6:9 Now 1 when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been violently killed 2 because of the word of God and because of the testimony they had given.
1 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.
2 tn Or “murdered.” See the note on the word “butcher” in 6:4.
3 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
4 tn Grk “from the rising of the sun.” BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατολή 2.a takes this as a geographical direction: “ἀπὸ ἀ. ἡλίου…from the east Rv 7:2; 16:12…simply ἀπὸ ἀ. …21:13.”
5 tn Grk “having,” but v. 3 makes it clear that the angel’s purpose is to seal others with the seal he carries.
6 tn Or “signet” (L&N 6.54).
7 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
8 tn The word “permission” is implied; Grk “to whom it was given to them to damage the earth.”
9 tn Grk “saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.