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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.

The Two Witnesses

11 Then I was given (A)a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure (B)the court outside the temple; leave that out, for (C)it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for (D)forty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for (E)1,260 days, (F)clothed in sackcloth.”

These are (G)the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone would harm them, (H)fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, (I)this is how he is doomed to be killed. They have the power (J)to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and (K)to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire. And when they have finished their testimony, (L)the beast that rises from (M)the bottomless pit[a] (N)will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically[b] is called (O)Sodom and (P)Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and (Q)refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, 10 and (R)those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and (S)exchange presents, because these two prophets (T)had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth. 11 But after the three and a half days (U)a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, (V)“Come up here!” And (W)they went up to heaven (X)in a cloud, and their enemies watched them.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 11:7 Or the abyss
  2. Revelation 11:8 Greek spiritually