Revelation 6:9-10

New Catholic Bible

The Fifth Seal: Vision of the Martyrs.^[a] ⁹When he broke open the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain on account of the word of God and for witnessing to it. ¹⁰They shouted in a loud voice, “How long is it to be, holy and true Master, before you judge the inhabitants of the earth^[b] and avenge our death?”

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Footnotes

Revelation 6:9 Persecution is unleashed. The victims, as though immolated in sacrifice, are all reunited around God and already clothed in the garment of joy. This presence of the victims attests that oppression has been lifted on earth. For the people of the Bible possess too great a sense of justice to imagine that such violent injustices as persecutions constitute an indifferent thing in the eyes of God and that they can go unpunished forever. They are like a challenge to God (see Lk 18:7). God must intervene, and bloody persecutions are among the signs of the end (see Mk 13:9-13).
Revelation 6:10 Inhabitants of the earth: i.e., humankind in its hostility to God (see Rev 3:10; 8:13; 11:10; 13:8, 12; 17:2, 8).

Revelation 6:9-10

King James Version

⁹And 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:

¹⁰And 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?

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Revelation 6:9-10

New International Version

⁹When 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. ¹⁰They 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)

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Revelation 6:9-10

English Standard Version

⁹When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under ^(A)the altar ^(B)the souls of those who had been slain ^(C)for the word of God and for ^(D)the witness they had borne. ¹⁰They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, ^(E)holy and true, ^(F)how long ^(G)before you will judge and ^(H)avenge our blood on ^(I)those who dwell on the earth?”

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Revelation 6:9-10

New King James Version

Fifth Seal: The Cry of the Martyrs

⁹When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under ^(A)the altar ^(B)the souls of those who had been slain ^(C)for the word of God and for ^(D)the testimony which they held. ¹⁰And they cried with a loud voice, saying, ^(E)“How long, O Lord, ^(F)holy and true, ^(G)until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”