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The Two Witnesses

11 Then I was given a measuring rod as long as a walking stick. I was told, “Go and measure the temple[a] of God and the altar, and count the people worshiping there. But don’t measure the yard outside the temple. Leave it alone. It has been given to those who are not God’s people. They will show their power over the holy city for 42 months. And I will give power to my two witnesses. And they will prophesy for 1260 days. They will be dressed in sackcloth.”

These two witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. If anyone tries to hurt the witnesses, fire comes from the mouths of the witnesses and kills their enemies. Anyone who tries to hurt them will die like this. These witnesses have the power to stop the sky from raining during the time they are prophesying. These witnesses have power to make the water become blood. They have power to send every kind of plague to the earth. They can do this as many times as they want.

When the two witnesses have finished telling their message, the beast will fight against them. This is the beast that comes up from the bottomless pit. It will defeat and kill them. The bodies of the two witnesses will lie in the street of the great city. This city is named Sodom and Egypt. These names for the city have a special meaning. This is the city where the Lord was killed. People from every race of people, tribe, language, and nation will look at the bodies of the two witnesses for three and a half days. The people will refuse to bury them. 10 Everyone on the earth will be happy because these two are dead. They will have parties and send each other gifts. They will do this because these two prophets brought much suffering to the people living on earth.

11 But after three and a half days, God let life enter the two witnesses again. They stood on their feet. All those who saw them were filled with fear. 12 Then the two witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven say, “Come up here!” And both of them went up into heaven in a cloud. Their enemies watched them go.

13 At that same time there was a great earthquake. A tenth of the city was destroyed. And 7000 people were killed in the earthquake. Those who did not die were very afraid. They gave glory to the God of heaven.

14 The second terror is now past. The third terror is coming soon.

The Seventh Trumpet Blast

15 The seventh angel blew his trumpet. Then there were loud voices in heaven. The voices said,

“The kingdom of the world has now become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah.
    And he will rule forever and ever.”

16 Then the 24 elders bowed down on their faces and worshiped God. These are the elders who sit on their thrones before God. 17 The elders said,

“We give thanks to you, Lord God All-Powerful.
    You are the one who is and who always was.
We thank you because you have used your great power
    and have begun to rule.
18 The people of the world were angry,
    but now is the time for your anger.
    Now is the time for the dead to be judged.
It is time to reward your servants, the prophets,
    and to reward your holy people,
    the people, great and small, who respect you.
It is time to destroy those people who destroy the earth!”

19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened. The Box of the Agreement[b] could be seen in his temple. Then there were flashes of lightning, noises, thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 11:1 temple God’s house—the place where God’s people worship and serve him. Here, John sees it pictured as the special building in Jerusalem for Jewish worship. Also in verse 19.
  2. Revelation 11:19 Box of the Agreement This is like the special box kept in the Most Holy Place of the Israelite Holy Tent and, later, the Jerusalem Temple, which contained “proof” of the agreement between God and his people. See “Box of the Agreement” in the Word List.

The Two Witnesses

11 I was given a reed like a measuring rod(A) and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. But exclude the outer court;(B) do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles.(C) They will trample on the holy city(D) for 42 months.(E) And I will appoint my two witnesses,(F) and they will prophesy for 1,260 days,(G) clothed in sackcloth.”(H) They are “the two olive trees”(I) and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”[a](J) If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies.(K) This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die.(L) They have power to shut up the heavens(M) so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying;(N) and they have power to turn the waters into blood(O) and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast(P) that comes up from the Abyss(Q) will attack them,(R) and overpower and kill them. Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city(S)—which is figuratively called Sodom(T) and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified.(U) For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation(V) will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial.(W) 10 The inhabitants of the earth(X) will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts,(Y) because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

11 But after the three and a half days(Z) the breath[b] of life from God entered them,(AA) and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.”(AB) And they went up to heaven in a cloud,(AC) while their enemies looked on.

13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake(AD) and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory(AE) to the God of heaven.(AF)

14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.(AG)

The Seventh Trumpet

15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet,(AH) and there were loud voices(AI) in heaven, which said:

“The kingdom of the world has become
    the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah,(AJ)
    and he will reign for ever and ever.”(AK)

16 And the twenty-four elders,(AL) who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces(AM) and worshiped God, 17 saying:

“We give thanks(AN) to you, Lord God Almighty,(AO)
    the One who is and who was,(AP)
because you have taken your great power
    and have begun to reign.(AQ)
18 The nations were angry,(AR)
    and your wrath has come.
The time has come for judging the dead,(AS)
    and for rewarding your servants the prophets(AT)
and your people who revere your name,
    both great and small(AU)
and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”

19 Then God’s temple(AV) in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant.(AW) And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder,(AX) an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.(AY)

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 11:4 See Zech. 4:3,11,14.
  2. Revelation 11:11 Or Spirit (see Ezek. 37:5,14)