REV 5:1 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

Key: khaki:verbs, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT And I saw in the right hand of the one sitting on the throne a scroll, written on the inside and on the back, having been sealed with seven seals.

UST Then I saw that the person who was sitting on the throne was holding a scroll in his right hand. He had written words on both sides of the scroll. But he had then sealed the scroll shut with seven pieces of wax, so no one could read what he had written.

BSB Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the [One] seated on the throne. It had writing on both sides [and was] sealed with seven seals.

BLB And I saw on the right hand of the One sitting upon the throne a scroll, having been written inside and on the back, having been sealed with seven seals.

AICNT And I saw on the right hand of the one seated on the throne a {a book[fn] written inside and {on the back},[fn] sealed with seven seals}.[fn]

5:1, book: Or “scroll”

5:1, on the back: Later manuscripts read “outside.” BYZ

5:1, a book written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals: ℵ(01) reads “sealed with seven seals both in front and behind.”

OEB Then I saw at the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a book, with writing inside and out, and sealed with seven seals;

WEBBE I saw, in the right hand of him who sat on the throne, a book written inside and outside, sealed shut with seven seals.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Then I saw in the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne a scroll written on the front and back and sealed with seven seals.

LSV And I saw a scroll on the right hand of Him who is sitting on the throne, written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals;

FBV I saw the one sitting on the throne holding a scroll in his right hand.[fn] The scroll was written on both sides and was sealed with seven seals.

5:1 “Right hand.” This is assumed, the Greek simply says “in/on his right.”

TCNT Then I saw in the right hand of him who sits on the throne a scroll written on the inside and [fn]outside, sealed with seven seals.

5:1 outside 𝔐^A,C,K 80.2% ¦ on the back NA SBL TH TR WH 8.9%

T4T I saw that there was a scroll in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne. The scroll was written on its outside as well as on its inside, and it was sealed {Someone had written on the outside as well as on the inside of the scroll and sealed it} with seven seals.

LEB 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.

BBE And I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the high seat, a book with writing inside it and on the back, shut with seven stamps of wax.

Moff Then I saw lying on the right hand of him who was seated on the throne, a scroll with writing on the back, as well as inside, sealed with seven seals.

Wymth And I saw lying in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written on both sides and closely sealed with seven seals.

ASV And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the back, close sealed with seven seals.

DRA And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne, a book written within and without, sealed with seven seals.

YLT And I saw upon the right hand of Him who is sitting upon the throne a scroll, written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals;

Drby And I saw on the right hand of him that sat upon the throne a book, written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals.

RV And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the back, close sealed with seven seals.

SLT And I saw upon the right hand of him sitting upon the throne, a book written within and behind, sealed with seven seals.

Wbstr 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.

KJB-1769 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.

KJB-1611 ¶ And I saw in y^e right hand of him that sate on the Throne, a booke written within, & on the backeside, sealed with seuen seales.
(¶ 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 seales.)

Bshps And I sawe in the right hande of hym that sate on the throne, a booke written within, and on the backe syde, sealed with seuen seales.
(And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne, a book written within, and on the back side, sealed with seven seales.)

Gnva And I saw in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne, a Booke written within, and on the backside, sealed with seuen seales.
(And I saw in the right hand of him that sat upon the throne, a Book written within, and on the backside, sealed with seven seales. )

Cvdl And I sawe in the right hode of him, that sat in the trone, a boke wrytten with in & on the backside, sealed with seue seales.
(And I saw in the right hand of him, that sat in the throne, a book written with in and on the backside, sealed with seven seales.)

TNT And I sawe in the right honde of him that sat in the trone a boke written with in and on the backside sealyd with vii. seales.
(And I saw in the right hand of him that sat in the throne a book written with in and on the backside sealyd with 7 seales. )

Wycl And Y say in the riythond of the sittere on the trone, a book writun with ynne and with out, and seelid with seuene seelis.
(And I say in the right hand of the sittere on the throne, a book written within and with out, and seelid with seven seelis.)

Luth Und ich sah in der rechten Hand des, der auf dem Stuhl saß, ein Buch, geschrieben inwendig und auswendig, versiegelt mit sieben Siegeln.
(And I saw in the/of_the right hand of, the/of_the on/in/to to_him chair/stool sat, a book, written inside and from_memory, sealed with seven sealn.)

ClVg Et vidi in dextera sedentis supra thronum, librum scriptum intus et foris, signatum sigillis septem.[fn]
(And I_saw in/into/on right_hand sitting above throne, book written inside/within and outside, signsum sigillis seven. )

5.1 Et vidi in dextera sedentis. Per dexteram intelligo Filium, per quem omnia fecit Deus Pater, ad quem totius libri intentio dirigitur. Librum. Id est duo Testamenta quæ sunt idem liber. Foris. Significans Vetus quod forinseca promittit. Intus, Novum significans quod evidenter sæpe promittit beatitudinem. Signatum. Factæ sunt scripturæ prophetarum clausæ, et obscuræ, sed per Christum postea sunt apertæ. Sigillis. Id est universis obscuritatibus, vel clausus septiformi spiritu, per quem fides aperitur. Septem. Dicit, quia (ut sequentibus determinabit) illa sunt septem sigilla, scilicet album esse equum et rufum et nigrum, etc.: quæ aperta et nota fuerunt in exordio Ecclesiæ, quæ fuit albus equus supra quem sedit Christus, et doctrina et exemplo munivit, quam rufus equus impugnavit.

5.1 And I_saw in/into/on right_hand sitting. Per right_hand intelligo Son, through which everything he_did God Pater, to which of_the_whole books intention directsur. Librum. That it_is two Testamenta which are the_same liber. Foris. Significans Old that forinseca promises. Intus, Novum significant that evidenter often promises happiness. Signatum. Factæ are scripturæ of_the_prophets closed, and obscuræ, but through Christ/Messiah afterwards are open. Sigillis. That it_is to_all obscuritatibus, or clausus septiformi in_spirit, through which faith opens. Septem. Sayit, because (as following determinabit) that are seven sigilla, namely album to_be horse and rufum and nigrum, etc.: which open and note they_were in/into/on beginning Assemblies/Churches, which it_was albus equus above which sat_down Christ/Messiah, and teaching/instruction and example munivit, how rufus equus impugnavit.

UGNT καὶ εἶδον ἐπὶ τὴν δεξιὰν τοῦ καθημένου ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου βιβλίον, γεγραμμένον ἔσωθεν καὶ ὄπισθεν, κατεσφραγισμένον σφραγῖσιν ἑπτά.
(kai eidon epi taʸn dexian tou kathaʸmenou epi tou thronou biblion, gegrammenon esōthen kai opisthen, katesfragismenon sfragisin hepta.)

SBL-GNT Καὶ εἶδον ἐπὶ τὴν δεξιὰν τοῦ καθημένου ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου βιβλίον γεγραμμένον ἔσωθεν καὶ ⸀ὄπισθεν, κατεσφραγισμένον σφραγῖσιν ἑπτά.
(Kai eidon epi taʸn dexian tou kathaʸmenou epi tou thronou biblion gegrammenon esōthen kai ⸀opisthen, katesfragismenon sfragisin hepta.)

RP-GNT Καὶ εἶδον ἐπὶ τὴν δεξιὰν τοῦ καθημένου ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου βιβλίον γεγραμμένον ἔσωθεν καὶ ἔξωθεν, κατεσφραγισμένον σφραγῖσιν ἑπτά.
(Kai eidon epi taʸn dexian tou kathaʸmenou epi tou thronou biblion gegrammenon esōthen kai exōthen, katesfragismenon sfragisin hepta.)

TC-GNT Καὶ εἶδον ἐπὶ τὴν δεξιὰν τοῦ καθημένου ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου βιβλίον γεγραμμένον ἔσωθεν καὶ [fn]ἔξωθεν, κατεσφραγισμένον σφραγῖσιν ἑπτά.
(Kai eidon epi taʸn dexian tou kathaʸmenou epi tou thronou biblion gegrammenon esōthen kai exōthen, katesfragismenon sfragisin hepta. )

5:1 εξωθεν 𝔐^A,C,K 80.2% ¦ οπισθεν NA SBL TH TR WH 8.9%

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 5:1–5: The Lamb was worthy to open the sealed scroll

In this section, John continued to describe his vision. In it he saw God holding a scroll. An angel asked who was worthy to open the scroll. The only one who was worthy was King David’s promised heir, whom John called “the Lamb” here.

Other examples of headings for this section are:

John saw a scroll sealed seven times

The scroll that was sealed seven times

The scroll that was sealed seven times and the Lamb who was worthy to open it

5:1a

Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the One seated on the throne.

¶ Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one sitting on the throne
¶ I saw the person/one sitting on the place/seat of ruling. He held in his right hand a rolled up paper/document.

Then I saw: This phrase introduces the next scene in John’s vision.

a scroll: The word scroll refers to a long piece of writing material.At that time people used parchment or papyrus rather than paper such as we use now. People made parchment from sheep or goat skins. People made papyrus paper from the stalks of the papyrus plant. After writing on it, it is rolled into a cylinder shape.

in the right hand of the One seated on the throne: God held the scroll in his right hand. In some languages it is more natural to add a verb here. For example:

held/lying/resting in the right hand of him who sat on the throne

that the One who sat on the throne held in His right hand

the One seated on the throne: This phrase refers to God. If you used the word “God” in 4:2b, you may not need to do so again here. But in some languages it is more natural to refer to God again. For example:

God who sat on the throne

throne: See how you translated this word in 1:4 or 4:2.

5:1b

It had writing on both sides

having been written on the inside and the outside
It had writing on both sides of the paper.

It had writing: This phrase indicates that someone had written words on the scroll. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

that was written (NJB)

that had writing (CEV)

on both sides: The Greek words are literally “inside and on the back.” People normally wrote on the side that is inside when the scroll is rolled up. But this scroll had writing on both sides of the paper. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

on back and front (NJB)

on the inside and the outside (NLT)

5:1c

and was sealed with seven seals.

and sealed seven times.
And it was securely closed with seven wax stamps indicating that only the right person was to open it.

was sealed with seven seals: Someone wrote on the scroll, then rolled it up and sealed it. To seal a scroll, a person dripped hot wax over the loose end of the writing material on the outside of the scroll. When the wax cools and hardens, it is sealed. This indicates that only those with the proper authority were allowed to open the scroll. This scroll was sealed seven times, each seal in a different place along the scroll.

In some languages people are not familiar with this process of sealing scrolls. If that is true in your language, you may want to:

Use a word or phrase that refers to a process that has a similar meaning. It should indicate that the scroll is not to be opened except by the proper person. For example:
closed with seven drops of wax
it had seven fastenings
There were seven marks stuck to it so that it might not be opened except by the right person
Describe the process. Use a short description to indicate that others are prevented from opening the scroll. For example:
the edge of the paper had wax dripped on it in seven places to show that it should be opened only by those with the authority to do so
its edge was glued seven times so that it could not be opened

Whatever way you translate this phrase, you should indicate that there were seven of these seals.

General Comment on 5:1a–c

In this verse, John told where the scroll was (5:1a), and then he described it (5:1b–c). In some languages it is more natural to describe it first. For example:

Then I saw ^1ba scroll with writing on both sides ^1cand sealed with seven seals. ^1aThe one who sat on the throne held it in his right hand.

Parallel REV 5:1

Section 5:1–5: The Lamb was worthy to open the sealed scroll

5:1a

5:1b

5:1c

General Comment on 5:1a–c