drunk as that which she caused you to drink.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Therefore she will be recompensed and properly punished for that-aforementioned evil. All that she has done to hardship people, it will-be-paid-back to her. The strength of the alcoholic-beverage that she has given-others -to-drink, exactly that will be the strength of what-is-given-her -to drink.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “For in the same way in which she caused suffering for others, she really will now be-paid-back. And not just paid back, but on the contrary twice as much will happen to her. And her cup will be filled with something extremely bitter, more bitter than what she has kept in store which she has been causing to be drunk, which means she will be caused by God to taste/try his far-from-ordinary anger.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “The angels were told then: ‘Apply the punishment now. Concerning what suffering they caused other people, make them suffer double. Concerning the strength of the wine which they gave to other people, double the strength of the wine you make them drink.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Revelation 18:6

It is not clear to whom God is speaking. At the beginning of verse 4 God speaks to his people in Babylon; but it does not seem likely that here God is telling his people to treat Babylon as she has treated them. So the command in this verse (repeated three times) may be directed to those who will destroy the city, either the angels or the ten kings of 17.16. But the Greek text itself gives no indication that the command in verse 6 is directed to someone else, and it would not be appropriate for a translation to add that information to the text. But the information can be given in a footnote.

Render to her as she herself has rendered: this means to do to her what she has done to others (the negative version of the “Golden Rule”). For this use of the verb “to give,” see Rom 12.17; 1 Peter 3.9. And for the whole passage see similar expressions in Psa 28.4; 137.8; Jer 50.15, 29. Another way of expressing this clause is “Whatever bad things the people of this city have done to others, you should do to them.”

Repay her double for her deeds: this intensifies the command in line 1: “pay her back two times as much as she has done” (see Isa 40.2; Jer 16.18).

The third line says the same thing as the second line, using the figure of a cup filled with strong drink: “fill her cup with a drink twice as strong as the drink she gave others.” The phrase double draught does not refer to the amount, “twice as much wine,” but to its potency, “twice as strong” (see the language of 14.10).

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• You must do bad things to Babylon just as she did to others. In fact, you should do twice as many bad things to her. You must pour wine into her cup that is twice as strong as the drink she prepared for others to drink.

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 .