Revelation 11:5

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

3And 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. If 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. 6They have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall for as long as they prophesy. And they have the power to turn the rivers and oceans into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish. 7When they complete their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the bottomless pit will declare war against them, and he will conquer them and kill them.

Revelation 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 16:28And Moses said, “This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these things that I have done—for I have not done them on my own.
• 2 Kings 1:10But Elijah replied to the captain, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and destroy you and your fifty men!” Then fire fell from heaven and killed them all.
• Psalms 18:8Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth from him.
• Isaiah 11:4He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked.
• Jeremiah 1:10Today I appoint you to stand up against nations and kingdoms. Some you must uproot and tear down, destroy and overthrow. Others you must build up and plant.”
• Jeremiah 5:14Therefore, this is what the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies says: “Because the people are talking like this, my messages will flame out of your mouth and burn the people like kindling wood.
• Ezekiel 43:3This vision was just like the others I had seen, first by the Kebar River and then when he came to destroy Jerusalem. I fell face down on the ground.
• Hosea 6:5I sent my prophets to cut you to pieces— to slaughter you with my words, with judgments as inescapable as light.
• Zechariah 1:6But everything I said through my servants the prophets happened to your ancestors, just as I said. As a result, they repented and said, ‘We have received what we deserved from the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. He has done what he said he would do.’”
• Zechariah 2:8After a period of glory, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies sent me against the nations who plundered you. For he said, “Anyone who harms you harms my most precious possession.
• Acts 9:4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying 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

• Vision

In the dictionaries

• Ford
• Revelation of John

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