The Word Am I

The Revelation of St. John the Divine

Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic

- Chapter 11 -

1
Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers there.
2
But exclude the courtyard outside the temple. Do not measure it, because it has been given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months.
3
And I will empower my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4
These witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.(a)
5
If anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouths and devours their enemies. In this way, anyone who wants to harm them must be killed.
6
These witnesses have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall during the days of their prophecy, and power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish.

The Witnesses Killed and Raised

7
When the two witnesses have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will wage war with them, and will overpower and kill them.
8
Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city—figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where their Lord was also crucified.
9
For three and a half days all peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will view their bodies and will not permit them to be laid in a tomb.
10
And those who dwell on the earth will gloat over them, and will celebrate and send one another gifts, because these two prophets had tormented them.
11
But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered the two witnesses, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell upon those who saw them.
12
And the witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched them.
13
And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand were killed in the quake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14
The second woe has passed. Behold, the third woe is coming shortly.

The Seventh Trumpet

15
Then the seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and loud voices called out in heaven:The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.”
16
And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God,
17
saying:We give thanks to You, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was,(b) because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign.
18
The nations were enraged,(c) and Your wrath has come. The time has come to judge the dead (d) and to reward Your servants the prophets, as well as the saints and those who fear Your name, both small and great and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
19
Then the temple of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple. And there were flashes of lightning, and rumblings, and peals of thunder, and an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.

Footnotes

(a)11:4 See Zechariah 4:14.
(b)11:17 TR includes and who is to come.
(c)11:18 See Psalms 2:1.
(d)11:18 See Daniel 12:2.
1
A reed like a rod was given to me. Someone said, “Rise and measure God’s temple, and the altar, and those who worship in it.
2
Leave out the court which is outside of the temple, and don’t measure it, for it has been given to the nations. They will tread the holy city under foot for forty-two months.
3
I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
4
These are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands, standing before the Lord of the earth.
5
If anyone desires to harm them, fire proceeds out of their mouth and devours their enemies. If anyone desires to harm them, he must be killed in this way.
6
These have the power to shut up the sky, that it may not rain during the days of their prophecy. They have power over the waters, to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.

The Witnesses Killed and Raised

7
When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them.
8
Their dead bodies will be in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
9
From among the peoples, tribes, languages, and nations, people will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not allow their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.
10
Those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, and they will be glad. They will give gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
11
After the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered into them, and they stood on their feet. Great fear fell on those who saw them.
12
I heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” They went up into heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.
13
In that day there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.
14
The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe comes quickly.

The Seventh Trumpet

15
The seventh angel sounded, and great voices in heaven followed, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. He will reign forever and ever!”
16
The twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God’s throne, fell on their faces and worshiped God,
17
saying: “We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who was,(a) because you have taken your great power and reigned.
18
The nations were angry, and your wrath came, as did the time for the dead to be judged, and to give your bondservants the prophets, their reward, as well as to the saints and those who fear your name, to the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
19
God’s temple that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant was seen in his temple. Lightnings, sounds, thunders, an earthquake, and great hail followed.

Footnotes

(a)11:17 TR adds “and who is coming”