The temple of the tent of witness: there is some uncertainty as to what this compound genitive phrase means. A literal rendering, such as Revised Standard Version and New Revised Standard Version, is quite ambiguous, but the average reader probably understands that it means that in the tent of witness there is a temple. There are three possibilities: (1) the tent of witness is in apposition to the temple: “the temple, that is, the Witness Tent” (An American Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy, New International Version, New American Bible, Revised); (2) “the Witness Tent in the Temple” (Good News Translation, Bible en français courant, Nova Tradução na Linguagem de Hoje); (3) “the sanctuary of the Witness Tent” (Translator’s New Testament, Revised English Bible, Barclay, Phillips). In favor of the last interpretation—which is the one that is recommended—is the fact that the word translated temple (naos) is used in a specialized sense of the inner sanctuary of the Temple, as contrasted with the large worship area (hieron). The inner sanctuary (in which the Covenant Box was kept) was separated by a heavy curtain from the worship area, in which were located the altar of incense and the table on which were placed daily the loaves offered to God. This was also the arrangement of the Covenant Tent, the “Tent of Meeting” (see Exo 40.1-33). It seems best, then, to translate here “the sanctuary (or, Most Holy Place) that was in the Witness Tent.” The name “Witness Tent” (also Acts 7.44) was sometimes applied to the Tent of Meeting, or Covenant Tent, that the Hebrews carried with them in their forty years of wandering through the wilderness. A translation should use here the name most often used in the Old Testament and in Acts 7.44.
Was opened: as in 11.19. An alternative translation model for verse 5 is:
• After these people finished singing, I looked and saw that they (unknown agents) had opened the Most Holy Place inside the Witness Tent (or, Tent of Meeting).
The seven angels with the seven plagues: as in Rev. 15.1.
Robed in pure bright linen: robed translates a participle of the same verb rendered “clothed” in 1.13. Where linen is unknown the translation can say “wearing white shining clothes” or “wearing a white shining robe.”
Their breasts girded with golden girdles: as in 1.13. The Greek word for “breasts (or, chests)” in 1.13 is different from the one used here, but the meaning is the same. New Revised Standard Version is much better than Revised Standard Version: “golden sashes across their chests”; note New International Version and New American Bible, Revised “gold sashes around their chests.”
An alternative translation model for verse 6 is:
• The seven angels (or, heavenly messengers) who had the seven punishments came out of the Witness Tent. Each one was wearing a white shining robe, and had a gold colored band (or, sash) across his chest.
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 .