Revelation 6:9

Revelation 6:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And 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:
• English Standard Version (ESV)When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne.
• New King James Version (NKJV)When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.
• New Living Translation (NLT)When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of all who had been martyred for the word of God and for being faithful in their testimony.

Context of Revelation 6:9

7When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” 8I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth. When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10They 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?” 11Then 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 6:9 word by word

Καὶ ὅτε ἤνοιξεν τὴν πέμπτην σφραγῖδα, εἶδον ὑποκάτω τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν ἐσφαγμένων διὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ διὰ τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἣν εἶχον.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• whenὅτεhote ho te hē te tō te · whenG3753
• he had openedἀνοίγωanoigō · to openG455
• the fifthπέμπτοςpemptos · fifthG3991
• sealσφραγίςsphragis · sealG4973
• I sawὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
• underὑποκάτωhupokatō · underG5270
• the altarὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the altarθυσιαστήριονthusiastērion · altarG2379
• the soulsψυχήpsuchē · soulG5590
• that were slainσφάζωsphazō · to slaughterG4969
• forδιάdia · through/because ofG1223
• the wordλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
• the testimonyμαρτυρίαmarturia · testimonyG3141
• whichὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• they heldἔχωechō · to have/beG2192

Cross-references for Revelation 6:9

• Revelation 8:3Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne.
• Revelation 9:13The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God.
• Revelation 14:18Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, “Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.”
• Leviticus 4:7The priest shall then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the Lord in the tent of meeting. The rest of the bull’s blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
• John 16:2They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.
• Philippians 2:17But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.
• 2 Timothy 4:6For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.
• Revelation 20:4I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
• 2 Corinthians 5:8We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
• Philippians 1:23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;
• Revelation 1:9I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
• Revelation 2:13I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.
• Revelation 11:3And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
• Revelation 12:11They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
• Revelation 19:10At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.”
• 2 Timothy 1:8So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.

Commentaries on Revelation 6:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9The fifth seal - There is no animal nor any other being to introduce this seal, nor does there appear to be any new event predicted; but the whole is intended to comfort the followers of God under their persecutions, and to encourage them to bear up under their distresses. I saw under the altar - A symbolical vision was exhibited, in which he saw an altar; and under it the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God - martyred for their…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9-11Verses 9-11 And when he had opened the fifth seal - notes at Revelation 5:1; Revelation 6:1. I saw under the altar - The four living creatures are no longer heard as in the opening of the first four seals. No reason is given for the change in the manner of the representation; and none can be assigned, unless it be, that having represented each one of the four living creatures in their turn as calling attention to the remarkable events about to occur…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-11Verses 9-11 The sight the apostle beheld at the opening the fifth seal was very affecting. He saw the souls of the martyrs under the altar; at the foot of the altar in heaven, at the feet of Christ. Persecutors can only kill the body; after that there is no more they can do; the soul lives. God has provided a good place in the better world, for those who are faithful unto death. It is not their own death, but the sacrifice of Christ, that gives them…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9Instead of following the destructive ways of the world, the martyrs (those who died for their faith) chose to give their lives because they remained faithful to the word of God.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. The three last seals relate to the invisible, as the first four to the visible world; the fifth, to the martyrs who have died as believers; the sixth, to those who have died, or who shall be found at Christ's coming, unbelievers, namely, "the kings ... great men ... bondman ... freeman"; the seventh, to the silence in heaven. The scene changes from earth to heaven; so that interpretations which make these three last consecutive to the first four seals…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 6:9

• Martyrdom
• Persecution

In the dictionaries

• God
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Word of God
• Conquer
• Hurt
• Mighty
• Shake
• Abel (1)
• Ascension
• Eschatology of the New Testament

Commentaries on Revelation 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings