From the throne came a voice: this is not God speaking, as the words our God indicate. Perhaps the speaker is one of the four living creatures, who were nearest the throne. Other instances of an unidentified voice speaking are: 6.6, from among the four living creatures; 9.13, from among the four horns of the altar; 16.1, 7, from the temple. In 21.3 there is once more a voice coming from God’s throne. Translators in many languages will need to render this clause as “Then I heard someone calling from the throne, saying….”

The translator should consider rendering this song of praise and the one in verses 6b-8 as poetry (see Section F of the introduction, “Translating the Revelation to John,” pages 6 and following).

Praise our God: this is the equivalent of “Hallelujah” in verse 1.

His servants, you who fear him: these are not two groups but one: “you who serve him, who have reverence for him.” For fear him, small and great, see 11.18. The command is given to God’s people on earth.

Alternative translation models for this verse are:

• Then (or, After that) I heard someone calling from the throne, saying, “You must praise our [inclusive] God, all people, both weak and powerful, who serve him and revere him.”

Or:

• … “All you people, both weak and powerful, who have reverence for God must say to him, ‘We give honor to you.’ ”

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 .