Revelation 6:7–8

6:7 Then27 when the Lamb opened the fourth seal I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come!” 6:8 So28 I looked29 and here came30 a pale green31 horse! The32 name of the one who rode it33 was Death, and Hades followed right behind.34 They35 were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill its population with the sword,36 famine, and disease,37 and by the wild animals of the earth.

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27	tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
28	tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the summons by the fourth creature.
29	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.
30	tn The phrase “and here came” expresses the sense of καὶ ἰδού (kai idou).
31	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 … ἴππος 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.”
32	tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
33	tn Grk “the one sitting on it.”
34	tn Grk “And Hades was following with him.” The Greek expression μετʼ αὐτοῦ (met’ autou, “with him”) is Semitic and indicates close proximity. The translation “followed right behind” reflects this.
35	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.
36	tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
37	tn Grk “with death.” θάνατος (thanatos) can in particular contexts refer to a manner of death, specifically a contagious disease (see BDAG 443 s.v. 3; L&N 23.158).

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