Revelation 5:10, an Example of Solving Textual Issues

In Revelation 5:10, we are told that God has gathered for Himself a people from every tribe, language group, nation, etc., and that they will reign upon the earth. Some have noted the textual issue in 5:10 concerning the word βασιλεύw in terms of whether it is a future or present. If future, one translates it as most translations do, "they will reign upon the earth," presumably a future referent. If present, of course, one could translate it as "they are reigning upon the earth." The former being a rule that is future to the person and the latter being a triumphant spiritual way of saying that these people are ruling on the earth even though they are being oppressed and martyred. 

Let's look at the textual evidence. There are three major variants.

βασιλεύουσιν] A 046 1006 1611 1841 1859 2020 2065 2081^c 2138 2329 al (it^ar) syr^h WH

βασιλεύσουσιν] ‭א P 94 205 209 1828 1854 2042 2050 2053 2073 2081* 2344 2351 2814 Byz it^c it^div it^gig it^haf it^z vg^ww vg^st syr^ph cop^sa cop^bo arm Hippolytus Cyprian Maternus Fulgentius Andrew Arethas^comm NA NR CEI Riv TILC Nv NM 

βασιλεύσομεν] 57 141 2432 it^dem vg^cl Maternus Tyconius Primasius Bede Beatus Haymo Arethas^text ς ND Dio

If we notice the first reading, which is a present (a perfective aspect), is supported by Alexandrinus (5th Cent.), which is the earliest text that reads this way. It is shows up in some later uncials and minuscules dating after the tenth century.

The future aspect, with the exception of Alexandrinus, is supported by the earliest manuscripts, i.e., Sinaiticus (4th Cent.), P (6th Cent.), and Church Fathers in the second and third centuries. 

The third variation is also future aspect, but second person plural instead of third person plural, i.e., "we shall reign" instead of "they shall reign." This is likely due to the fact that the ones singing this are humans and so the scribe likely thought it was more fitting. The third person, of course, can be inclusive of those who are saying it as well, so the change is unnecessary. These texts are much later (12th and 13th centuries). 

Hence, the earliest texts support the future third person singular.

Furthermore, the diversity of texts with the future third person, ranging from the Alexandrian to Byzantine tradition support this as the original reading.

On top of that, the diversity of translations, from various copies of the Vulgate to a diverse tradition of Syrian and Coptic translations support the future third person as the original text.

Further, the two variants themselves indicate the original reading is the future third person plural. Although it would be as easy to see either the sigma dropped by accident or the sigma added by accident, the third variant indicates that the original had the sigma (at least the textual tradition used by the correctors).

Finally, the teaching of Revelation is not that Christians currently reign upon the earth, but that they will reign upon the earth if they overcome the tribulation/persecution/pressures of the wicked world ruled by the beast and the devil. This is the picture in Chapters 21-22. 

All of this evidence indicates a strong support for the reading, "they will reign upon the earth."