^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?”

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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).

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?”

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?”

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?”

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?”

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?”

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?

Public Domain