Revelation 11

1 Then I was given [to receive, bestowed upon me] a measuring rod [a reed] like a staff [a symbol of authority, a rod] and was told, “Go and measure [to find the size or amount of, to assess] the temple [the sacred place of worship, the sanctuary] of God [the one true deity, the Almighty] and the altar [the table or platform for offering sacrifices], and count [to number, to enumerate] the number of worshipers [those who show respect and honor, who bow down] there [in the temple, among the people]. word study 2 But exclude [leave out, cast out] the courtyard [palace, open area] outside [externally, beyond] the temple [sacred place of worship]. Do not measure [calculate, assess] it, because it has been given [bestowed, granted] over to the nations [Gentiles, non-Jewish people] [to be trodden down], and they will trample [tread under foot, oppress] the holy [set apart, consecrated] city [Jerusalem, the sacred metropolis] for 42 months [a period of testing, forty-two lunar cycles]. word study 3 And I [as the Almighty] will empower [give authority and strength to] my two [a duo, a pair] witnesses [martyrs, testifiers], and they will prophesy [speak under divine inspiration, foretell] for 1,260 days [a thousand two hundred and sixty, a specific period], clothed [dressed, arrayed] in sackcloth [a rough, hairy cloth].” word study 4 These witnesses [the two prophetic voices] are the two olive trees and the two lampstands [a holder for a lamp] that stand [are established, firmly positioned] before [in the presence of] the Lord [the sovereign God, ruler of all] of the earth [the world, all creation]. word study 5 If anyone [desires to, wishes to] wants to harm [do wrong to, act unjustly towards] them, fire [divine judgment, flames] proceeds from their mouths [the source of their speech, the symbol of their testimony] and devours [eats completely, consumes] their enemies [those who oppose them, adversaries]. In this way, anyone who wants to harm them must be killed [put to death, slain]. word study 6 These witnesses [having divine authority, with power from God] have power [ability and strength] to shut [close and lock] the sky [heaven] so that no rain [moisture from the heavens] will fall during the days [a period of time] of their prophecy [speaking God’s message], and power [authority and control] to turn [change and transform] the waters [liquid] into blood and to strike [hit and afflict] the earth [the land and world] with every kind [all types] of plague [a blow or wound] as often as they wish [desire and will]. word study 7 When [at the point in time, whenever] the two witnesses have finished [completed, fulfilled] their testimony [witness, proclamation of God’s message], the beast [wild animal] that comes up [ascends, rises] from the Abyss [deep, seemingly bottomless pit, the underworld] will wage war [make war, engage in battle] with them, and will overpower [conquer, subdue] and kill [destroy, take the life of] them. word study 8 Their bodies [corpses, lifeless forms] will lie in the street [public square, open area] of the great [large, magnificent] city—figuratively [spiritually, symbolically] called Sodom [a place of sin] and Egypt [a nation of oppression]—where their Lord [Master, Savior] was also crucified [put to death on a cross, executed]. word study 9 For three and a half days all peoples [nations, ethnic groups] and tribes [family clans, communities] and tongues [languages, dialects] and nations [Gentiles, non-Jewish people] will view [look upon, gaze at] their bodies [corpses, lifeless forms] and will not permit [refuse, forbid] them to be laid [placed, buried] in a tomb [memorial, burial place, sepulchre]. word study 10 And those who dwell [reside, live] on the earth [the land, the material world] will gloat [rejoice, celebrate] over them, and will celebrate [make merry, rejoice] and send one another [exchange, give to each other] gifts, because these two [a pair, a duo] prophets [messengers of God, spokesmen] had tormented [tortured, caused severe pain] them. word study 11 But after the three [a specific period of time] and a half days, the breath of life [spirit of life, vital principle] from God [the one true deity, Creator] entered the two witnesses, and they stood [rose up, were restored] on their feet, and great [intense, profound] fear [alarm, terror] fell upon those who saw [beheld, witnessed] them. word study 12 And the witnesses heard a loud [great, powerful] voice from heaven [the sky and God’s home] saying, “Come up [ascend, go up] here [to this place].” And they went up to heaven [the spiritual realm, God’s dwelling] in a cloud [a visible mass of water vapor] as their enemies [those who are hostile, hateful] watched them [saw, beheld]. word study 13 And in that hour [at the same moment, simultaneously] there was a great [intense, powerful] earthquake [seismic disturbance, shaking of the ground], and a tenth [one tenth, a significant portion] of the city [metropolis, populated area] collapsed [fell, was destroyed]. Seven thousand [a large number, 7,000 people] were killed [slain, destroyed] in the quake [earthquake, seismic event], and the rest [remaining ones, survivors] were terrified [afraid, filled with fear] and gave glory [honor, praise] to the God [the supreme deity] of heaven [the sky, the spiritual realm]. word study 14 The second woe [alas, expression of sorrow] has passed [gone away, departed]. Behold [see, take notice], the third woe [tragic event, calamity] is coming [to arrive, to occur] shortly [quickly, without delay]. word study 15 Then the seventh [final, last] angel sounded his trumpet, and loud [great, mighty] voices called out in heaven: “The kingdom [royal power, dominion] of the world [the earth, human society] has become the kingdom of our Lord [God, the supreme Ruler] and of His Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah], and He will reign [rule, have authority] forever [for all eternity, to the ages of the ages] and ever [without end].” word study 16 And the twenty-four [four and twenty] elders who sit [are seated, dwelling in God’s presence] on their thrones [seats of authority, royal seats] before [in the presence of] God [the one true deity] fell [prostrated themselves, collapsed] on their faces [countenances] and worshiped [showed reverence] God [the supreme Creator], word study 17 saying: “We give thanks to You, O Lord [Ruler, Master] God [the one true deity] Almighty [all-powerful, having absolute control], the One who is [exists now] and who was [existed in the past], because You have taken [received, accepted] Your great [intense, magnificent] power and have begun to reign [rule, have authority]. word study 18 The nations [Gentiles, non-Jewish people] were enraged [angry, furious], and Your wrath [strong anger, righteous indignation] has come. The time [right moment, opportune season] has come to judge [evaluate, condemn] the dead [lifeless, spiritually deceased] and to reward [give payment, bestow] Your servants [slaves, devoted followers] the prophets [messengers, spokesmen], as well as the saints [holy ones, set apart] and those who fear [reverence, respect] Your name [character, authority], both small [humble, lowly] and great [powerful, esteemed]— and to destroy [ruin, corrupt] those who destroy [corrupt, devastate] the earth [soil, planet].” word study 19 Then the temple [sanctuary, sacred place] of God [the one true deity] in heaven [the sky, God’s home] was opened [made accessible], and the ark [wooden box, chest] of His covenant [formal agreement, promise] appeared [was seen, became visible] in His temple [inner sanctuary, holy place]. And there were flashes of lightning [bright, shining lights], and rumblings [voices, sounds], and peals of thunder [loud, rumbling noises], and an earthquake [earth-shock, tremor], and a great [intense, severe] hailstorm [precipitation, judgment]. word study