“I took
The little scroll
From the hand
Of the angel.
I ate it.
It was sweet
As honey
In my mouth,
But when I had eaten it,
My stomach
Was made bitter.”
καὶ ἔλαβον τὸ βιβλαρίδιον ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς τοῦ ἀγγέλου καὶ κατέφαγον αὐτό, καὶ ἦν ἐν τῷ στόματί μου ὡς μέλι γλυκύ· καὶ ὅτε ἔφαγον αὐτό, ἐπικράνθη ἡ κοιλία μου.
John said, “I took (καὶ ἔλαβον) the little scroll (τὸ βιβλαρίδιον) from the hand (ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς) of the angel (τοῦ ἀγγέλου). I ate it (καὶ κατέφαγον αὐτό). It was (καὶ ἦν) sweet (γλυκύ) as honey (ὡς μέλι) in my mouth (ἐν τῷ στόματί μου), but when I had eaten it (καὶ ὅτε ἔφαγον αὐτό), my stomach (κοιλία μου) was made bitter (ἐπικράνθη ἡ).” This is the only use of this Greek word that appears only in Revelation and not in any other canonical biblical NT writing, the word βιβλαρίδιον, that means a little book or a little papyrus roll. John explained that he did just as he was instructed. He told the little scroll from the hand of the angel that had one foot on the land and the other in the sea. He then ate it. It was as sweet as honey in his mouth, but his stomach was made bitter. He had the same effect as Ezekiel. It was sweet tasting but bitter in his stomach. Thus, being a prophet might seem sweet at first, but there was some bad bitter news to hand out. Have you ever eaten something that was sweet in your mouth, but had a bad effect on your stomach?
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 