Revelation 11:1-9

The Fate of the Two Witnesses

11:1 Then ¹  a measuring rod ²  like a staff was given to me, and I was told, ³  “Get up and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and the ones who worship there. 11:2 But ⁴  do not measure the outer courtyard ⁵  of the temple; leave it out, ⁶  because it has been given to the Gentiles, ⁷  and they will trample on the holy city ⁸  for forty-two months. 11:3 And I will grant my two witnesses authority ⁹  to prophesy for 1,260 days, dressed in sackcloth. 11:4 (These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.) ¹⁰  11:5 If ¹¹  anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouths ¹²  and completely consumes ¹³  their enemies. If ¹⁴  anyone wants to harm them, they must be killed this way. 11:6 These two have the power ¹⁵  to close up the sky so that it does not rain during the time ¹⁶  they are prophesying. They ¹⁷  have power ¹⁸  to turn the waters to blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague whenever they want. 11:7 When ¹⁹  they have completed their testimony, the beast that comes up from the abyss will make war on them and conquer ²⁰  them and kill them. 11:8 Their ²¹  corpses will lie in the street ²²  of the great city that is symbolically ²³  called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was also crucified. 11:9 For three and a half days those from every ²⁴  people, tribe, ²⁵  nation, and language will look at their corpses, because they will not permit them to be placed in a tomb. ²⁶ 

[11:1]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[11:1]  ² tn Grk “a reed” (but these were used for measuring). Cf. Ezek 40:3ff.

[11:1]  ³ tn Grk “saying.”

[11:2]  ⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[11:2]  ⁵ tn On the term αὐλήν (aulhn) BDAG 150 s.v. αὐλή 1 states, “(outer) court of the temple…Rv 11:2.”

[11:2]  ⁶ tn The precise meaning of the phrase ἔκβαλε ἔξωθεν (ekbale exwqen) is difficult to determine.

[11:2]  ⁷ tn Or “to the nations” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).

[11:2]  ⁸ sn The holy city appears to be a reference to Jerusalem. See also Luke 21:24.

[11:3]  ⁹ tn The word “authority” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. “Power” would be another alternative that could be supplied here.

[11:4]  ¹⁰ sn This description is parenthetical in nature.

[11:5]  ¹¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[11:5]  ¹² tn This is a collective singular in Greek.

[11:5]  ¹³ tn See L&N 20.45 for the translation of κατεσθίω (katesqiw) as “to destroy utterly, to consume completely.”

[11:5]  ¹⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[11:6]  ¹⁵ tn Or “authority.”

[11:6]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “the days.”

[11:6]  ¹⁷ tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[11:6]  ¹⁸ tn Or “authority.”

[11:7]  ¹⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[11:7]  ²⁰ tn Or “be victorious over”; traditionally, “overcome.”

[11:8]  ²¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[11:8]  ²² tn The Greek word πλατεῖα (plateia) refers to a major (broad) street (L&N 1.103).

[11:8]  ²³ tn Grk “spiritually.”

[11:9]  ²⁴ tn The word “every” is not in the Greek text, but is implied by the following list.

[11:9]  ²⁵ tn The Greek term καί (kai) has not been translated before this and the following items in the list, since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[11:9]  ²⁶ tn Or “to be buried.”