Revelation 11:9

Revelation 11:9 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
• New International Version (NIV)For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb,
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves.

Context of Revelation 11:9

7When the witnesses finish their testimony, the beast which comes from the bottomless pit will fight them, conquer them, and kill them. 8Their dead bodies will lie on the street of the important city where their Lord was crucified. The spiritual names of that city are Sodom and Egypt. For 3½ days some members of the people, tribes, languages, and nations will look at the witnesses’ dead bodies and will not allow anyone to bury them. 10Those living on earth will gloat over the witnesses’ death. They will celebrate and send gifts to each other because these two prophets had tormented those living on earth. 11After 3½ days the breath of life from God entered the two witnesses, and they stood on their feet. Great fear fell on those who watched them.

Revelation 11:9 word by word

καὶ βλέπουσιν ἐκ τῶν λαῶν καὶ φυλῶν καὶ γλωσσῶν καὶ ἐθνῶν τὸ πτῶμα αὐτῶν ἡμέρας τρεῖς καὶ ἥμισυ, καὶ τὰ πτώματα αὐτῶν οὐκ ἀφίουσιν τεθῆναι εἰς μνῆμα.Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andκαίkai · andG2532
• they ofἐκek ex · out fromG1537
• the peopleὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• the peopleλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992
• kindredsφυλήphulē · tribeG5443
• tonguesγλῶσσαglōssa · tongueG1100
• nationsἔθνοςethnos · GentilesG1484
• shall seeβλέπωblepō · to seeG991
• theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• dead bodiesπτῶμαptōma · corpseG4430
• threeτρεῖςtreis tria · ThreeG5140
• daysἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
• an halfἥμισυςhēmisu · halfG2255
• shallἀφίημιaphiēmi · to release: leaveG863
• notοὐou · noG3756
• to be putτίθημιtithēmi · to placeG5087
• inεἰςeis · towardG1519
• gravesμνῆμαmnēma · tombG3418

Cross-references for Revelation 11:9

• Revelation 10:11The seven thunders told me, “Again you must speak what God has revealed in front of many people, nations, languages, and kings.”
• Revelation 13:7It was allowed to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. It was also given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation.
• Revelation 17:15The angel also said to me, “The waters you saw, on which the prostitute is sitting, are people, crowds, nations, and languages.
• Revelation 11:2But 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.
• Revelation 5:8When the lamb had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 leaders bowed in front of him. Each held a harp and a gold bowl full of incense, the prayers of God’s holy people.
• Revelation 19:17I saw an angel standing in the sun. He cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying overhead, “Come! Gather for the great banquet of God.
• Psalms 79:2They have given the dead bodies of your servants to the birds for food. They have given the flesh of your godly ones to the animals.
• Ecclesiastes 6:3Suppose a rich person wasn’t satisfied with good things ⌞while he was alive⌟ and didn’t even get an honorable burial ⌞after he died⌟. Suppose he had a hundred children and lived for many years. No matter how long he would have lived, it ⌞still⌟ would have been better for him to have been born dead.
• Isaiah 33:1How horrible it will be for you, you destroyer, although you haven’t been destroyed. How horrible it will be for you, you traitor, although you haven’t been betrayed. When you’ve finished destroying, you will be destroyed. When you’ve finished being a traitor, you will be betrayed.
• Jeremiah 7:33The dead bodies of these people will become food for birds and animals, and no one will be there to frighten them away.
• Matthew 7:2Otherwise, you will be judged by the same standard you use to judge others. The standards you use for others will be applied to you.

Commentaries on Revelation 11:9

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves - They shall be treated with the greatest barbarity. Refusal of burial to the dead was allowed to be the sum of brutality and cruelty. In popish lands they will not suffer a Protestant to have Christian burial, or to have a grave in a churchyard! Contemptible wretches!Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9And they of the people - Some of the people; a part of the people - ̓ ͂ ͂ ek tōn laōnThe language is such as would be employed to describe a scene where a considerable portion of a company of people should be referred to, without intending to include all. The essential idea is, that there would be an assemblage of different classes of people to whom their carcasses would be exposed, and that they would come and look upon them. We should expect to find…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. 9Leaving people's bodies out for public display was a way to dishonor them after death (see 1 Samuel 31:10; the usual Roman custom was to leave bodies hanging after crucifixion). peoples and tribes and tongues and nations: This phrase shows that all the peoples of the world are represented in this public display.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. they--rather, "(some) of the peoples." people--Greek, "peoples." kindreds--Greek, "tribes"; all save the elect (whence it is not said, The peoples ... but [some] of the peoples ... , or, some of the peoples ... may refer to those of the nations ..., who at the time shall hold possession of Palestine and Jerusalem). shall see--So Vulgate, Syriac, and Coptic. But A, B, C, and Andreas, the present, "see," or rather (Greek, "blepousin"), "look upon." The…Read the comment

Topics related to Revelation 11:9

• Burial
• Martyrdom
• Vision

In the dictionaries

• Body
• Burial
• Carcass; Carcase
• Corpse
• Kindred
• Revelation of John
• Sihon

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