God’s Word Translation
Revelation 11:5
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.
Revelation 11:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
- New International Version (NIV)If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner.
Context of Revelation 11:5
3I will allow my two witnesses who wear sackcloth to speak what God has revealed. They will speak for 1,260 days.” 4These witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands standing in the presence of the Lord of the earth. If 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. 7When the witnesses finish their testimony, the beast which comes from the bottomless pit will fight them, conquer them, and kill them.
Read all of Revelation 11Revelation 11:5 word by word
καὶ εἴ τις αὐτοὺς θέλει ἀδικῆσαι, πῦρ ἐκπορεύεται ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτῶν καὶ κατεσθίει τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτῶν· καὶ εἴ τις θελήσῃ αὐτοὺς ἀδικῆσαι, οὕτως δεῖ αὐτὸν ἀποκτανθῆναι.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- ifεἰei · ifG1487
- any manτιςtis · oneG5100
- willθέλωthelō ethelō · to will/desireG2309
- hurtἀδικέωadikeō · to harmG91
- themαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- fireπῦρpur · fireG4442
- proceedethἐκπορεύωekporeuomai · to departG1607
- out ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
- mouthστόμαstoma · mouthG4750
- devourethκατεσθίωkatesthiō · to devourG2719
- enemiesἐχθρόςechthros · enemyG2190
- mustδεῖdei · be necessaryG1163
- in this mannerοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
- be killedἀποκτείνωapokteinō · to killG615
Cross-references for Revelation 11:5
- Numbers 16:28Moses said, “This is how you will know that the Lord sent me to do all these things and that it wasn’t my idea:
- 2 Kings 1:10Elijah answered the officer, “If I’m a man of God, fire will come from heaven and burn up you and your 50 men.” Then fire came from heaven and burned up the officer and his 50 men.
- Psalms 18:8Smoke went up from his nostrils, and a raging fire came out of his mouth. Glowing coals flared up from it.
- Isaiah 11:4He will judge the poor justly. He will make fair decisions for the humble people on earth. He will strike the earth with a rod from his mouth. He will kill the wicked with the breath from his lips.
- Jeremiah 1:10Today I have put you in charge of nations and kingdoms. You will uproot and tear down. You will destroy and overthrow. You will build and plant.”
- Jeremiah 5:14This is what the Lord God of Armies says: Because you’ve talked like this, I’m going to put my words in your mouth like a fire. These people will be like wood. My words will burn them up.
- Ezekiel 43:3This vision was like the one I saw when he came to destroy Jerusalem and like the one I saw by the Chebar River. I immediately bowed down.
- Hosea 6:5That is why I cut ⌞you⌟ down by sending the prophets. I killed you with the words from my mouth. My judgments shined on you like light.
- Zechariah 1:6Didn’t my warnings and my laws, which I’ve commanded my servants the prophets ⌞to preach⌟, finally catch up with your ancestors? Then your ancestors turned away from their sins and said, ‘The Lord of Armies has done to us what he had planned to do. He has dealt with us as our ways and deeds deserve.’ ”
- Zechariah 2:8This is what the Lord of Armies says: Afterwards, the Glory sent me to the nations who looted you. Whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye.
- Acts 9:4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
Commentaries on Revelation 11:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Fire proceedeth out of their mouth - That is, they are commissioned to denounce the judgments of God against all who would attempt to prevent them from proceeding in their ministry.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5And if any man will hurt them - This implies that there would be those who would be disposed to injure or wrong them; that is, that they would be liable to persecution. The word “will” is here more than the mere sign of the future; it denotes “intention, purpose, design,” ́̀ thelei- “if any man wills or purposes to injure them.” See a similar use of the word in 1 Timothy 6:9. The word “hurt” here means to do “injury” or “injustice” - ̓͂ adikēsai- and may…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. 5In one of the psalms, God is described as having fire coming from his mouth, symbolizing judgment on his enemies (Psalm 18:8; see also 2 Samuel 22:9). Compare with Elijah, 2 Kings 1:1–15.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. will hurt--Greek, "wishes," or "desires to hurt them." fire ... devoureth--(Compare Jr 5:14; 23:29). out of their mouth--not literally, but God makes their inspired denunciations of judgment to come to pass and devour their enemies. if any man will hurt them--twice repeated, to mark the immediate certainty of the accomplishment. in this manner--so in like manner as he tries to hurt them (compare Re 13:10). Retribution in kind.Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 11:5
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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