The two witnesses' 1,260-day ministry mirrors Elijah's drought duration, while their three-and-a-half-day death echoes Jesus' tomb period, creating a deliberate prophetic parallel between Old Testament judgment and New Testament resurrection.
Revelation 11
The Two Witnesses
1A reed like a rod was given to me. Someone said, “Rise and measure God’s temple, and the altar, and those who worship in it.
2Leave out the court which is outside of the temple, and don’t measure it, for it has been given to the nations. They will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months.
3I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4These are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands, standing before the Lord of the earth.
5If anyone desires to harm them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies. If anyone desires to harm them, he must be killed in this way.
6These have the power to shut up the sky, that it may not rain during the days of their prophecy. They have power over the waters, to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.
7When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them.
8Their dead bodies will be in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
9From among the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations, people will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not allow their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.
10Those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, and they will be glad. They will give gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
11After the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered into them, and they stood on their feet. Great fear fell on those who saw them.
12I heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” They went up into heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.
13In that day there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe comes quickly.
The Seventh Trumpet: The Kingdom Proclaimed
15The seventh angel sounded, and great voices in heaven followed, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. He will reign forever and ever!”
16The twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God’s throne, fell on their faces and worshiped God,
17saying: “We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and reigned.
18The nations were angry, and your wrath came, as did the time for the dead to be judged, and to give your bondservants the prophets, their reward, as well as to the saints and those who fear your name, to the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
19God’s temple that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant was seen in his temple. Lightnings, sounds, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail followed.
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Theme
John is commanded to measure God's temple while the outer court is given to the nations for forty-two months. Two powerful witnesses prophesy for 1,260 days, performing miraculous signs until the beast kills them, but God resurrects them after three and a half days and takes them to heaven. The seventh trumpet then sounds, proclaiming that the kingdom of the world has become Christ's kingdom, as heavenly voices declare God's eternal reign and coming judgment.
Context
This chapter concludes the interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets that began in chapter 10, transitioning to the final trumpet judgment and the cosmic conflict that will dominate chapters 12-14.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-2 Measuring the Temple John measures God's temple and altar while the outer court is given to the nations for trampling.
- 3-6 The Two Witnesses Commissioned Two witnesses are given power to prophesy for 1,260 days with miraculous abilities like Elijah and Moses.
- 7-10 Death of the Witnesses The beast from the abyss kills the two witnesses, leaving their bodies in the street as the world celebrates.
- 11-14 Resurrection and Ascension God resurrects the witnesses after three and a half days, taking them to heaven as an earthquake strikes the city.
- 15-19 The Seventh Trumpet The final trumpet announces Christ's eternal kingdom as heaven worships and God's temple is opened with signs of judgment.
The Two Witnesses
11:1–11:14 apocalyptic vision triumphant
Two witnesses prophesy for 1,260 days with great power, are killed by the beast, then resurrected after three and a half days and taken to heaven. Their resurrection causes a great earthquake and fear among observers.
theme_rarity
The two witnesses' 1,260-day ministry mirrors Elijah's drought duration, while their three-and-a-half-day death echoes Jesus' tomb period, creating a deliberate prophetic parallel between Old Testament judgment and New Testament resurrection.
The Seventh Trumpet: The Kingdom Proclaimed
11:15–11:19 apocalyptic vision triumphant
The seventh trumpet announces God's eternal kingdom and reign, with heavenly worship and divine judgment upon the nations. The heavenly temple opens revealing the ark of the covenant amid cosmic signs.
person_contrast
The twenty-four elders' worship formula "we give thanks...because you have taken your great power" uniquely combines past-tense gratitude with present-tense divine action across Revelation's throne scenes.
Insights
The twenty-four elders' worship formula "we give thanks...because you have taken your great power" uniquely combines past-tense gratitude with present-tense divine action across Revelation's throne scenes.
Cross-References
Connected passages across Scripture
Revelation 11:1 2 references
Revelation 11:2 2 references
Revelation 11:3 2 references
Revelation 11:5 2 references
Lexicals 2
Revelation 11:6 5 references
Lexicals 5
Luke 7:44 Lexical
Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for…
2 Peter 3:5 Lexical
For they willfully forget that there were heavens from of old, and an earth formed out of water and amid water by the wo…
Revelation 22:18 Lexical
I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the…
James 5:18 Lexical
He prayed again, and the sky gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
Revelation 13:12 Lexical
He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. He makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worsh…
Revelation 11:7 2 references
Lexicals 2
Revelation 11:8 2 references
Revelation 11:9 5 references
Lexicals 5
Revelation 14:6 Lexical
I saw an angel flying in mid heaven, having an eternal Good News to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth—to every na…
Revelation 7:9 Lexical
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could count, out of every nation and of all trib…
Revelation 5:9 Lexical
They sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals, for you were killed, and bought us…
Revelation 13:7 Lexical
It was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and…
Revelation 17:15 Lexical
He said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.
Revelation 11:11 5 references
Lexicals 5
Revelation 18:10 Lexical
standing far away for the fear of her torment, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For your jud…
Luke 24:39 Lexical
See my hands and my feet, that it is truly me. Touch me and see, for a spirit doesn’t have flesh and bones, as you see t…
Matthew 18:8 Lexical
If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into lif…
Mark 9:45 Lexical
If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life lame, rather than having your tw…
John 20:19 Lexical
When therefore it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples…
Revelation 11:12 1 reference
Revelation 11:13 5 references
Lexicals 5
Revelation 16:19 Lexical
The great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered in the…
Matthew 24:29 Lexical
“But immediately after the suffering of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the star…
Revelation 16:9 Lexical
People were scorched with great heat, and people blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues. They d…
Revelation 14:7 Lexical
He said with a loud voice, “Fear the Lord, and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who ma…
Luke 21:11 Lexical
There will be great earthquakes, famines, and plagues in various places. There will be terrors and great signs from heav…
Revelation 11:14 1 reference
Revelation 11:15 5 references
Lexicals 5
Revelation 10:7 Lexical
but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as he…
Revelation 8:13 Lexical
I saw, and I heard an eagle, flying in mid heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe to those who dwell on the ea…
Revelation 8:10 Lexical
The third angel sounded, and a great star fell from the sky, burning like a torch, and it fell on one third of the river…
Revelation 16:17 Lexical
The seventh poured out his bowl into the air. A loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “I…
Revelation 9:13 Lexical
The sixth angel sounded. I heard a voice from the horns of the golden altar which is before God,
Revelation 11:16 5 references
Lexicals 5
Revelation 4:10 Lexical
the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever, and throw…
Revelation 7:11 Lexical
All the angels were standing around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces…
Revelation 19:4 Lexical
The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne, saying, “Amen!…
Revelation 5:8 Lexical
Now when he had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one…
Revelation 4:4 Lexical
Around the throne were twenty-four thrones. On the thrones were twenty-four elders sitting, dressed in white garments, w…
Revelation 11:17 2 references
Lexicals 2
Revelation 11:18 5 references
Lexicals 5
Matthew 10:41 Lexical
He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in t…
Revelation 16:19 Lexical
The great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered in the…
Revelation 19:2 Lexical
for his judgments are true and righteous. For he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her sexual…
Acts 17:26 Lexical
He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons…
Revelation 18:20 Lexical
“Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints, apostles, and prophets, for God has judged your judgment on her.”
Revelation 11:19 5 references
Lexicals 5
Revelation 16:18 Lexical
There were lightnings, sounds, and thunders; and there was a great earthquake such as has not happened since there were…
Revelation 8:5 Lexical
The angel took the censer, and he filled it with the fire of the altar, then threw it on the earth. Thunders, sounds, li…
Revelation 14:2 Lexical
I heard a sound from heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of a great thunder. The sound which I heard…
Revelation 4:5 Lexical
Out of the throne proceed lightnings, sounds, and thunders. There were seven lamps of fire burning before his throne, wh…
Revelation 16:21 Lexical
Great hailstones, about the weight of a talent, came down out of the sky on people. People blasphemed God because of the…
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Lemma
Morphology
Semantic Range
Theological Significance
Translation Notes
Key Passages
Historical Context
Places and events in this chapter
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Timeline
Crucifixion
~30 ADJesus' death by crucifixion on Golgotha, bearing the sins of humanity as the ultimate sacrifice. This central Christian event provides atonement and reconciliation between God and mankind.
The witnesses' death and resurrection parallel Christ's crucifixion and resurrection pattern.
The Two Witnesses