6:9 Now 5 when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been violently killed 6 because of the word of God and because of the testimony they had given. 6:10 They 7 cried out with a loud voice, 8 “How long, 9 Sovereign Master, 10 holy and true, before you judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood?” 6:11 Each 11 of them was given a long white robe and they were told to rest for a little longer, until the full number was reached 12 of both their fellow servants 13 and their brothers who were going to be killed just as they had been.
15:2 Then 14 I saw something like a sea of glass 15 mixed with fire, and those who had conquered 16 the beast and his image and the number of his name. They were standing 17 by 18 the sea of glass, holding harps given to them by God. 19
1 tn Or “know your suffering.” This could refer to suffering or distress caused by persecution (see L&N 22.2).
2 tn Because of the length and complexity of this Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the phrase “I also know” to link this English sentence back to “I know” at the beginning of the verse.
3 tn The words “against you” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
4 sn A synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (e.g., Mt 4:23, Mk 1:21, Lk 4:15, Jn 6:59).
5 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the introduction of a new and somewhat different topic after the introduction of the four riders.
6 tn Or “murdered.” See the note on the word “butcher” in 6:4.
7 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
8 tn Grk “voice, saying”; the participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.
9 tn The expression ἕως πότε (ews pote) was translated “how long.” Cf. BDAG 423 s.v. ἕως 1.b.γ.
10 tn The Greek term here is δεσπότης (despoths; see L&N 37.63).
11 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
12 tn Grk “until they had been completed.” The idea of a certain “number” of people is implied by the subject of πληρωθῶσιν (plhrwqwsin).
13 tn Though σύνδουλος (sundoulos) has been translated “fellow servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.
14 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
15 sn See Rev 4:6 where the sea of glass was mentioned previously.
16 tn Or “had been victorious over”; traditionally, “had overcome.”
17 tn Grk “of his name, standing.” A new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the words “They were.”
18 tn Or “on.” The preposition ἐπί (epi) with the accusative case could mean “on, at, by, near”; given the nature of this scene appearing in a vision, it is difficult to know precisely which the author of Revelation intended. See BDAG 363 s.v. ἐπί 1.c.γ, “At, by, near someone or someth.”
19 tn Grk “harps of God.” The phrase τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou) has been translated as a genitive of agency.
20 tn Or “of the witnesses to Jesus.” Here the genitive ᾿Ιησοῦ (Ihsou) is taken as an objective genitive; Jesus is the object of their testimony.
21 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
22 tn Grk “I marveled a great marvel” (an idiom for great astonishment).
23 tn The one Greek term θλῖψις (qliyis) has been translated by an English hendiadys (two terms that combine for one meaning) “trouble and suffering.” For modern English readers “tribulation” is no longer clearly understandable.
24 tn Or “but be courageous.”
25 tn Or “I am victorious over the world,” or “I have overcome the world.”
26 tn Grk “to Antioch, strengthening.” Due to the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, a new sentence was started here. This participle (ἐπιστηρίζοντες, episthrizonte") and the following one (παρακαλοῦντες, parakalounte") have been translated as finite verbs connected by the coordinating conjunction “and.”
27 sn And encouraged them to continue. The exhortations are like those noted in Acts 11:23; 13:43. An example of such a speech is found in Acts 20:18-35. Christianity is now characterized as “the faith.”
28 sn This reference to the kingdom of God clearly refers to its future arrival.
29 tn Or “sufferings.”
30 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
31 tn Or “exult, boast.”
32 sn Appointed the Son-of-God-in-power. Most translations render the Greek participle ὁρισθέντος (Jorisqentos, from ὁρίζω, Jorizw) “declared” or “designated” in order to avoid the possible interpretation that Jesus was appointed the Son of God by the resurrection. However, the Greek term ὁρίζω is used eight times in the NT, and it always has the meaning “to determine, appoint.” Paul is not saying that Jesus was appointed the “Son of God by the resurrection” but “Son-of-God-in-power by the resurrection,” as indicated by the hyphenation. He was born in weakness in human flesh (with respect to the flesh, v. 3) and he was raised with power. This is similar to Matt 28:18 where Jesus told his disciples after the resurrection, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
33 tn Grk “spirit of holiness.” Some interpreters take the phrase to refer to Christ’s own inner spirit, which was characterized by holiness.
34 tn Or “by his resurrection.” Most interpreters see this as a reference to Jesus’ own resurrection, although some take it to refer to the general resurrection at the end of the age, of which Jesus’ resurrection is the first installment (cf. 1 Cor 15:23).