Revelation 11 (NET)

The Fate of the Two Witnesses

1 Then1 a measuring rod2 like a staff was given to me, and I was told,3 “Get up and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and the ones who worship there. 2 But4 do not measure the outer courtyard5 of the temple; leave it out,6 because it has been given to the Gentiles,7 and they will trample on the holy city8 for forty-two months. 3 And I will grant my two witnesses authority9 to prophesy for 1,260 days, dressed in sackcloth. 4 (These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.)10 5 If11 anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouths12 and completely consumes13 their enemies. If14 anyone wants to harm them, they must be killed this way. 6 These two have the power15 to close up the sky so that it does not rain during the time16 they are prophesying. They17 have power18 to turn the waters to blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague whenever they want. 7 When19 they have completed their testimony, the beast that comes up from the abyss will make war on them and conquer20 them and kill them. 8 Their21 corpses will lie in the street22 of the great city that is symbolically23 called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was also crucified. 9 For three and a half days those from every24 people, tribe,25 nation, and language will look at their corpses, because they will not permit them to be placed in a tomb.26 10 And those who live on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate, even sending gifts to each other, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth. 11 But27 after three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and tremendous fear seized28 those who were watching them. 12 Then29 they30 heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them: “Come up here!” So the two prophets31 went up to heaven in a cloud while32 their enemies stared at them. 13 Just then33 a major earthquake took place and a tenth of the city collapsed; seven thousand people34 were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

14 The second woe has come and gone;35 the third is coming quickly.

The Seventh Trumpet

15 Then36 the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying:

“The kingdom of the world

has become the kingdom of our Lord

and of his Christ,37

and he will reign for ever and ever.”

16 Then38 the twenty-four elders who are seated on their thrones before God threw themselves down with their faces to the ground39 and worshiped God 17 with these words:40

“We give you thanks, Lord God, the All-Powerful,41

the one who is and who was,

because you have taken your great power

and begun to reign.42

18 The43 nations44 were enraged,

but45 your wrath has come,

and the time has come for the dead to be judged,

and the time has come to give to your servants,46

the prophets, their reward,

as well as to the saints

and to those who revere47 your name, both small and great,

and the time has come48 to destroy those who destroy49 the earth.”

19 Then50 the temple of God in heaven was opened and the ark of his covenant was visible within his temple. And there were flashes of lightning, roaring,51 crashes of thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.52

1tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative. 2tn Grk “a reed” (but these were used for measuring). Cf. Ezek 40:3ff. 3tn Grk “saying.” 4tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context. 5tn On the term αὐλήν (aulhn) BDAG 150 s.v. αὐλή 1 states, “(outer) court of the temple…Rv 11:2.” 6tn The precise meaning of the phrase ἔκβαλε ἔξωθεν (ekbale exwqen) is difficult to determine. 7tn Or “to the nations” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”). 8sn The holy city appears to be a reference to Jerusalem. See also Luke 21:24. 9tn The word “authority” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. “Power” would be another alternative that could be supplied here. 10sn This description is parenthetical in nature. 11tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. 12tn This is a collective singular in Greek. 13tn See L&N 20.45 for the translation of κατεσθίω (katesqiw) as “to destroy utterly, to consume completely.” 14tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. 15tn Or “authority.” 16tn Grk “the days.” 17tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. 18tn Or “authority.” 19tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. 20tn Or “be victorious over”; traditionally, “overcome.” 21tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. 22tn The Greek word πλατεῖα (plateia) refers to a major (broad) street (L&N 1.103). 23tn Grk “spiritually.” 24tn The word “every” is not in the Greek text, but is implied by the following list. 25tn The Greek term καί (kai) has not been translated before this and the following items in the list, since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more. 26tn Or “to be buried.” 27tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context. 28tn Grk “fell upon.” 29tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. 30tn Though the nearest antecedent to the subject of ἤκουσαν (hkousan) is the people (“those who were watching them”), it could also be (based on what immediately follows) that the two prophets are the ones who heard the voice. 31tn Grk “they”; the referent (the two prophets) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 32tn The conjunction καί (kai) seems to be introducing a temporal clause contemporaneous in time with the preceding clause. 33tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. 34tn Grk “seven thousand names of men.” 35tn Grk “has passed.” 36tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. 37tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” 38tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision. 39tn Grk “they fell down on their faces.” BDAG 815 s.v. πίπτω 1.b.α.ב. has “fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion or humility, before high-ranking persons or divine beings.” 40tn Grk “saying.” 41tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(ὁ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π. …Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22.” 42tn The aorist verb ἐβασίλευσας (ebasileusa") has been translated ingressively. 43tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. 44tn Or “The Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”). 45tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context. 46tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1. 47tn Grk “who fear.” 48tn The words “the time has come” do not occur except at the beginning of the verse; the phrase has been repeated for emphasis and contrast. The Greek has one finite verb (“has come”) with a compound subject (“your wrath,” “the time”), followed by three infinitive clauses (“to be judged,” “to give,” “to destroy”). The rhetorical power of the repetition of the finite verb in English thus emulates the rhetorical power of its lone instance in Greek. 49tn Or “who deprave.” There is a possible wordplay here on two meanings for διαφθείρω (diafqeirw), with the first meaning “destroy” and the second meaning either “to ruin” or “to make morally corrupt.” See L&N 20.40. 50tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence on events within the vision. 51tn Or “sounds,” “voices.” It is not entirely clear what this refers to. BDAG 1071 s.v. φωνή 1 states, “In Rv we have ἀστραπαὶ καὶ φωναὶ καὶ βρονταί (cp. Ex 19:16) 4:5; 8:5; 11:19; 16:18 (are certain other sounds in nature thought of here in addition to thunder, as e.g. the roar of the storm?…).” 52tn Although BDAG 1075 s.v. χάλαζα gives the meaning “hail” here, it is not clear whether the adjective μεγάλη (megalh) refers to the intensity of the storm or the size of the individual hailstones, or both.