Revelation 6:4-6
New English Translation
4 And another horse, fiery red,[a] came out, and the one who rode it[b] was granted permission[c] to take peace from the earth, so that people would butcher[d] one another, and he was given a huge sword.
5 Then[e] when the Lamb opened the third seal I heard the third living creature saying, “Come!” So[f] I looked,[g] and here came[h] a black horse! The[i] one who rode it[j] had a balance scale[k] in his hand. 6 Then[l] I heard something like a voice from among the four living creatures saying, “A quart[m] of wheat will cost a day’s pay[n] and three quarts of barley will cost a day’s pay. But[o] do not damage the olive oil and the wine!”
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- Revelation 6:4 tn L&N 79.31 states, “‘fiery red’ (probably with a tinge of yellow or orange).”
- Revelation 6:4 tn Grk “the one sitting on it.”
- Revelation 6:4 tn The word “permission” is implied; Grk “it was given to him to take peace from the earth.”
- Revelation 6:4 tn BDAG 979 s.v. σφάζω states, “Of the killing of a person by violence…σφάζειν τινά butcher or murder someone (4 Km 10:7; Jer 52:10; Manetho: 609 fgm. 8, 76 Jac. [in Jos., C. Ap. 1, 76]; Demetr.[?]: 722 fgm. 7; Ar. 10, 9) 1J 3:12; Rv 6:4. Pass. (Hdt. 5, 5) 5:9; 6:9; 18:24.”
- Revelation 6:5 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
- Revelation 6:5 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the summons by the third creature.
- Revelation 6:5 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 mss that have already placed “and look” (καὶ ἴδε or καὶ βλέπε [kai ide or kai blepe]) after the verb “come” (ἔρχου, erchou) in 6:1. Thus, for these copyists it was redundant to add “and I looked” again.
- Revelation 6:5 tn The phrase “and here came” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou).
- Revelation 6:5 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
- Revelation 6:5 tn Grk “the one sitting on it.”
- Revelation 6:5 sn A balance scale would have been a rod held by a rope in the middle with pans attached to both ends for measuring.
- Revelation 6:6 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
- Revelation 6:6 tn BDAG 1086 s.v. χοῖνιξ states, “a dry measure, oft. used for grain, approximately equivalent to one quart or one liter, quart. A χ.of grain was a daily ration for one pers.…Rv 6:6ab.”
- Revelation 6:6 tn Grk “a quart of wheat for a denarius.” A denarius was one day’s pay for an average worker. The words “will cost” are used to indicate the genitive of price or value; otherwise the English reader could understand the phrase to mean “a quart of wheat to be given as a day’s pay.”
- Revelation 6:6 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
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