6:5 Then 1 when the Lamb opened the third seal I heard the third living creature saying, “Come!” So 2 I looked, 3 and here came 4 a black horse! The 5 one who rode it 6 had a balance scale 7 in his hand.
6:9 Now 8 when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been violently killed 9 because of the word of God and because of the testimony they had given.
6:12 Then 10 I looked when the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and a huge 11 earthquake took place; the sun became as black as sackcloth made of hair, 12 and the full moon became blood red; 13
1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
2 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the summons by the third creature.
3 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
4 tn The phrase “and here came” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou).
5 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
6 tn Grk “the one sitting on it.”
7 sn A balance scale would have been a rod held by a rope in the middle with pans attached to both ends for measuring.
8 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.
9 tn Or “murdered.” See the note on the word “butcher” in 6:4.
15 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
16 tn Or “powerful”; Grk “a great.”
17 tn Or “like hairy sackcloth” (L&N 8.13).
18 tn Grk “like blood,” understanding αἷμα (aima) as a blood-red color rather than actual blood (L&N 8.64).