When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under(A) the altar(B) the souls of those who had been slain(C) because of the word of God(D) and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long,(E) Sovereign Lord,(F) holy and true,(G) until you judge the inhabitants of the earth(H) and avenge our blood?”(I) 11 Then each of them was given a white robe,(J) and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,[a] were killed just as they had been.(K)

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 6:11 The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family; also in 12:10; 19:10.

Now[a] when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been violently killed[b] because of the word of God and because of the testimony they had given. 10 They[c] cried out with a loud voice,[d] “How long,[e] Sovereign Master,[f] holy and true, before you judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood?” 11 Each[g] of them was given a long white robe and they were told to rest for a little longer, until the full number was reached[h] of both their fellow servants[i] and their brothers who were going to be killed just as they had been.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 6:9 tn 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.
  2. Revelation 6:9 tn Or “murdered.” See the note on the word “butcher” in 6:4.
  3. Revelation 6:10 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  4. Revelation 6:10 tn Grk “voice, saying”; the participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.
  5. Revelation 6:10 tn The expression ἕως πότε (eōs pote) was translated “how long.” Cf. BDAG 423 s.v. ἕως 1.b.γ.
  6. Revelation 6:10 tn The Greek term here is δεσπότης (despotēs; see L&N 37.63).
  7. Revelation 6:11 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  8. Revelation 6:11 tn Grk “until they had been completed.” The idea of a certain “number” of people is implied by the subject of πληρωθῶσιν (plērōthōsin).
  9. Revelation 6:11 tn 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 1:1.