Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals: instead of opened the translation can be “broke” (New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible) or “broke open” (Good News Translation, New American Bible, Revised). In light of the breaking of the other seals (verses 3, 5, 7, 9, 12), it is possible to translate here as Good News Translation has done, “(break open) the first of the seven seals” (also Revised English Bible, An American Translation, Barclay, New International Version, New American Bible, Revised, Bible en français courant, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje).

Say, as with a voice of thunder: this is better said “say in a (loud) voice that sounded like thunder.” The comparison has to do with the volume of sound, not the timbre of the voice. Perhaps “like the roar of thunder” or “as loud as a clap of thunder.”

Come!: John himself seems to be near the open door in heaven, or in heaven itself (4.1-2), and he hears one of the living creature, who are near the throne, call out “Come!” The command (second person singular) is addressed to someone riding a horse, who appears immediately.

In some Greek manuscripts and ancient versions the command is “Come and see” (also in verses 3, 5, 7), which is addressed to John himself. But the original text is only “Come,” which is directed at the horseman. The translation should not imply that the horseman is told to go to heaven, but that he should come forth from wherever he is. The four horsemen ride out over the earth. It is not said where they start from, but presumably it is from somewhere in heaven, since they are God’s messengers. The Greek verb can be understood to mean “Go,” and some believe that this is what it means here. Given the fact that in the following verse the horseman went out or “rode out” (Good News Translation), translators in many languages may find it helpful to use the word “Go” in this verse.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on The Revelation to John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1993. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .