Revelation 5:3-5

5:3 But ¹  no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or look into it. 5:4 So ²  I began weeping bitterly ³  because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5:5 Then ⁴  one of the elders said ⁵  to me, “Stop weeping! ⁶  Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered; ⁷  thus he can open ⁸  the scroll and its seven seals.”

Revelation 5:9

5:9 They were singing a new song: ⁹ 

“You are worthy to take the scroll

and to open its seals

because you were killed, ¹⁰ 

and at the cost of your own blood ¹¹  you have purchased ¹²  for God

persons ¹³  from every tribe, language, ¹⁴  people, and nation.

[5:3]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[5:4]  ² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of no one being found worthy to open the scroll.

[5:4]  ³ tn Grk “much.”

[5:5]  ⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[5:5]  ⁵ tn Grk “says” (a historical present).

[5:5]  ⁶ tn The present imperative with μή (mh) is used here to command cessation of an action in progress (ExSyn 724 lists this verse as an example).

[5:5]  ⁷ tn Or “has been victorious”; traditionally, “has overcome.”

[5:5]  ⁸ tn The infinitive has been translated as an infinitive of result here.

[5:9]  ⁹ tn The redundant participle λέγοντες (legontes) has not been translated here.

[5:9]  ¹⁰ tn Or “slaughtered”; traditionally, “slain.”

[5:9]  ¹¹ tn The preposition ἐν (en) is taken to indicate price here, like the Hebrew preposition ב (bet) does at times. BDAG 329 s.v. ἐν 5.b states, “The ἐν which takes the place of the gen. of price is also instrumental ἠγόρασας ἐν τῷ αἵματί σου Rv 5:9 (cp. 1 Ch 21:24 ἀγοράζω ἐν ἀργυρίῳ).”

[5:9]  ¹² tc The Greek text as it stands above (i.e., the reading τῷ θεῷ [tw qew] alone) is found in codex A. א 2050 2344 Ï sy add the term “us” (ἡμᾶς, Jhmas), either before or after τῷ θεῷ, as an attempt to clarify the object of “purchased” (ἠγόρασας, hgorasa"). A few mss (1 vg^ms) delete the reference to God altogether and simply replace it with “us” (ἡμᾶς). This too is an attempt to remove ambiguity in the phrase and provide an object for “purchased.” The shorter reading, supported by the best witness for Revelation, best accounts for the other readings.

[5:9]  ¹³ tn The word “persons” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[5:9]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “and language,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.