The translator should consider presenting the song of verses 9-10 as poetry (see Section F of the introduction, “Translating the Revelation to John,” pages 6 and following).

And they sang a new song, saying: it may be helpful to reintroduce the subject of the verb, “The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders sang a new song.” This is a song that has never been sung before. They sing it in honor of the Lamb, and this may be said specifically, either here or at the beginning of the song: “Lamb, you are worthy…” or “You, the Lamb, you are worthy….” The participle saying is equivalent to opening quotation marks and need not be represented verbally (thus Good News Translation, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Bible, Revised, Revised English Bible). The verb sang in Greek is in the present tense; so New Revised Standard Version has “they sing,” but this makes for an odd shift in the narrative.

Worthy art thou: for Worthy see 4.11.

To take the scroll and to open its seals: or “… to break its seals.” This answers the question in verse 2.

For thou wast slain and by thy blood didst ransom men for God: New Revised Standard Version is in today’s English, “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God saints….” The same verb “to kill” is used here that is used in verse 6; here, as there, New Jerusalem Bible has “sacrificed.” In languages that do not use the passive, this second sentence may be expressed as “they (or, people) slaughtered (or, sacrificed) you, but by means of your blood you bought (or, ransomed) for God people from every….”

The phrase by thy blood means “by means of your blood,” “by means of your death,” referring to the verb “you were slain.” As in 1.5, blood stands for violent death, or else sacrifice. Bible en français courant translates “For you have been put to death and, by your death, you have ransomed”; Translator’s New Testament “you were slaughtered and by your death you purchased for God.” The phrase by thy blood means either the price that is paid, “at the cost of your life-blood” (Barclay) or the means by which freedom was obtained (most translations).

Ransom: the Greek verb “to buy” in this context means that Christ’s death was the price that was paid so that people may belong to God (which is what for God means). The verb is also translated sometimes as “redeem,” as in 14.3. Here and in similar passages in the New Testament concerning the death of Christ, nothing is said about whom the price was paid to, and a translation should not imply that there was a seller to whom God paid this price.

Men … from every tribe and tongue and people and nation: the four nouns include all human groupings in the world—by common ancestry, common language, common nationality, and common race. The same four nouns appear also in 7.9; 11.9; 13.7; 14.6, but no two passages follow the same order. It is not necessary to use four different groupings, if such a list appears forced or artificial; something like “people from every country, every tribe, every language, and every race” may be satisfactory; or, more simply, “from every country and every race,” or even “people from all over the world,” or “people of all races.” The word men, of course, should not be used; “people” (Good News Translation, Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible) includes everyone; New Revised Standard Version “saints” is too restricted, since the term should apply to people in their condition before they were redeemed.

And hast made them a kingdom and priests to our God: see 1.6, where the same language is used. Bible en français courant has “you have made of them a kingdom of priests to serve our God.” Here our God is inclusive, since it is addressed to the Lamb, who also belongs to God. “The God whom we worship (or, serve)” can be said.

And they shall reign on earth: some Greek manuscripts have the present tense, but the better text has the future tense, which should appear in translation. The verb “to reign” is properly used of kings and queens, and here implies complete power over the world and its inhabitants. So another way of expressing this is “and they shall rule over the world and its inhabitants” or “they shall have power over….”

An alternative translation model for these verses is:

• The four living creatures and the twenty-four respected leaders sang a song that had never been sung before. They sang it in honor of the Lamb, saying,
“You are worthy to take the scroll (or, rolled-up document) and break open the seals (seven pieces of wax). For people slaughtered (or, sacrificed) you, and your life-blood is the means through which you purchased people from all over the world (every country and every race), and now they belong to God.
“You have caused them to become a family (tribe, nation) of priests who serve our [inclusive] God. And they shall rule on earth.”

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 .