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11 Then I was given a long stick. And he said, `Go and measure God's temple and the altar, and count the people who worship there.

Do not measure the part outside the temple. Leave it out, because it has been given to the people who do not believe in God. They will walk in the holy city for forty-two months.

I will give power to the two men who speak for me. They will speak words from God. They will continue to speak for forty-two months. They will wear clothes like people wear to show they are sad.'

These two men are the two olive trees and the two lamps which stand in front of the Lord of the earth.

If any one wants to hurt them, fire comes out of their mouths and burns up their enemies. If anyone wants to hurt them, he must be killed in this way.

These two men can stop the sky from raining all the days that they speak words from God. And they can turn the water into blood. They can bring all kinds of trouble to the earth as often as they want.

There is a beast which is a wild animal in the big hole that has no bottom. When the two men have finished talking, the beast will come up out of the hole. It will fight with the men. It will win over them and kill them.

Their dead bodies will lie in the street of the big city. This city is called, `Sodom' and `Egypt,' because it is like them. Also it is where our Lord was nailed to a cross.

People from many nations, tribes, languages, and countries will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days. They will not let anyone bury them.

10 The people on earth will be very glad to see them dead. They will have a happy time. They will give gifts to each other because these two men from God had troubled the people on the earth.

11 But after the three and a half days, life came into them. They stood on their feet. And all those who saw them were very much afraid.

12 Then they heard a loud voice from the sky saying to them, `Come up here!' They went up into the sky in a cloud. And the men who hated them saw them go up.

13 At that time, the earth shook very much. A tenth part of the city fell down. Seven thousand people were killed by the shaking of the earth. The other people were very much afraid and they give glory to God in heaven.

14 The second trouble is gone. The third trouble is coming soon.

15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet. Loud voices were heard in the sky. They said, `The kingdom of the world now belongs to our Lord and to his Christ. He will rule for ever and ever.'

16 Then the twenty-four leaders who sat on their thrones in front of God kneeled down and worshipped God.

17 They said, `We thank you, Lord God, who has all power. You live now and you always have lived. We thank you because you have now used your power and started to rule.

18 `The people who did not believe you became angry. But now you are angry. It is time for dead people to be judged. And it is time to reward your servants, the prophets of God, and your holy people and all who respect your name - those who are great and those who are not so great. It is time to destroy those who destroy the earth.'

19 Then the temple of God in heaven was opened. The box where his agreement was kept was seen inside the temple. And there was lightning, loud noises, and thunder. The earth shook and much rain, like stones, fell.

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)