God’s Word Translation
Revelation 11:4
4These witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands standing in the presence of the Lord of the earth.
Revelation 11:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
- New International Version (NIV)They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.
- New King James Version (NKJV)These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.
Context of Revelation 11:4
2But do not measure the temple courtyard. Leave that out, because it is given to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months. 3I will allow my two witnesses who wear sackcloth to speak what God has revealed. They will speak for 1,260 days.” These witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands standing in the presence of the Lord of the earth. 5If anyone wants to hurt them, fire comes out of the witnesses’ mouths and burns up their enemies. If anyone wants to hurt them, he must be killed the same way. 6These witnesses have authority to shut the sky in order to keep rain from falling during the time they speak what God has revealed. They have authority to turn water into blood and to strike the earth with any plague as often as they want.
Read all of Revelation 11Revelation 11:4 word by word
οὗτοί εἰσιν αἱ δύο ἐλαῖαι καὶ αἱ δύο λυχνίαι αἱ ἐνώπιον τοῦ κυρίου τῆς γῆς ἑστῶτες.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Theseοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- areεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- theὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- twoδύοduo · twoG1417
- olive treesἐλαίαelaia · olive treeG1636
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- candlesticksλυχνίαluchnia · lampstandG3087
- standingἵστημιhistēmi · to standG2476
- beforeἐνώπιονenōpion · beforeG1799
- the Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- of the earthγῆgē · earth: planetG1093
Cross-references for Revelation 11:4
- Psalms 52:8But I am like a large olive tree in God’s house. I trust the mercy of God forever and ever.
- Jeremiah 11:16The Lord called you a large olive tree that has beautiful fruit to look at. He will set fire to you with a mighty storm, and your branches will be broken.
- Zechariah 4:2He asked me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a solid gold lamp stand with a bowl on top and seven lamps on it. There are seven spouts for each lamp that is on top of it.
- Romans 11:17But some of the olive branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive branch, have been grafted in their place. You get your nourishment from the roots of the olive tree.
- Revelation 1:20The hidden meaning of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven gold lamp stands is this: The seven stars are the messengers of the seven churches, and the seven lamp stands are the seven churches.
- Matthew 5:14“You are light for the world. A city cannot be hidden when it is located on a hill.
- Luke 11:33“No one lights a lamp and hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, everyone who lights a lamp puts it on a lamp stand so that those who come in will see its light.
- Deuteronomy 10:8At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the Lord’s promise, to stand in the Lord’s presence when they serve him as priests, and to praise his name, as they still do today.
- 1 Kings 17:1Elijah, who was from Tishbe but had settled in Gilead, said to Ahab, “I solemnly swear, as the Lord God of Israel whom I serve lives, there will be no dew or rain during the next few years unless I say so.”
- Exodus 8:22But on that day I will treat the region of Goshen differently. That is where my people live. There won’t be any flies there. This way you will know that I, the Lord, am here in this land.
- Isaiah 54:5Your husband is your maker. His name is the Lord of Armies. Your defender is the Holy One of Israel. He is called the God of the whole earth.
- Micah 4:13Get up and thresh, people of Zion. I will make your horns as hard as iron and your hoofs as hard as bronze. You will smash many nations into small pieces. You will claim their loot for the Lord, their wealth for the Lord of the whole earth.
- Zechariah 4:14So he said, “These are the two anointed ones who are standing beside the Lord of the whole earth.”
Commentaries on Revelation 11:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4These are the two olive trees - Mentioned Zechariah 4:14, which there represent Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest. The whole account seems taken from Zechariah 4:1-14. Whether the prophet and the apostle mean the same things by these emblems, we know not.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4These are the two olive-trees - These are represented by the two olive-trees, or these are what are symbolized by the two olive-trees. There can be little doubt that there is an allusion here to Zechariah 4:3, Zechariah 4:11, Zechariah 4:14, though the imagery is in some respects changed. The prophet Zechariah 4:2-3 saw in vision “a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps…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. 4two olive trees and the two lampstands: See study note on Revelation 1:12; see also Exodus 25:31–40; Zechariah 4:2–6.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. standing before the God of the earth--A, B, C, Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and Andreas read "Lord" for "God": so Zec 4:14. Ministering to (Lu 1:19), and as in the sight of Him, who, though now so widely disowned on "earth," is its rightful King, and shall at last be openly recognized as such (Re 11:15). The phrase alludes to Zec 4:10, 14, "the two anointed ones that stand by the Lord of the whole earth." The article "the" marks this allusion. They are…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 11:4
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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