The Two Witnesses

11 Then I was given a measuring reed(A) like a rod,[a] with these words: “Go[b] and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count those who worship there. But exclude the courtyard outside the temple.(B) Don’t measure it, because it is given to the nations,[c](C) and they will trample the holy city(D) for forty-two months.(E) I will grant[d] my two witnesses authority to prophesy for 1,260 days, dressed in sackcloth.”(F) These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord[e] of the earth.(G) If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and consumes their enemies;(H) if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. They have authority to close up the sky so that it does not rain during the days of their prophecy.(I) They also have power over the waters to turn them into blood(J) and to strike the earth with every plague whenever they want.(K)

The Witnesses Martyred

When they finish their testimony, the beast(L) that comes up out of the abyss(M) will make war on them, conquer them, and kill them. Their dead bodies[f](N) will lie in the main street[g] of the great city,(O) which figuratively[h] is called Sodom(P) and Egypt,(Q) where also their Lord was crucified. And some of[i] the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations(R) will view their bodies for three and a half days and not permit their bodies to be put into a tomb.(S) 10 Those who live on the earth will gloat(T) over them and celebrate and send gifts to one another because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

The Witnesses Resurrected

11 But after three and a half days, the breath[j] of life(U) from God entered them, and they stood on their feet. Great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 Then they heard[k] a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” They went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies watched them.(V)

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Footnotes

  1. 11:1 Other mss add and the angel stood up
  2. 11:1 Lit “Arise
  3. 11:2 Or Gentiles
  4. 11:3 Or I will give to
  5. 11:4 Other mss read God
  6. 11:8 Or Their corpse
  7. 11:8 Or lie on the broad street
  8. 11:8 Or spiritually
  9. 11:9 Lit And from
  10. 11:11 Or spirit
  11. 11:12 Other mss read Then I heard

The Two Witnesses

11 Then I was given a measuring stick, and I was told, “Go and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers. But do not measure the outer courtyard, for it has been turned over to the nations. They will trample the holy city for 42 months. And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will be clothed in burlap and will prophesy during those 1,260 days.”

These two prophets are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of all the earth. If anyone tries to harm them, fire flashes from their mouths and consumes their enemies. This is how anyone who tries to harm them must die. They have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall for as long as they prophesy. And they have the power to turn the rivers and oceans into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish.

When they complete their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit[a] will declare war against them, and he will conquer them and kill them. And their bodies will lie in the main street of Jerusalem,[b] the city that is figuratively called “Sodom” and “Egypt,” the city where their Lord was crucified. And for three and a half days, all peoples, tribes, languages, and nations will stare at their bodies. No one will be allowed to bury them. 10 All the people who belong to this world will gloat over them and give presents to each other to celebrate the death of the two prophets who had tormented them.

11 But after three and a half days, God breathed life into them, and they stood up! Terror struck all who were staring at them. 12 Then a loud voice from heaven called to the two prophets, “Come up here!” And they rose to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched.

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Footnotes

  1. 11:7 Or the abyss, or the underworld.
  2. 11:8 Greek the great city.