Revelation 11:3

Revelation 11:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
• New International Version (NIV)And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

Context of Revelation 11:3

1Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers there. 2But exclude the courtyard outside the temple. Do not measure it, because it has been given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months. And I will empower my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4These witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5If anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouths and devours their enemies. In this way, anyone who wants to harm them must be killed.

Revelation 11:3 word by word

Καὶ δώσω τοῖς δυσὶν μάρτυσίν μου, καὶ προφητεύσουσιν ἡμέρας χιλίας διακοσίας ἑξήκοντα περιβεβλημένοι σάκκους.Read the interlinear

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• I will empowerδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
• I will empowerὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
• twoδύοduo · twoG1417
• witnessesμάρτυςmartus · witnessG3144
• they will prophesyπροφητεύωprophēteuō · to prophesyG4395
• for 1,260χίλιοιchilioi · thousandG5507
• for 1,260διακόσιοιdiakosioi · two hundredG1250
• for 1,260ἑξήκονταhexēkonta · sixtyG1835
• daysἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
• clothed inπεριβάλλωperiballō · to clotheG4016
• sackclothσάκκοςsakkos · sackclothG4526

Cross-references for Revelation 11:3

• John 3:27John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.
• 1 Corinthians 12:28And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues.
• Ephesians 4:11And it was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
• Numbers 11:26Two men, however, had remained in the camp—one named Eldad and the other Medad—and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those listed, but they had not gone out to the tent, and they prophesied in the camp.
• Deuteronomy 17:6On the testimony of two or three witnesses a man shall be put to death, but he shall not be executed on the testimony of a lone witness.
• Deuteronomy 19:15A lone witness is not sufficient to establish any wrongdoing or sin against a man, regardless of what offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
• Matthew 18:16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’
• 2 Corinthians 13:1This is the third time I am coming to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
• Revelation 20:4Then I saw the thrones, and those seated on them had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or hands. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
• Luke 24:48You are witnesses of these things.
• John 15:27And you also must testify, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
• Acts 1:8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
• Acts 2:32God has raised this Jesus to life, to which we are all witnesses.
• Acts 3:15You killed the Author of life, but God raised Him from the dead, and we are witnesses of this fact.
• Acts 13:31and for many days He was seen by those who had accompanied Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now His witnesses to our people.
• Revelation 19:10So I fell at his feet to worship him. But he told me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who rely on the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

Commentaries on Revelation 11:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3My two witnesses - This is extremely obscure; the conjectures of interpreters are as unsatisfactory as they are endless on this point. Conjecturas conjecturis superstruunt, parum verosimiles, says Rosenmuller: quorum sententias enarrare, meum non est. I say the same. Those who wish to be amused or bewildered, may have recourse both to ancients and moderns on this subject.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3And I will give power unto my two witnesses - In respect to this important passage Revelation 11:3-13 I propose to pursue the same method which I have pursued all along in this exposition: first, to examine the meaning of the words and phrases in the symbol, with a purpose to ascertain the fair signification of the symbols; and, secondly, to inquire into the application - that is, to inquire whether any events have occurred which, in respect to their…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-13Verses 3-13 In the time of treading down, God kept his faithful witnesses to attest the truth of his word and worship, and the excellence of his ways, The number of these witnesses is small, yet enough. They prophesy in sackcloth. It shows their afflicted, persecuted state, and deep sorrow for the abominations against which they protested. They are supported during their great and hard work, till it is done. When they had prophesied in sackcloth the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3During the period of persecution, God will not abandon the world. He will send two witnesses to announce the coming judgment, similar to how God sent Jonah to Nineveh (Jonah 1:2; 4:11). Burlap clothing symbolized mourning or repentance (see Genesis 37:34; 2 Samuel 3:31; Nehemiah 9:1; Esther 4:1; Jonah 3:6).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. I will give power--There is no "power" in the Greek, so that "give" must mean "give commission," or some such word. my two witnesses--Greek, "the two witnesses of me." The article implies that the two were well known at least to John. prophesy--preach under the inspiration of the Spirit, denouncing judgments against the apostate. They are described by symbol as "the two olive trees" and "the two candlesticks," or lamp-stands, "standing before the God…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 11:3

• Day
• Vision
• Witness

In the dictionaries

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Commentaries on Revelation 11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings