New International Version
Revelation 11:3
3And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
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.
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will be clothed in burlap and will prophesy during those 1,260 days.”
Context of Revelation 11:3
1I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. 2But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.” 5If 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.
Read all of Revelation 11Revelation 11:3 word by word
Καὶ δώσω τοῖς δυσὶν μάρτυσίν μου, καὶ προφητεύσουσιν ἡμέρας χιλίας διακοσίας ἑξήκοντα περιβεβλημένοι σάκκους.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- I will giveδίδωμιdidōmi · to giveG1325
- untoδύοduo · twoG1417
- myἐγώegō · I/weG1473
- witnessesμάρτυςmartus · witnessG3144
- they shall prophesyπροφητεύωprophēteuō · to prophesyG4395
- a thousandχίλιοιchilioi · thousandG5507
- two hundredδιακόσιοιdiakosioi · two hundredG1250
- threescoreἑξήκονταhexēkonta · sixtyG1835
- daysἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
- clothedπεριβάλλωperiballō · to clotheG4016
- in sackclothσάκκοςsakkos · sackclothG4526
Cross-references for Revelation 11:3
- John 3:27To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven.
- 1 Corinthians 12:28And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.
- Ephesians 4:11So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,
- Numbers 11:26However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp.
- Deuteronomy 17:6On the testimony of two or three witnesses a person is to be put to death, but no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.
- Deuteronomy 19:15One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- Matthew 18:16But if they 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 will be my third visit to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.”
- Revelation 20:4I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
- Luke 24:48You are witnesses of these things.
- John 15:27And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.
- Acts 1:8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on 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, and we are all witnesses of it.
- Acts 3:15You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.
- Acts 13:31and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.
- Revelation 19:10At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.”
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
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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