Sunday, August 29, 2010

How Soon Is "Soon"?

Revelation 1:1
The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must happen very soon (εν ταχει - from τάχος1). He made it clear by sending his angel to his servant John,

Revelation 2:16
Therefore, repent! If not, I will come against you quickly (ταχυ - from ταχύς2) and make war against those people with the sword of my mouth.

Revelation 3:11
I am coming soon (ταχυ). Hold on to what you have so that no one can take away your crown.

Revelation 11:14
The second woe has come and gone; the third is coming quickly (ταχυ).

Revelation 22:6
Then the angel said to me, “These words are reliable and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must happen soon (εν ταχει).”

Revelation 22:7
(Look! I am coming soon (ταχυ)! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy expressed in this book.)

Revelation 22:12
(Look! I am coming soon (ταχυ), and my reward is with me to pay each one according to what he has done!)

Revelation 22:20
The one who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon (ταχυ)!” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

1 τάχος, ους, τό
2 pert. to a relatively brief time subsequent to another point of time, εν ταχει as adverbial unit soon, in a short time...Rv 1:1; 22:6....

2 ταχύς, εια, ύ
1 ⓑ β. without delay, quickly, at once (though it is not always poss. to make a clear distinction betw. this mng. and the one in 2).... This is prob. the place for the ερχεσθαι ταχύ of Rv: 2:5 v.l. (many cursives and printed texts), 16; 3:11; 11:14; 22:7, 12, 20 (P-ÉLangevin, Jésus Seigneur, ’67, 209–35).
2 pert. to a relatively brief time subsequent to another point of time, neut. sg. as adv. in a short time, soon (cp. 1bβ above and τάχος 2).

- Biblical Studies Press. (2006; 2006). The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible. Biblical Studies Press.
- Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed.). (992-993) Chicago: University of Chicago Press.