1 Καὶ ὁ πέμπτος ἄγγελος ἐσάλπισεν, καὶ εἶδον ἀστέρα ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ πεπτωκότα εἰς τὴν γῆν. Καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ ἡ κλεὶς τοῦ φρέατος τῆς Ἀβύσσου. 2 Καὶ ἤνοιξεν τὸ φρέαρ τῆς Ἀβύσσου,*35 Mb,d,e,g,h,ipt A,CP,RP,HF,OC,NU,TR ¦ --- Ma,e⅓,f,h¼,ipt ℵ (OC is in small print.) καὶ ἀνέβη καπνὸς ἐκ τοῦ φρέατος ὡς καπνὸς καμίνου καιομένης·*35 Ma,b,f,g,ipt RP,HF,OC ¦ μεγαλης Md,e,hpt,ipt ℵA,CP,NU,TR ¦ μεγαλης καιομενης Mhpt καὶ ἐσκοτίσθη* ¦ εσκοτωθη A,0207,NU ὁ ἥλιος καὶ ὁ ἀὴρ ἐκ τοῦ καπνοῦ τοῦ φρέατος. 3 Καὶ ἐκ τοῦ καπνοῦ ἐξῆλθον ἀκρίδες εἰς τὴν γῆν. Καὶ ἐδόθη αὐταῖς ἐξουσία ὡς ἔχουσιν ἐξουσίαν οἱ σκορπίοι τῆς γῆς. 4 Καὶ ἐρρέθη αὐταῖς ἵνα μὴ ἀδικήσωσιν* ¦ αδικησουσιν A,NU τὸν χόρτον τῆς γῆς οὐδὲ πᾶν χλωρὸν οὐδὲ πᾶν δένδρον, εἰ μὴ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους μόνους*35 CP,TR ¦ --- Ma,b,d,e,f,g,h,i ℵA,RP,HF,OC,NU (The adjective emphasizes that it is only those without God’s mark; all greenery has already been excluded, and here people with God’s mark are expressly excluded.) οἵτινες οὐκ ἔχουσιν τὴν σφραγῖδα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπὶ τῶν μετώπων αὐτῶν.*35 Ma,b,e⅔,f,g,h,i CP,RP,HF,OC,TR ¦ --- Md,e⅓,h¼ ℵA,NU 5 Καὶ ἐδόθη αὐταῖς* ¦ αυτοις Me⅓,gpt ℵA,NU ἵνα μὴ ἀποκτείνωσιν αὐτούς, ἀλλ᾿ ἵνα βασανισθῶσιν* ¦ βασανισθησονται Me⅔(⅙) ℵA,NU μῆνας πέντε. Καὶ ὁ βασανισμὸς αὐτῶν ὡς βασανισμὸς σκορπίου ὅταν πλήξῃ*35 CP ¦ παιση Ma,b,d⅗,e,f,g⅓,h,i RP,HF,OC,NU,TR ¦ πεση Ma⅙,b2/7,g⅔,h2/7 ℵA (It is difficult to imagine medieval monks changing παιση to πληξη; on what basis would they do so? On the other hand, the unfamiliar πληξη could be changed to παιση, and even πεση, early on [πλησσω having been used with the 2nd aorist in 8:12 above, the 1st aorist would be unexpected]. πλησσω is used for sudden, violent strikes, like from lightning or God’s wrath; it is used expressly of a scorpion’s sting in the 1st century AD [Sammelb.1267.6]. In this context πληξη is precisely appropriate, although the difference in meaning is slight.) ἄνθρωπον. 6 Καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις ζητοῦσιν*35 Ma⅓,f⅓ CP ¦ ζητησουσιν Ma⅔,b,c⅕,d,e,f⅔,g,h ℵA,RP,HF,OC,NU,TR οἱ ἄνθρωποι τὸν θάνατον, καὶ οὐ μὴ εὑρήσουσιν*35 Ma⅔,ept,f,g⅓,h⅓,ipt ℵ,CP,RP,HF,OC,NU ¦ 12 ευρησωσιν Ma⅕,gpt ¦ 12 ευρωσιν Mb,d,ept,h⅓,ipt A ¦ ουχ 3 Mh¼ TR αὐτόν· καὶ ἐπιθυμήσουσιν ἀποθανεῖν, καὶ φεύξεται* ¦ φευγει Me⅔,h⅔ A,NU ¦ φυγη ℵ ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν ὁ θάνατος.*35 Ma,b,f,gpt,i CP,RP,HF,OC ¦ ∼ 3412 Md,e,h ℵA,NU,TR ¦ 12 Mgpt

7 Καὶ τὰ ὁμοιώματα τῶν ἀκρίδων ὅμοια ἵπποις ἡτοιμασμένοις εἰς πόλεμον, καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν ὡς στέφανοι χρυσοῖ,*35 Ma,f,g,i 0207,CP,RP,HF ¦ ομοιοι χρυσω Mb,d,e,h A,NU,TR ¦ ομοιοι χρυσιω OC ¦ ομοιοι ℵ καὶ τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν ὡς πρόσωπα ἀνθρώπων. 8 Καὶ εἶχον τρίχας ὡς τρίχας γυναικῶν, καὶ οἱ ὀδόντες αὐτῶν ὡς λεόντων ἦσαν. 9 Καὶ εἶχον θώρακας ὡς θώρακας σιδηροῦς, καὶ ἡ φωνὴ τῶν πτερύγων αὐτῶν ὡς φωνὴ ἁρμάτων ἵππων πολλῶν τρεχόντων εἰς πόλεμον. 10 Καί, ἔχουσιν οὐρὰς ὁμοίας σκορπίοις, καὶ κέντρα, καὶ*35 Ma,f,gpt,h⅔,i ℵA,CP,RP,HF,OC,NU ¦ --- Ma⅙,b,d,e,gpt,h⅓ ¦ ην TR ἐν ταῖς οὐραῖς αὐτῶν. Ἐξουσίαν ἔχουσιν τοῦ*35 Ma,gpt(pt),h⅓,i⅔ CP,RP,HF,OC ¦ 12 Md⅓,f,i⅓ ¦ και 12 Md⅔ ¦ και η εξουσια αυτων Me TR ¦ η εξουσια αυτων Mb,e⅙,h⅔ 𝕻47ℵA(0207)NU ἀδικῆσαι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους μῆνας πέντε, 11 ἔχουσαι βασιλέα ἐπ᾿ αὐτῶν*35 Ma,f,gpt(pt),i CP,RP,HF ¦ εχουσι 234 τον OC ¦ και εχουσιν 234 Mb ¦ ∼ και (𝕻47A,NU[and some of the cursives]) εχουσιν 342 τον Md,e,h,i¼ (𝕻47A)(NU) ¦ ∼ και εχουσιν εφ 42 τον TR ¦ εχουσιν εαυτων τον 2 τον ℵ ἄγγελον τῆς Ἀβύσσου—ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ἑβραϊστὶ Ἀββαδδών,*35 ¦ αββαδων Ma¼,c⅖,d,e⅔,f CP,RP,HF ¦ αββααδων Ma⅙,bpt ¦ αββααδδων Ma¼,g⅓ ¦ αβαδδων Mbpt,e¼,gpt,hpt,ipt ℵA,OC,NU,TR ¦ βαττων 𝕻47 (There are some 25 variants, half being singular readings. There are three basic questions: how many ‘betas’, ‘alphas’ and ‘deltas’. The evidence looks like this: ββ – f35Mapt,bpt,d,e⅔,f,g⅓,h¼,i⅔ VS β – Mapt,bpt,e⅓,g⅔,h,i⅓ 𝕻47ℵA; αα – Mapt,bpt,g⅓,h¼ VS α – f35Mapt,bpt,d,e,f,g⅔,h,i 𝕻47ℵA; δδ – f35⅗Ma¼,bpt,e¼,g⅔,hpt,ipt (𝕻47)ℵA VS δ – f35⅖Ma,bpt,d,e,f,g⅓,hpt,ipt. Putting it all together, the single vowel appears certain; the evidence for the double ‘beta’ is stronger, as also for the single ‘delta’, except that almost all of the better representatives of f35 have the double delta, while most of the least faithful ones show the single delta, so there is little question but that the family archetype read two deltas, that also have a better geographical distribution. The Hebrew has a double δ but a single β, the reading of OC,NU,TR, but the evidence for ββ is quite strong—probably the archetypal spelling for all three main lines of transmission.) ἐν δὲ*35 Ma,b,d,f,g,i CP,RP,HF,OC ¦ ∼ και 1 Me,h 𝕻47ℵA,NU,TR τῇ Ἑλληνικῇ ὄνομα ἔχει Ἀπολλύων.

12 Ἡ οὐαὶ ἡ μία ἀπῆλθεν. Ἰδού, ἔρχεται*35 Ma,e⅓,f,g,h⅖,i⅗ 𝕻47ℵA,CP,RP,HF,NU ¦ ερχονται Ma⅙,b,d,e⅔,h⅗,i⅖ 0207,OC,TR ἔτι δύο οὐαὶ μετὰ ταῦτα.

13 Καὶ ὁ ἕκτος ἄγγελος ἐσάλπισεν, καὶ ἤκουσα φωνὴν μίαν ἐκ τῶν τεσσάρων* [NU] ¦ --- Md,h⅓ 𝕻47A,0207 ¦ ℵ omits five words κεράτων τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου τοῦ χρυσοῦ τοῦ ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, 14 λέγουσαν*35 Ma¼,b,d,e,gpt,h⅗,i¼ 𝕻470207,CP,RP,TR ¦ λεγοντος Ma,f,gpt,h⅖,i HF,OC ¦ λεγοντα ℵA,NU τῷ ἕκτῳ ἀγγέλῳ, ὁ ἔχων* ¦ τω εχοντι Mb ¦ ος ειχε TR τὴν σάλπιγγα, «Λῦσον τοὺς τέσσαρας ἀγγέλους τοὺς δεδεμένους ἐπὶ τῷ ποταμῷ τῷ μεγάλῳ Εὐφράτῃ.» 15 Καὶ ἐλύθησαν οἱ τέσσαρες ἄγγελοι—οἱ ἡτοιμασμένοι εἰς τὴν ὥραν καὶ τὴν ἡμέραν*35 Md,hpt ¦ 1 εις 23 Ma,b,f,g,i RP,HF,OC ¦ 13 Md¼,e,hpt 𝕻47A,NU,TR ¦ --- ℵ,CP (For εις we have a,b,f,g,i; against we have f35 d,e,h,𝕻47ℵA; the evidence for την is tranquil.) (A clear instance of a,b,f,g,i working as a group.) (OC is in small print.) καὶ μῆνα καὶ ἐνιαυτόν—ἵνα ἀποκτείνωσιν τὸ τρίτον τῶν ἀνθρώπων. 16 Καὶ ὁ ἀριθμὸς τῶν* ¦ --- TR στρατευμάτων τοῦ ἵππου*35 Ma,b,f⅗,gpt,ipt CP,RP,HF,OC ¦ ιππικου Md,e,f⅖,gpt,h,ipt 𝕻47ℵA,NU,TR (‘horse’ or ‘horsy’?) μυριάδες*35 Ma,b,ept,f⅗,g,h⅔,i CP,RP,HF ¦ δυο 1 Md 𝕻47(ℵ)OC,TR ¦ δις 1 Mept,f⅖,h⅓ A,NU (Just one hundred million.) (OC is in small print.) μυριάδων (ἤκουσα* ¦ και 1 TR τὸν ἀριθμὸν αὐτῶν). 17 Καὶ οὕτως εἶδον τοὺς ἵππους ἐν τῇ ὁράσει· καὶ τοὺς καθημένους ἐπ᾿ αὐτῶν, ἔχοντας θώρακας πυρίνους καὶ ὑακινθίνους καὶ θειώδεις· καὶ αἱ κεφαλαὶ τῶν ἵππων ὡς κεφαλαὶ λεόντων· καὶ ἐκ τῶν στομάτων αὐτῶν ἐκπορεύεται πῦρ καὶ καπνὸς καὶ θεῖον. 18 Ἀπὸ* ¦ υπο HF,TR τῶν τριῶν πληγῶν τούτων ἀπεκτάνθησαν τὸ τρίτον τῶν ἀνθρώπων—ἐκ*35 Md,e,h 𝕻47ℵA,C,CP,OC,NU,TR ¦ απο Ma,b,e⅕,f,g,i RP,HF τοῦ πυρὸς καὶ*35 Ma,b,d,e¼,f,g,h⅗,i ℵA,CP,RP,HF,OC,NU ¦ 1 εκ Me,h⅖ 𝕻47,C,TR τοῦ καπνοῦ καὶ*35 Ma,b,e¼,f,g,h⅔,i ℵA,C,CP,RP,HF,OC,NU ¦ 1 εκ Md,e,h⅓ 𝕻47,TR τοῦ θείου τοῦ ἐκπορευομένου ἐκ τῶν στομάτων αὐτῶν. 19 Ἡ γὰρ ἐξουσία τῶν ἵππων* ¦ 1234 τοπων A ¦ ∼ ην 21345 𝕻47 ¦ αι 2 εξουσιαι αυτων TR ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν ἐστιν* ¦ εισιν TR—καὶ ἐν ταῖς οὐραῖς αὐτῶν, αἱ γὰρ οὐραὶ αὐτῶν ὅμοιαι ὄφεσιν,*35 Md,e⅗,h,i⅓ 𝕻47(ℵA,C)CP,OC,NU,TR ¦ οφεων Ma,b,e⅖,f,g,i⅔ RP,HF (ομοιος normally takes the dative, but the genitive does occur.) ἔχουσαι κεφαλάς, καὶ ἐν αὐταῖς ἀδικοῦσιν.

20 Καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, οἳ οὐκ ἀπεκτάνθησαν ἐν ταῖς πληγαῖς ταύταις, οὐ*35 Ma,b,d,e¼,f,g,h⅖,i C,CP,RP,HF,OC ¦ ουτε Me,h⅕ A,TR ¦ ουδε Mhpt 𝕻47ℵ,NU μετενόησαν ἐκ τῶν ἔργων τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῶν, ἵνα μὴ προσκυνήσωσιν* ¦ προσκυνησουσιν 𝕻47ℵA,C,NU τὰ δαιμόνια, καὶ τὰ εἴδωλα,* ¦ 13 TR ¦ --- 𝕻47 τὰ χρυσᾶ καὶ τὰ ἀργυρᾶ καὶ τὰ χαλκᾶ*35 Mb,d,e,hpt 𝕻47(ℵ)A,C,CP,RP,HF,OC,NU,TR ¦ 13 Me⅙,h⅖,i¼ ¦ --- Ma,f,g,ipt καὶ τὰ λίθινα καὶ τὰ ξύλινα, ἃ οὔτε βλέπειν δύναται*35 Ma,e¼,f,gpt,i⅓ 𝕻47,CP,RP,HF,OC,TR ¦ δυνανται Ma¼,b,d,e,gpt,h,i⅔ 𝕻85,115ℵA,C,NU οὔτε ἀκούειν οὔτε περιπατεῖν· 21 καὶ οὐ μετενόησαν ἐκ τῶν φόνων αὐτῶν οὔτε ἐκ τῶν φαρμακειῶν*35 Md,e,h⅔,i RP,OC,TR ¦ φαρμακιων Md⅕,e¼,gpt A,CP ¦ φαρμακων Ma,b,f,gpt,h⅓ 𝕻47ℵC,HF,NU αὐτῶν οὔτε ἐκ τῆς πορνείας αὐτῶν οὔτε ἐκ τῶν κλεμμάτων αὐτῶν.