Revelation 6:11 kjv

And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

Revelation 6:11 nkjv

Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

Revelation 6:11 niv

Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.

Revelation 6:11 esv

Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

Revelation 6:11 nlt

Then a white robe was given to each of them. And they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters ? their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred ? had joined them.

Revelation 6 verses

Revelation 6 11 Meaning

Revelation 6:11 portrays the comfort and provisional vindication granted to martyred saints awaiting God's full justice. They receive symbols of purity and victory, and are told to patiently rest, as divine timing dictates the final completion of a predetermined number of fellow believers who will also suffer martyrdom for their faith. This indicates God's sovereign control over history and persecution, assuring ultimate vindication and righteous judgment will come at His appointed time.

Revelation 6 11 Context

This verse is part of the scene described after the Lamb opens the fifth of seven seals. In Revelation 6:9-10, those "slain for the word of God and for the testimony they had held" are depicted beneath the altar, crying out for divine justice and vengeance upon those who shed their blood on earth. Verse 11 provides God's immediate response to their plea, a divine comforting assurance. The broader chapter describes four previous seals bringing judgments (war, famine, death) upon the earth. The fifth seal marks a crucial shift, highlighting the persecuted faithful and God's sovereign acknowledgment of their suffering within the unfolding timeline of tribulation. The historical context reflects the experiences of early Christians facing severe persecution under the Roman Empire, often leading to martyrdom for refusing to participate in the imperial cult and acknowledging Caesar as divine. The response of white robes and a temporary delay offers comfort and hope in a world actively hostile to Christ followers, validating their suffering in God's eyes and reaffirming His eventual justice.

Revelation 6 11 Word analysis

• And white robes (καὶ στολὴ λευκὴ, kai stolē leukē):
  • And: Connects the heavenly response directly to the martyrs' cry for justice.
  • white (λευκή, leukē): Purity, righteousness, victory, divine approval. Symbolic of God's immediate cleansing and vindication of their deaths. It signifies their having overcome sin and persecution through Christ (Rev 3:4-5, 7:9,13-14).
  • robes (στολή, stolē): A long, flowing garment, often ceremonial, regal, or festive. Distinct from everyday clothing. Conveys honor, dignity, priestly status, or bridal attire, marking them as justified and highly honored by God.
• were given (ἐδόθησαν, edothēsan):
  • Passive voice. The action comes from a divine agent (God). Emphasizes that this vindication is a gracious gift, not earned by the martyrs' suffering, but sovereignly bestowed by God. It signifies His acceptance and blessing.
• to each of them (ἑκάστῳ αὐτῶν, hekastō autōn):
  • Indicates a personal and specific act of recognition and comfort for every individual who suffered. God's attention is on each one.
• and it was said (καὶ ἐρρέθη, kai errēthē):
  • Again, a divine passive. The utterance comes from God, a direct heavenly message or command. It is authoritative and definitive.
• to them that they should rest (αὐτοῖς ἵνα ἀναπαύσωνται, autois hina anapausōntai):
  • rest (ἀναπαύσωνται, anapausōntai): A verb signifying ceasing from labor, toil, pain, and anxiety; finding repose. Not just physical death, but spiritual peace and cessation of the distress of earthly persecution (Rev 14:13, Heb 4:9-10). It is a divine injunction to be patient.
• a little longer (ἔτι χρόνον μικρόν, eti chronon mikron):
  • a little longer (ἔτι χρόνον μικρόν, eti chronon mikron): Literally "yet a small time." This is a temporal clause expressing divine patience and perspective. While a human perception might yearn for immediate justice, God's timetable differs. It signifies a short, predetermined period in God's overarching plan, though it may feel long to those awaiting justice. It acknowledges the intensity of their cry for justice, yet establishes the divine schedule for its fulfillment.
• until (μέχρι, mechri):
  • A temporal conjunction marking the completion of an action or event before another can occur. It defines the endpoint of the "rest."
• the number (ὁ ἀριθμὸς, ho arithmos):
  • Points to a definite, fixed quantity. This suggests a divinely ordained plan for the full complement of God's persecuted people to be completed. God has a specific "quota" known only to Him for the witness of martyrdom, not a random occurrence.
• of their fellow servants and their brothers (τῶν συνδούλων αὐτῶν καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτῶν, tōn syndoulōn autōn kai tōn adelphōn autōn):
  • fellow servants (συνδούλων, syndoulōn): Denotes co-laborers in service to God, those who serve the same Master.
  • brothers (ἀδελφῶν, adelphōn): Refers to all believers, sharing spiritual kinship. This phrase highlights the unity of the church, connecting the martyred saints with those still on earth who serve God and face similar persecution. It implies that martyrdom is a shared witness throughout church history.
• should be complete (πληρωθῶσιν, plērōthōsin):
  • From plēroō, meaning to fill up, to fulfill, to complete. Reinforces the idea of a predetermined measure or full quota that must be reached. God has a specific plan for the extent of persecution and witness before final judgment is fully unleashed.
• who were to be killed as they themselves had been (οἱ μέλλοντες ἀποκτείνεσθαι ὡς καὶ αὐτοί, hoi mellontes apokteinesthai hōs kai autoí):
  • who were to be killed (οἱ μέλλοντες ἀποκτείνεσθαι, hoi mellontes apokteinesthai): Explicitly states that future believers will also face martyrdom.
  • as they themselves had been (ὡς καὶ αὐτοί, hōs kai autoí): Highlights the continuity of persecution experienced by faithful Christians throughout the age. Their experience of martyrdom is not isolated but part of a continuous pattern of witness.

Revelation 6 11 Bonus section

The scene of the martyrs under the altar (Rev 6:9-10) hearkens back to Old Testament imagery of blood being poured out at the base of the altar (e.g., Lev 4:7, 18). Their cry "How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" (Rev 6:10) is a universal cry of the persecuted righteous for justice, echoed in psalms and prophetic literature. The answer in Rev 6:11 reveals that divine patience serves a redemptive purpose—it allows for the complete testimony of the faithful across generations, including the ultimate act of self-sacrifice. This understanding combats any human tendency towards premature judgment or despair, instead instilling confidence in God's meticulous and purposeful unfolding of His plan. It implies that every martyrdom is counted and every faithful witness contributes to the completion of God's kingdom.

Revelation 6 11 Commentary

Revelation 6:11 provides a pivotal shift in the sequence of the seals, moving from global judgments to divine interaction with the persecuted church. The granting of white robes is not merely symbolic of purity, but a tangible manifestation of divine vindication, comfort, and honor bestowed immediately upon the martyred. It signifies that their suffering and death for Christ were not in vain but held immense value in God's eyes, conferring upon them the status of triumph. The instruction to "rest a little longer" addresses their urgent cry for justice with a profound truth about God's sovereign timing. It reassures them that ultimate justice is certain, but it awaits a divinely appointed moment when "the number" of fellow servants and brothers who are also destined for martyrdom is complete. This implies a divinely fixed quota or scope for the witness of the suffering church before the full unleashing of God's final retribution. This theological concept affirms that all suffering, especially martyrdom, is part of God's greater redemptive plan and has purposeful boundaries. It teaches patience, trust in God's timing, and the ultimate certainty of His justice for all who faithfully endure to the end.