Revelation 6 10

Revelation 6:10 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?

Revelation 6:10 nkjv

And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"

Revelation 6:10 niv

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?"

Revelation 6:10 esv

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?"

Revelation 6:10 nlt

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?"

Revelation 6 verses

Revelation 6 10 Meaning

The verse describes the earnest, collective cry of the souls of martyred believers who have been slain for their faithfulness to God. From their place under the heavenly altar, they appeal to the Almighty God, recognizing Him as the sovereign "Lord" who is "holy and true." Their plea is a pressing question of "how long" until He executes His divine justice by judging and avenging their innocent blood against those who persecuted them and live as antagonists to God's will on the earth. It reflects a deep longing for God's righteous vindication and the establishment of His kingdom.

Revelation 6 10 Context

This verse occurs under the opening of the fifth seal, preceding God's ultimate judgments revealed through subsequent seals, trumpets, and bowls. Revelation 6:9 explicitly identifies the speakers as "the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne," described as being "under the altar." This implies a sacrificial death, aligning them with offerings to God. The immediate context shows a cosmic unraveling initiated by the Lamb opening seals, leading to increasing earthly turmoil and eventually culminating in divine retribution. Historically, the early Christian community faced significant persecution from the Roman Empire and Jewish authorities. This lament of the martyrs serves as a polemic against the perceived injustice and temporary triumph of oppressive earthly powers, asserting God's ultimate sovereignty and unwavering commitment to bringing justice for His faithful. It contrasts human power structures with God's ultimate authority, reinforcing that true judgment resides with the Lord, not earthly rulers.

Revelation 6 10 Word analysis

• And they cried (Greek: kai ekraxan, root: κράζω, krazō): Signifies a loud, insistent, and urgent cry or shout. It implies not just speaking, but an intense emotional outburst, indicative of profound suffering and deep yearning. This is a unified and collective plea from the martyred multitude.
• with a loud voice (Greek: phōnē megalē): Reinforces the intensity and audibility of their cry. It's a declaration that is heard across spiritual realms, reaching the throne of God.
• saying, How long, O Lord, (Greek: legontes, Heōs pote, Ho Despotēs):
  • How long (Heōs pote): A classic lament phrase in biblical literature (common in Psalms, Old Testament prophets). It expresses desperate yearning for the cessation of an unbearable situation, an impatient yet submissive question about God's timing, acknowledging His sovereignty and control. It implies that the current injustice has lasted too long.
  • O Lord (Ho Despotēs): Refers to God as "Master," "Sovereign Lord," or "Absolute Ruler." This term emphasizes His supreme authority, dominion, and ownership over all things. It's a deferential address that underscores His power to act and intervene.
• holy and true, (Greek: ho hagios kai ho alēthinos): Describes the immutable character of God.
  • Holy (hagios): Signifies His perfect purity, moral uprightness, and separateness from all sin. This holiness necessitates a response to unholiness and evil in the world.
  • True (alēthinos): Refers to His faithfulness, genuineness, and reality. He is the genuine God, whose promises are reliable and whose judgments are righteous and authentic. His truthfulness ensures that His vengeance will be just and executed as promised. This twin attribute guarantees the righteous and inevitable nature of His judgment.
• until You judge and avenge (Greek: krinēs kai ekdikēs): The twin actions of divine justice.
  • judge (krinēs): To sit in judgment, to pass sentence, to bring divine reckoning. It signifies God's righteous decision-making in response to sin.
  • avenge (ekdikēs): To carry out justice, vindicate, exact retribution. This is not human personal revenge but God's righteous repayment for injustices committed, a vindication of His holy name and His martyred saints. It reflects God taking back what has been wrongly taken, especially His honor and the lives of His servants.
• our blood (Greek: to haima hēmōn): Refers to their lives, specifically their violent and innocent deaths. Blood, in biblical thought, represents life (Lev 17:11) and often cries out for justice when unjustly shed (Gen 4:10). Their blood stands as testimony against their persecutors.
• on those who dwell on the earth? (Greek: epi tous katoikountas epi tēs gēs): This is a distinct term in Revelation referring not to all humanity, but specifically to the unrepentant inhabitants of the world system who are hostile to God, devoted to the Beast, and aligned against His people. They are earthly-minded, bound to the powers that oppose God's kingdom, contrasting with the "heavenly dwellers" (God's people). It denotes their allegiance and identity.

Revelation 6 10 Bonus section

The martyrs' cry, while urgent, acknowledges God's absolute sovereignty by not demanding a specific timeline but submitting to His "how long." Their prayer, though seemingly a request for retribution, primarily serves as a prophetic affirmation of God's character and coming kingdom. The fact that the blood cries out echoes ancient Near Eastern and biblical understanding that unjustly shed blood has a voice before God (e.g., Abel's blood in Gen 4:10), necessitating divine response. This verse underlines the profound intercessory nature of God's people, even in the afterlife, highlighting a communion of saints whose prayers continue to bear weight in God's divine economy, particularly regarding the timing and nature of eschatological events. The concept of "earth dwellers" acts as a stark spiritual delineation, categorizing those aligned with the ungodly world system versus those whose citizenship is in heaven.

Revelation 6 10 Commentary

Revelation 6:10 provides a powerful image of suffering saints under the altar, metaphorically linked to sacrifice, pleading for God’s swift and just intervention. Their cry, "How long?", is a universal human lament found throughout Scripture, reflecting both faith in God's ultimate justice and an agonizing wait for its manifestation. The martyrs address God as "Lord, holy and true," a direct appeal to His sovereign power and unwavering character. His holiness demands the removal of evil, and His truthfulness ensures the fulfillment of His promises to bring justice. Their request to "judge and avenge our blood" is not a cry for personal vendetta, but for divine vindication—that God's righteousness be publicly demonstrated against the "earth-dwellers" who represent the oppressive, anti-God world system. This verse affirms God’s awareness of His people’s suffering, His commitment to righteous judgment, and the certainty of future vindication for those persecuted for their faith, all according to His perfect timing.