Revelation 6:10
in Revelation 6And they cried out in a loud voice, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You avenge our blood and judge those who dwell upon the earth?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and they cried with a great voice, saying, How long, O Master, the holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
KJV
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?
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This verse in Revelation 6
Commentary
15 notes on this verseOur hope is that we may sooner reign and not be slaves any longer. Even if it were not prescribed to ask in prayer for the coming of his kingdom, we would, of our own accord, have expressed this desire in our eagerness to embrace the object of our hope. With indignation the souls of the martyrs beneath the altar cry aloud to the Lord, "How long, O Lord, will you refrain from avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" For at least from the end of the world vengeance for them is ordained.
This site's exposition
the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held
on Revelation 6:9-11
The fifth seal opens on no rider but on souls under the altar, martyrs slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held, seen and heard as conscious persons rather than sleeping or extinguished, crying with a loud voice, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood, a cry that answers the imprecatory psalms of Psalm 79:5 and 94:3 rather than contradicting the Lord's own teaching to forgive, since it asks for God's own justice and not personal revenge. They are given white robes and told to rest yet for a little season, comforted and stilled rather than granted the answer at once, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled, a fixed company the text assumes without naming a number. The souls are addressed, comforted, and given a task of resting, never addressed in prayer by any living saint, the intermediate state exactly as Scripture describes it here and no more.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
A commentator
Victorinus of PettauCommentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John · Written before 304.
proposed
He who sees all things would have us to know that these saints, therefore-that is, the souls of the slain-are asking for vengeance for their blood, that is, of their body, from those that dwell upon the earth; but because in the last time, moreover, the reward of the saints will be perpetual, and the condemnation of the wicked shall come, it was told them to wait. And for a solace to their body, there were given unto each of them white robes. They received, says he, white robes, that is, the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The souls of the martyrs beneath the altar cry in jealousy unto the Lord "How long, Lord, dost Thou not avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth? " for, of course, their avenging is regulated by the end of the age.
This ought not be understood in a carnal manner, as though they were inflamed by animosity and wished revenge. We know that we are to love our enemies through an abundance of love, but it is manifest that they prayed against the kingdom of sin …
And they cried out with a loud voice, saying: "How long, O Master, holy and true, will You not judge and avenge our blood from those who dwell on the earth?" They directed their prayer not against men, but against the demons who dwell among …
[The psalmist begs] that the Lord avenge the blood of the faithful, who endured martyrdom for his name. Vengeance is the means by which force and injustice are repelled by just retribution. But there the prayer seems to be directed toward the conversion of the …
8 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church3 voices
And they cried with a loud voice, saying: How long, O Lord (holy and true) dost thou not revenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? What does it mean that the souls of the saints ask for revenge for their blood about …
And they cried out with a loud voice, saying. The great cry of souls signifies their immense desire for what they know the Lord wishes to do. For it is not proper to believe they desire anything against God's will, as their desires depend on …
How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You not judge and avenge, etc.? They do not pray out of hatred for their enemies, for whom they interceded in this world, but out of love for justice, which they, as near the Judge, harmoniously support. …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
How long - They knew their blood would be avenged; but not immediately, as is now shown them. O Lord - The Greek word properly signifies the master of a family: it is therefore beautifully used by these, who are peculiarly of the household of God. Thou Holy One and true - Both the holiness and truth of God require him to execute judgment and vengeance.
(2.) They commit their cause to him to whom vengeance belongeth, and leave it in his hand; they are not for avenging themselves, but leave all to God. (3.) There will be joy in heaven at the destruction of the implacable enemies of Christ and Christianity, as well as at the conversion of other sinners.
And they cried with a loud voice,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
And they cried with a loud voice - That is, their blood, like that of Abel, cried for vengeance; for we are not to suppose that there was any thing like a vindictive spirit in those happy and holy souls who had shed their blood for the testimony of Jesus. We sometimes say Blood cries for blood; that is, in the order of Divine justice, every murderer, and every murdering persecutor, shall be punished. O Lord - Ὁ Δεσποτης· Sovereign Lord, supreme Ruler; one having and exercising unlimited and uncontrolled authority.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
So as to the other events foretold here. The glory even of those in Paradise will only be complete when Christ's and the Church's foes are cast out, and the earth will become Christ's kingdom at His coming to raise the sleeping saints.
The words behind it
26 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἔκραξαν | ekraxan | they were crying | G2896 → | 55 times |
| φωνῇ | phonea | in a voice | G5456 → | 139 times |
| μεγάλῃ | megale | loud | G3173 → | 243 times |
| λέγοντες· | legontes | saying; | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| ἕως | he'os | Until | G2193 → | |
| πότε, | pote | when, | G4219 → | |
| ὁ | ho | O | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δεσπότης | despotes | Lord | G1203 → | |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἅγιος | hagios | holy | G40 → | 220 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἀληθινός, | alethinos | true, | G228 → | 28 times |
| οὐ | ou | not | G3756 → | 1664 times |
| κρίνεις | krineis | do You judge | G2919 → | 114 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐκδικεῖς | ekdikeis | you avenge | G1556 → | |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| αἷμα | haima | blood | G129 → | 97 times |
| ἡμῶν | hemon | of us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| ἐκ | ek | from | G1537 → | 911 times |
| τῶν | ton | those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κατοικούντων | katoikounton | dwelling | G2730 → | 44 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | upon | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τῆς | tes | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| γῆς; | ges | earth? | G1093 → | 248 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἔκραξανthey were crying
ekraxanG2896 →55 times
φωνῇin a voice
phoneaG5456 →139 times
μεγάλῃloud
megaleG3173 →243 times
λέγοντες·saying;
legontesG3004 →1325 times
ἕωςUntil
he'osG2193 →
πότε,when,
poteG4219 →
ὁO
hoG3588 →19766 times
δεσπότηςLord
despotesG1203 →
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
ἅγιοςholy
hagiosG40 →220 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἀληθινός,true,
alethinosG228 →28 times
οὐnot
ouG3756 →1664 times
κρίνειςdo You judge
krineisG2919 →114 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐκδικεῖςyou avenge
ekdikeisG1556 →
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
αἷμαblood
haimaG129 →97 times
ἡμῶνof us
hemonG3165 →1936 times
ἐκfrom
ekG1537 →911 times
τῶνthose
tonG3588 →19766 times
κατοικούντωνdwelling
katoikountonG2730 →44 times
ἐπὶupon
epiG1909 →883 times
τῆςthe
tesG3588 →19766 times
γῆς;earth?
gesG1093 →248 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Revelation 11:18The nations were enraged, and Your wrath has come. The time has come to judge the dead and to reward Your servants the prophets, as well as the saints and those who fear Your…
it leads to
- Revelation 20:12
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And there were open books, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their…
- Revelation 19:5
Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you who serve Him, and those who fear Him, small and great alike!”
- Revelation 13:10
“If anyone is destined for captivity, into captivity he will go; if anyone is to die by the sword, by the sword he must be killed.” Here is a call for the perseverance and…
- Revelation 6:10–11
And they cried out in a loud voice, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You avenge our blood and judge those who dwell upon the earth?”
- Revelation 22:12
“Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done.
- Revelation 20:12
Through
Revelation 19:2For His judgments are true and just. He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the blood of His servants that was poured out by her…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 32:43
Rejoice, O heavens, with Him, and let all God’s angels worship Him. Rejoice, O nations, with His people; for He will avenge the blood of His children. He will take vengeance on His adversaries…
- Deuteronomy 32:43
Through
Psalms 9:12For the Avenger of bloodshed remembers; He does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.
it leads to
- Psalms 34:6
This poor man called out, and the LORD heard him; He saved him from all his troubles.
- Exodus 3:7
The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.
- Psalms 34:6
Where this verse is studied
About Revelation
This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Alcuin of York, COMMENTARY ON REVELATION; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Cassiodorus, EXPOSITION OF THE PSALMS 78:10; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation; Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 6:10; Tertullian, ON PRAYER 5.1-4; Tertullian, On Prayer and Victorinus of Pettau, Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John.