⁹ When the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar [^Cprobably the bronze altar where sacrifices were offered] the souls of those who had been ·killed [slaughtered; slain] because ·they were faithful to [^Lof] the word of God and to the ·message [witness; testimony] they had ·received [or given; or maintained]. ¹⁰ These souls ·shouted [cried out] in a loud voice, “Holy and true ·Lord [Master], how long until you judge the people of the earth and ·punish them for killing us [^Lavenge our blood]?” ¹¹ Then each one of them was given a white robe [^Csignifying high status and purity] and was told to ·wait [or rest] a short time longer. There were still some of their fellow servants and ·brothers and sisters in the service of Christ [^Ltheir brothers; ^Cthe Greek term may include men and women] who ·must be [were soon to be] killed as they were. They had to wait until all of this was ·finished [fulfilled; completed].