4:1 After these things I looked, and there was 1 a door standing open in heaven! 2 And the first voice I had heard speaking to me 3 like a trumpet 4 said: “Come up here so that 5 I can show you what must happen after these things.”
5:6 Then 6 I saw standing in the middle of the throne 7 and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders, a Lamb that appeared to have been killed. 8 He had 9 seven horns and seven eyes, which 10 are the seven 11 spirits of God 12 sent out into all the earth.
7:9 After these things I looked, and here was 23 an enormous crowd that no one could count, made up of persons from every nation, tribe, 24 people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb dressed in long white robes, and with palm branches in their hands.
1 tn Grk “and behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
2 tn Or “in the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).
3 tn Grk “with me.” The translation “with me” implies that John was engaged in a dialogue with the one speaking to him (e.g., Jesus or an angel) when in reality it was a one-sided conversation, with John doing all the listening. For this reason, μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ (met’ emou, “with me”) was translated as “to me.”
4 sn The phrase speaking to me like a trumpet refers back to Rev 1:10.
5 tn The conjunction καί (kai), much like the vav-consecutive in Hebrew, appears to be introducing a final/purpose clause here rather than a coordinate clause.
6 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
7 tn Perhaps, “in the middle of the throne area” (see L&N 83.10).
8 tn Or “slaughtered”; traditionally, “slain.” The phrase behind this translation is ὡς ἐσφαγμένον (Jw" ejsfagmenon). The particle ὡς is used in Greek generally for comparison, and in Revelation it is used often to describe the appearance of what the author saw. This phrase does not imply that the Lamb “appeared to have been killed” but in reality was not, because the wider context of the NT shows that in fact the Lamb, i.e., Jesus, was killed. See 13:3 for the only other occurrence of this phrase in the NT.
9 tn Grk “killed, having.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronoun “he.”
10 sn The relative pronoun which is masculine, referring back to the eyes rather than to the horns.
11 tc There is good ms evidence for the inclusion of “seven” (ἑπτά, Jepta; Ì24 א 2053 2351 ÏK). There is equally good ms support for the omission of the term (A 1006 1611 ÏA pc). It may have been accidentally added due to its repeated presence in the immediately preceding phrases, or it may have been intentionally added to maintain the symmetry of the phrases or more likely to harmonize the phrase with 1:4; 3:1; 4:5. Or it may have been accidentally deleted by way of homoioteleuton (τὰ ἑπτά, ta Jepta). A decision is difficult in this instance. NA27 also does not find the problem easy to solve, placing the word in brackets to indicate doubts as to its authenticity.
12 sn See the note on the phrase the seven spirits of God in Rev 4:5.
11 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the summons by the fourth creature.
12 tc The reading “and I looked” (καὶ εἶδον, kai eidon) or some slight variation (e.g., ἶδον, idon) has excellent ms support ({א A C P 1611}) and its omission seems to have come through the
13 tn The phrase “and here came” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou).
14 tn A sickly pallor, when referring to persons, or the green color of plants. BDAG 1085 s.v. χλωρός 2 states, “pale, greenish gray…as the color of a pers. in sickness contrasted with appearance in health…so the horse ridden by Death…ἵππος χλωρός Rv 6:8.” Because the color of the horse is symbolic, “pale green” is used in the translation. Cf. NIV, NCV “pale”; NASB “ashen.”
15 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
16 tn Grk “the one sitting on it.”
17 tn Grk “And Hades was following with him.” The Greek expression μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ (met’ autou, “with him”) is Semitic and indicates close proximity. The translation “followed right behind” reflects this.
18 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
19 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
20 tn Grk “with death.” θάνατος (qanatos) can in particular contexts refer to a manner of death, specifically a contagious disease (see BDAG 443 s.v. 3; L&N 23.158).
16 tn The phrase “and here was” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou).
17 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated before each of the following categories, since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
21 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the introduction of the description of the horses and riders, which is somewhat parenthetical in the narrative.
22 tn Grk “and those seated on them.”
23 tn Grk “the vision”; the Greek article has been translated as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
24 tn L&N 79.31 states, “‘fiery red’ (probably with a tinge of yellow or orange).”
25 tn On this term BDAG 1022 s.v. ὑακίνθινος states, “hyacinth-colored, i.e. dark blue (dark red?) w. πύρινος Rv 9:17.”
26 tn On this term BDAG 446 s.v. θειώδης states, “sulphurous Rv 9:17.”
27 sn The colors of the riders’ breastplates parallel the three plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur in v. 18.
28 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
29 tn Traditionally, “brimstone.”