Dr. D.
You said "My completely translation of Rev. 13:8 would read "All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written since the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb slain."
This is based on the MSS evidence above, and also Rev. 5:6 and 17:8, which many scholars cite as support that "since the foundation of the world" should modify "written" rather than "slain." "
Does that mean that these having had their names "not written" is chronologically or ordinally prior to "Lamb slain"?
Rev 17:8...and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world,..."
And if No names were written, then why mention that some (these particular Beast-worshippers') names were not written?
Remember that ALL Beast-worshippers shall drink of the wrath of God and be tormented with fire and brimstone. (Rev 14:9-10) So there is no possibility that their names can be added after they recieve his mark.
(I ignored Rev. 5:6, because I don't see how that verse pertains to our topic. If it is revelant, I will be happy for you to re-assert your point later.)
According to your rendering, The Book of Life, with some (eligible)person's names written and some (ineligible) person's names not written, must have then existed since the foundation of the World. Is that what you mean to imply?
If so, I will re-assert my orginal objection:
If names were previously written (and not written), then why consequently have Lamb slain?
You don't mean to say that names were written first (since the foundation of the world) and then Adam sinned, and then[/] Christ was slain, and then those whose names were recorded prior to Adam's sin and Christ's sacrifice necessarily believed and those whose names were not recorded prior to Adam's sin and Christ being slain necessarily did not believe, do you?
That would be an argument for Limited Atonement.
Is that the doctrine you are affirming with your reverse-order rendering of Rev 13:8?
I say "reverse order" because in the Greek, "from the conception of the world" immediately follows "Lamb slain". And "not written" is followed by "in the Book". But you have "not written" followed by "since the foundation of the world" and you have "Lamb slain" followin "since the foundation of the world".
So, technically, my rendering is more "literal".
Revelation 13:8 And kai <2532> worshipped proskunhsousin <4352> (5692) him autw <846> ALL pantev <3956> who oi <3588> inhabited katoikountev <2730> (5723) upon epi <1909> the thv <3588> earth ghv <1093> who wn <3739> not ou <3756> had had written gegraptai <1125> (5769) their ta <3588> name onomata <3686> in en <1722> that th <3588> Book biblw <976> of his thv <3588> Life zwhv <2222>of that tou <3588> Lamb arniou <721> slain esfagmenou <4969> (5772) from apo <575> the conception of katabolhv <2602> the world. kosmou <2889>
See also Young's rendering:
YLT Revelation 13:8 And bow before it shall all who are dwelling upon the land, whose names have not been written in the scroll of the life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world;
