English Standard Version
Revelation 11:6
6They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire.
Revelation 11:6 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
- New International Version (NIV)They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.
- New King James Version (NKJV)These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire.
- New Living Translation (NLT)They have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall for as long as they prophesy. And they have the power to turn the rivers and oceans into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish.
Context of Revelation 11:6
4These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire. 7And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, 8and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.
Read all of Revelation 11Revelation 11:6 word by word
οὗτοι ἔχουσιν τὴν ἐξουσίαν κλεῖσαι τὸν οὐρανὸν ἵνα μὴ ὑετὸς βρέχῃ τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς προφητείας αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐξουσίαν ἔχουσιν ἐπὶ τῶν ὑδάτων στρέφειν αὐτὰ εἰς αἷμα καὶ πατάξαι τὴν γῆν ἐν πάσῃ πληγῇ ὁσάκις ἐὰν θελήσωσιν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- haveἔχωechō · to have/beG2192
- powerἐξουσίαexousia · authorityG1849
- to shutκλείωkleiō · to shutG2808
- heavenὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- heavenοὐρανόςouranos · heavenG3772
- thatἵναhina · in order that/toG2443
- ·ὑετόςhuetos · rainG5205
- it rainβρέχωbrechō · to rain downG1026
- notμήmē · notG3361
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- the daysἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
- of theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- prophecyπροφητείαprophēteia · prophecyG4394
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- overἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- watersὕδωρhudōr hudatos · waterG5204
- to turnστρέφωstrephō · to turnG4762
- toεἰςeis · towardG1519
- bloodαἷμαaima · bloodG129
- to smiteπατάσσωpatassō · to strikeG3960
- the earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
- with allπᾶςpas · allG3956
- plaguesπληγήplēgē · plague/blow/woundG4127
- as oftenὁσάκιςhosakis · wheneverG3740
- asἐάνean · ifG1437
- they willθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
Cross-references for Revelation 11:6
- 1 Kings 17:1Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word."
- Luke 4:25But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land,
- James 5:16Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
- Ezekiel 7:1The word of the Lord came to me:
- Psalms 105:26He sent Moses, his servant, and Aaron, whom he had chosen.
Commentaries on Revelation 11:6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 6These have power to shut heaven - As Elijah did, 1 Kings 17:1-18:46. To turn them to blood - As Moses did, Exodus 7:19-25. They shall have power to afflict the land with plagues, similar to those which were inflicted on the Egyptians.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 6These have power to shut heaven - That is, so far as rain is concerned - for this is immediately specified. There is probably a reference here to an ancient opinion that the rain was kept in the clouds of heaven as in reservoirs or bottles, and that when they were opened it rained; when they were closed it ceased to rain. So Job, “He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not rent under them,” Job 26:8. “Which the clouds do drop and…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. 6These two witnesses received the power to stop the rain and bring plagues, similar to Elijah (see 1 Kings 17:1; 18:41–46) and Moses (see Exodus 7:14–24; 8:1–11:10).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 66. These ... power--Greek, "authorized power." it rain not--Greek, "huetos brechee," "rain shower not," literally, "moisten" not (the earth). smite ... with all plagues--Greek, "with (literally, 'in') every plague."Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 11:6
In the dictionaries
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
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