Revelation 13:10

Εἴ τις ἔχει αἰχμαλωσίαν, ὑπάγει· εἴ τις ἐν μαχαίρᾳ ἀποκτενεῖ, δεῖ αὐτὸν ἐν μαχαίρᾳ ἀποκτανθῆναι. Ὧδέ ἐστιν ἡ ὑπομονὴ καὶ ἡ πίστις τῶν ἁγίων.

RBT Greek Interlinear:

Strongs 1487; Ei; Εἴ; If; Conj

Strongs 5100; tis; τις; anyone; IPro-NMS

Strongs 1519; eis; εἰς; into; Prep

Strongs 161; aichmalōsian; αἰχμαλωσίαν; host of captives; N-AFS

Strongs 1519; eis; εἰς; into; Prep

Strongs 161; aichmalōsian; αἰχμαλωσίαν; host of captives; N-AFS

Strongs 5217; hypagei; ὑπάγει; is leading under; V-PIA-3S

Strongs 1487; ei; εἴ; if; Conj

Strongs 5100; tis; τις; anyone; IPro-NMS

Strongs 1722; en; ἐν; within; Prep

Strongs 3162; machairē; μαχαίρῃ; dagger; N-DFS

Strongs 615; apoktanthēnai; ἀποκτανθῆναι*; is to be killed away; V-ANP

Strongs 1163; dei; 〈δεῖ〉; it is necessary for; V-PIA-3S

Strongs 846; auton; αὐτὸν; himself; PPro-AM3S

Strongs 1722; en; ἐν; within; Prep

Strongs 3162; machairē; μαχαίρῃ; dagger; N-DFS

Strongs 615; apoktanthēnai; ἀποκτανθῆναι; to be killed away; V-ANP

Strongs 5602; Hōde; Ὧδέ; Here; Adv

Strongs 1510; estin; ἐστιν; is; V-PIA-3S

Strongs 3588; hē; ἡ; the; Art-NFS

Strongs 5281; hypomonē; ὑπομονὴ; staying under; N-NFS

Strongs 2532; kai; καὶ; and; Conj

Strongs 3588; hē; ἡ; the; Art-NFS

Strongs 4102; pistis; πίστις; trust; N-NFS

Strongs 3588; tōn; τῶν; the; Art-GMP

Strongs 40; hagiōn; ἁγίων; Holy Ones; Adj-GMP

RBT Hebrew Literal:

A Poetic (Duplicating) Justice

If anyone into a body of captives, into a body of captives he is leading under. If anyone within a dagger is to be killed off, himself within a dagger is to be killed off. Here in this place she is the Enduring One and the Trust of the Holy Ones.²⁰

Julia Smith Literal 1876 Translation:
If any bring together to captivity he shall proceed into captivity: if any shall kill with sword, he shall be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and faith of the holy.

LITV Translation:
If anyone gathers captivity, into captivity he goes. If anyone will kill by a sword, by a sword he must be killed. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

ESV Translation:
Error retrieving verse.

Footnotes

20

The phrases are doubled.

εἴ τις εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν, εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν ὑπάγει

τις ἐν μαχαίρᾳ ἀποκτενεῖ, αὐτὸν ἐν μαχαίρᾳ ἀποκτανθῆναι

And that was the point. The doubling of texts throughout the Hebrew and also Greek, in this manner, is obviously unconventional language, and does not resemble how any one speaks or communicates (unless they stutter). But in a timeless two-sided realm of duplicate reflections, unconventional language has to be used. In these cases, scholars found it better to change or alter texts rather than leave them as is.

The best attested reading:

• "If anyone into captivity, into captivity he goes; if anyone to be killed by the sword, he must be killed by the sword."
• This reading aligns closely with passages from Jeremiah 15:2 and Jeremiah 43:11, which emphasize the inevitability of divine judgment and preordained fates.
• The verb is not explicitly stated in the Greek text for the first clause, leaving it implied and adding to the interpretative challenge.

Cf. Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, Commentary on Revelation 13:10