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These [witnesses] are the two olive trees and the two lampstands which stand before the Lord of the earth.(A) And if anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way.(B) These [two witnesses] have the power [from God] to shut up the sky, so that no rain will fall during the days of their prophesying [regarding judgment and salvation]; and they have power over the waters (seas, rivers) to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every [kind of] plague, as often as they wish.(C)

When they have finished their testimony and given their evidence, the beast that comes up out of the abyss (bottomless pit) will wage war with them, and overcome them and kill them.(D) And their dead bodies will lie exposed in the open street of the great city (Jerusalem), which in a spiritual sense is called [by the symbolic and allegorical names of] Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.(E) Those from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations [a]look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not allow their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. 10 And those [non-believers] who live on the earth will gloat over them and rejoice; and they will send gifts [in celebration] to one another, because these two prophets tormented and troubled those who live on the earth.

11 But after three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear and panic fell on those who were watching them.(F) 12 And the two witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” Then they ascended into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.(G) 13 And in that [very] hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell and was destroyed; seven thousand [b]people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest [who survived] were overcome with terror, and [c]they glorified the God of heaven [as they recognized His awesome power].

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 11:9 In Revelation John sometimes uses the present tense to refer vividly to the future.
  2. Revelation 11:13 Lit names of people.
  3. Revelation 11:13 These give glory out of servile fear, not worship from the heart.

They are “the two olive trees”(A) and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”[a](B) If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies.(C) This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die.(D) They have power to shut up the heavens(E) so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying;(F) and they have power to turn the waters into blood(G) and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

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

11 But after the three and a half days(R) the breath[b] of life from God entered them,(S) 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.”(T) And they went up to heaven in a cloud,(U) while their enemies looked on.

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

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Footnotes

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