New Living Translation
Revelation 11:3
3And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will be clothed in burlap and will prophesy during those 1,260 days.”
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.
- New International Version (NIV)And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 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.”
Context of Revelation 11:3
1Then I was given a measuring stick, and I was told, “Go and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers. 2But do not measure the outer courtyard, for it has been turned over to the nations. They will trample the holy city for 42 months. And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will be clothed in burlap and will prophesy during those 1,260 days.” 4These two prophets are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of all the earth. 5If anyone tries to harm them, fire flashes from their mouths and consumes their enemies. This is how anyone who tries 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 3:27John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven.
- 1 Corinthians 12:28Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church: first are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who have the gift of leadership, those who speak in unknown languages.
- Ephesians 4:11Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.
- Numbers 11:26Two men, Eldad and Medad, had stayed behind in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but they had not gone out to the Tabernacle. Yet the Spirit rested upon them as well, so they prophesied there in the camp.
- Deuteronomy 17:6But never put a person to death on the testimony of only one witness. There must always be two or three witnesses.
- Deuteronomy 19:15“You must not convict anyone of a crime on the testimony of only one witness. The facts of the case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- Matthew 18:16But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.
- 2 Corinthians 13:1This is the third time I am coming to visit you (and as the Scriptures say, “The facts of every case must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses”).
- Revelation 20:4Then I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus and for proclaiming the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They all came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
- Luke 24:48You are witnesses of all these things.
- John 15:27And you must also testify about me because you have been with me from the beginning of my ministry.
- Acts 1:8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
- Acts 2:32“God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this.
- Acts 3:15You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!
- Acts 13:31And over a period of many days he appeared to those who had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to the people of Israel.
- Revelation 19:10Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers and sisters who testify about their faith in Jesus. Worship only God. For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for 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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