Discovery BoxRevelation 9:9 
Context9:9 They had breastplates 1 like iron breastplates, and the sound of their wings was like the noise of many horse-drawn chariots charging into battle.
Revelation 19:21
Context19:21 The 2 others were killed by the sword that extended from the mouth of the one who rode the horse, and all the birds gorged 3 themselves with their flesh.
Revelation 6:2
Context6:2 So 4 I looked, 5 and here came 6 a white horse! The 7 one who rode it 8 had a bow, and he was given a crown, 9 and as a conqueror 10 he rode out to conquer.
Revelation 6:4-5
Context6:4 And another horse, fiery red, 11 came out, and the one who rode it 12 was granted permission 13 to take peace from the earth, so that people would butcher 14 one another, and he was given a huge sword.
6:5 Then 15 when the Lamb opened the third seal I heard the third living creature saying, “Come!” So 16 I looked, 17 and here came 18 a black horse! The 19 one who rode it 20 had a balance scale 21 in his hand.
Revelation 19:11
Context19:11 Then 22 I saw heaven opened and here came 23 a white horse! The 24 one riding it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice 25 he judges and goes to war.
Revelation 19:19
Context19:19 Then 26 I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to do battle with the one who rode the horse and with his army.
Revelation 6:8
Context6:8 So 27 I looked 28 and here came 29 a pale green 30 horse! The 31 name of the one who rode it 32 was Death, and Hades followed right behind. 33 They 34 were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill its population with the sword, 35 famine, and disease, 36 and by the wild animals of the earth.
1 tn Or perhaps, “scales like iron breastplates” (RSV, NRSV) although the Greek term θώραξ (qwrax) would have to shift its meaning within the clause, and elsewhere in biblical usage (e.g., Eph 6:14; 1 Thess 5:8) it normally means “breastplate.” See also L&N 8.38.
2 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
3 tn On the translation of ἐχορτάσθησαν (ecortasqhsan) BDAG 1087 s.v. χορτάζω 1.a states, “of animals, pass. in act. sense πάντα τὰ ὄρνεα ἐχορτάσθησαν ἐκ τῶν σαρκῶν αὐτῶν all the birds gorged themselves with their flesh Rv 19:21 (cp. TestJud. 21:8).”
4 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of hearing the voice summon the first rider.
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 come through the
6 tn The phrase “and here came” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou).
7 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
8 tn Grk “the one sitting on it.”
sn The one who rode it. The identity of the first rider on the white horse has been discussed at great length by interpreters. Several answers are given: (1) A number understand the rider on the white horse to be Christ himself, identifying this horse and rider with the one mentioned in 19:11, where the identification is clear (cf. 19:13, 16). It must be noted, though, that there is little in common between the two riders beyond the white horse. The word for “crown” is different, the armament is different, and the context here is different (conquest vs. retribution), with three other horsemen bringing catastrophe following. (2) Others see the rider on the white horse representing a spirit of military conquest that dominates human history and leads to the catastrophes that follow. (3) Another possibility is that the white horse rider represents the Antichrist, who appears later in Rev 11:7; 13:17, and whose similarity to Christ explains the similarity with the rider in 19:11. This interpretation has been discussed at length by M. Rissi, “The Rider on the White Horse: A Study of Revelation 6:1-8,” Int 18 (1964): 407-18. This interpretation is the most probable one.
9 sn See the note on the word crown in Rev 3:11.
10 tn The participle νικῶν (nikwn) has been translated as substantival, the subject of the verb ἐξῆλθεν (exhlqen). Otherwise, as an adverbial participle of manner, it is somewhat redundant: “he rode out conquering and to conquer.”
11 tn L&N 79.31 states, “‘fiery red’ (probably with a tinge of yellow or orange).”
12 tn Grk “the one sitting on it.”
13 tn The word “permission” is implied; Grk “it was given to him to take peace from the earth.”
14 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.”
15 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
16 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the summons by the third creature.
17 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
18 tn The phrase “and here came” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou).
19 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
20 tn Grk “the one sitting on it.”
21 sn A balance scale would have been a rod held by a rope in the middle with pans attached to both ends for measuring.
22 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
23 tn The phrase “and here came” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou).
24 tn A new sentence was started in the translation at this point and καί (kai) was not translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
25 tn Or “in righteousness,” but since the context here involves the punishment of the wicked and the vindication of the saints, “justice” was preferred.
26 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
27 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the summons by the fourth creature.
28 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
29 tn The phrase “and here came” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou).
30 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.”
31 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
32 tn Grk “the one sitting on it.”
33 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.
34 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.
35 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
36 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).
