^6:9Now³⁸ when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been violently killed³⁹ because of the word of God and because of the testimony they had given. ^6:10They⁴⁰ cried out with a loud voice,⁴¹ “How long,⁴² Sovereign Master,⁴³ holy and true, before you judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood?” ^6:11Each⁴⁴ of them was given a long white robe and they were told to rest for a little longer, until the full number was reached⁴⁵ of both their fellow servants⁴⁶ and their brothers who were going to be killed just as they had been.

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Footnotes

38 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the introduction of a new and somewhat different topic after the introduction of the four riders.
39 Or “murdered.” See the note on the word “butcher” in .
40 Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
41 Grk “voice, saying”; the participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.
42 The expression ἔως πότε (eōs pote) was translated “how long.” Cf. ἕως 1.b.γ.
43 The Greek term here is δεσπότης (despotēs; see L&N 37.63).
44 Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
45 Grk “until they had been completed.” The idea of a certain “number” of people is implied by the subject of πληρωθῶσιν (plērōthōsin).
46 Though σύνδουλος (sundoulos) has been translated “fellow servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. See the note on the word “servants” in .

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the word of God and the testimony they had given. They cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, the one who is holy and true, how long until you judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood?” So they were each given a white robe, and they were told to rest a little while longer until the number would be completed of their fellow servants and their brothers and sisters, who were going to be killed just as they had been.

NLTNew Living Translation

When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of all who had been martyred for the word of God and for being faithful in their testimony. They shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?” Then a white robe was given to each of them. And they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters—their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred—had joined them.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the word of God and because of the testimony which they had, and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, holy and true Lord, will you not judge and avenge our blood from those who live on the earth?” And to each one of them a white robe was given, and it was said to them that they should rest yet a short time, until the number of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were about to be killed as they had been were completed also.

KJV 1900King James Version

And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

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