^5:1Then¹ I saw in the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne a scroll written on the front and back² and sealed with seven seals.³^5:2And I saw a powerful angel proclaiming in a loud voice: “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?” ^5:3But⁴ no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or look into it. ^5:4So⁵ I began weeping bitterly⁶ because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. ^5:5Then⁷ one of the elders said⁸ to me, “Stop weeping!⁹ Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered;¹⁰ thus he can open¹¹ the scroll and its seven seals.”

^5:6Then¹² I saw standing in the middle of the throne¹³ and of the four living creatures, and in the middle of the elders, a Lamb that appeared to have been killed.¹⁴ He had¹⁵ seven horns and seven eyes, which¹⁶ are the seven¹⁷ spirits of God¹⁸ sent out into all the earth. ^5:7Then¹⁹ he came and took the scroll²⁰ from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne,

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Revelation 5:5: And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Footnotes

1 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
2 Grk “written on the inside and the outside” (an idiom for having writing on both sides).
3 L&N 6.55 states, “From the immediate context of Re 5:1 it is not possible to determine whether the scroll in question had seven seals on the outside or whether the scroll was sealed at seven different points. However, since according to chapter six of Revelation the seals were broken one after another, it would appear as though the scroll had been sealed at seven different places as it had been rolled up.”
4 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
5 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of no one being found worthy to open the scroll.
6 Grk “much.”
7 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
8 Grk “says” (a historical present).
9 The present imperative with μή (mē) is used here to command cessation of an action in progress ( lists this verse as an example).
10 Or “has been victorious”; traditionally, “has overcome.”
11 The infinitive has been translated as an infinitive of result here.
12 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
13 Perhaps, “in the middle of the throne area” (see L&N 83.10).
14 Or “slaughtered”; traditionally, “slain.” The phrase behind this translation is ὡς ἐσφαγμένον (hōs ejsphagmenon). The particle ὡς is used in Greek generally for comparison, and in Revelation it is used often to describe the appearance of what the author saw. This phrase does not imply that the Lamb “appeared to have been killed” but in reality was not, because the wider context of the NT shows that in fact the Lamb, i.e., Jesus, was killed. See 13:3 for the only other occurrence of this phrase in the NT.
15 Grk “killed, having.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronoun “he.”
16 The relative pronoun which is masculine, referring back to the eyes rather than to the horns.
17 There is good evidence for the inclusion of “seven” (ἑπτά, hepta; 𝔓24 א 2053 2351 𝔐K). There is equally good support for the omission of the term (A 1006 1611 𝔐A ). It may have been accidentally added due to its repeated presence in the immediately preceding phrases, or it may have been intentionally added to maintain the symmetry of the phrases or more likely to harmonize the phrase with 1:4; 3:1; 4:5. Or it may have been accidentally deleted by way of homoioteleuton (τὰ ἑπτά, ta hepta). A decision is difficult in this instance. also does not find the problem easy to solve, placing the word in brackets to indicate doubts as to its authenticity.
18 See the note on the phrase the seven spirits of God in .
19 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
20 The words “the scroll” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides, sealed with seven seals. I also saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or even to look in it. I wept and wept because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or even to look in it. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Look, the Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered so that he is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Then I saw one like a slaughtered lamb standing in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent into all the earth. He went and took the scroll out of the right hand of the one seated on the throne.

NLTNew Living Translation

Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne. There was writing on the inside and the outside of the scroll, and it was sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel, who shouted with a loud voice: “Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and open it?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it.

Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it. But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spirit of God that is sent out into every part of the earth. He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And I saw in the right hand of the one who is seated on the throne a scroll, written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. And I saw a powerful angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. And I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.

And I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders a Lamb standing as though slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent into all the earth. And he came and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne.

KJV 1900King James Version

And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

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