crown

The Greek that is translated as “crown” in English is translated in Burunge as aliya, a special kind of earring that is traditionally worn by a person who as a recognition for having won a battle or having killed a dangerous animal. (Source: Holzhausen / Riderer 2010, p. 67)

See also crown (2 Samuel 12:30).

complete verse (Revelation 3:11)

Following are a number of back-translations of Revelation 3:11:

  • Uma: “‘I am coming soon! Hold strongly to the teaching that you know, so that God will give you a reward for your victory. Don’t let there be those who cause you to fall with the result that you do not receive that reward.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “I will soon come back to the world. Really store-away/regard-highly all that has been given to you so that nobody can/will snatch away your reward.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “I will soon come. Grasp tightly the true teaching which you know so that the reward which I will give you if you overcome Satan will not be given to another.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “My time-of-coming is soon, so persevere in following the true teaching so that no one will remove the crown that is your reward.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “I really will come in a short while. Take care that, as for your belief in the truth and obeying the will of God, that you don’t get misled, so that my reward to you won’t be forfeited, but on the contrary you will really be able to receive it.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Tenango Otomi: “Soon I will come. Don’t let loose what work you have grabbed so that someone else will not have come to them the payment which is meant for you.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Revelation 3:11

I am coming soon: this is the final coming, to judge and to inaugurate the Messianic kingdom. The time of distress and suffering is followed by the second coming of Christ (see 1.7; 22.7, 12, 20).

Hold fast what you have: see the comments at 2.25.

So that no one may seize your crown: see the comments at 2.10. The crown that Christ gives to his followers as the prize for their faithfulness must be kept safe from all who would, by some means, take it from them. What is meant is that they are to remain faithful so as not to lose their ultimate reward: life with Christ in the Messianic kingdom. Other ways of expressing this clause are “so that no person may take away (or, steal) your victory prize by force” or “so that no one may be able to use force and steal your prize that shows that you have conquered.”

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 .