← Explore passages

General Christianity

Revelation 11: the two witnesses

Revelation · Revelation 11:1–13

Edition, transcription and reuse details

American Standard Version (1901), Bible Gateway HTML transcription.

Public-domain 1901 translation.

1 And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and one said, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. 2 And the court which is without the temple leave without, and measure it not; for it hath been given unto the nations: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. 3 And I will give unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 4 These are the two olive trees and the two candlesticks, standing before the Lord of the earth. 5 And if any man desireth to hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies; and if any man shall desire to hurt them, in this manner must he be killed. 6 These have the power to shut the heaven, that it rain not during the days of their prophecy: and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they shall desire. 7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that cometh up out of the abyss shall make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them. 8 And their dead bodies lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. 9 And from among the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations do men look upon their dead bodies three days and a half, and suffer not their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. 10 And they that dwell on the earth rejoice over them, and make merry; and they shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwell on the earth. 11 And after the three days and a half the breath of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them that beheld them. 12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they went up into heaven in the cloud; and their enemies beheld them. 13 And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell; and there were killed in the earthquake seven thousand persons: and the rest were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

On the timeline

1000 BCE010001500180019002000Approximately 90–95 CE · one proposed range · Prophecy given or recorded · Estimated composition of Revelation’s final form1260 · Super Hieremiam · Predicted date · Super Hieremiam: the affliction of the Christian people ends in 1260About 1666 · beginning of the seventh trumpet · Predicted date · Archer: the seventh trumpet begins about 1666, after the ruin of Rome1697 · stated in 1684 · Predicted date · Beverley in 1684: the first appearance of Christ’s kingdom in 16971697 · stated in 1691 · Predicted date · Beverley in 1691: the 1260 days of the apostasy expire at 971697 · stated in 1692 · Predicted date · Beverley in 1692: the Kingdom of Christ in its succession at the farthest in 16971716 · Predicted date · Whiston: the commencement of Christ’s kingdom in 17161851 · publication of this edition · Interpretation recorded · Joseph Smith’s explanation appears in the Pearl of Great Price1867 · “fourth thousand” · Interpretation recorded · Baxter’s Coming Wonders1870 or 1872 · stated 1866–1867 · Predicted date · Baxter, 1867: the 1260 years from 610 or 612 end in 1870 or 18721873–1875 · Christ’s descent at Armageddon · Predicted date · Baxter: Christ descends at Armageddon in 1873–5Early 1918 · Predicted date · The Finished Mystery expects a symbolic earthquakeSpring 1918–fall 1921 · Predicted date · The Truth is suppressed for three and a half yearsFall 1920 · Predicted date · The Finished Mystery expects the symbolic fireSpring 1925 · Predicted date · The world is ready to hear the heavenly voice
All 15 dates for this reading
  1. Approximately 90–95 CE · one proposed rangeEstimated composition of Revelation’s final form Prophecy given or recorded
  2. 1260 · Super HieremiamSuper Hieremiam: the affliction of the Christian people ends in 1260 Predicted date
  3. About 1666 · beginning of the seventh trumpetArcher: the seventh trumpet begins about 1666, after the ruin of Rome Predicted date · stated 1641–1642
  4. 1697 · stated in 1684Beverley in 1684: the first appearance of Christ’s kingdom in 1697 Predicted date · stated 1684Beverley in 1689: the Kingdom of Christ enters its succession at 1697 (1697 · stated in 1689) restates this date.Beverley: the full cleansing of the sanctuary, the New Jerusalem, in 1772 (1772 · end of the 2,300 years) derives from this date.Beverley: the kingdom of Christ succeeds in 1697 (1697) restates this date.Beverley in 1693: the Kingdom of Christ enters its succession in 1697 (1697 · stated in 1693) restates this date.
  5. 1697 · stated in 1691Beverley in 1691: the 1260 days of the apostasy expire at 97 Predicted date · stated 1691Restates Beverley in 1689: the Kingdom of Christ enters its succession at 1697 (1697 · stated in 1689).
  6. 1697 · stated in 1692Beverley in 1692: the Kingdom of Christ in its succession at the farthest in 1697 Predicted date · stated 1692
  7. 1716Whiston: the commencement of Christ’s kingdom in 1716 Predicted date · stated 1706Whiston acknowledges the failure of the 1716 expectation (1744 · second edition) responds to this date.Whiston: the temple cleansed in 1764 (1764) revises this date.Whiston in 1724: Daniel’s 2300 Chaldean years end in 1731 (1731 · stated in 1724) revises this date.Whiston in 1724: Daniel’s 2300 Julian years end in 1764 (1764 · stated in 1724) revises this date.
  8. 1851 · publication of this editionJoseph Smith’s explanation appears in the Pearl of Great Price Interpretation recorded
  9. 1867 · “fourth thousand”Baxter’s Coming Wonders Interpretation recorded
  10. 1870 or 1872 · stated 1866–1867Baxter, 1867: the 1260 years from 610 or 612 end in 1870 or 1872 Predicted date · stated 1866–1867Derives from Gill: proposed end of Antichrist’s reign (1866 — Gill’s qualified conjecture).
  11. 1873–1875 · Christ’s descent at ArmageddonBaxter: Christ descends at Armageddon in 1873–5 Predicted date · stated 1866–1867
  12. Early 1918The Finished Mystery expects a symbolic earthquake Predicted date · stated July 1917–1918
  13. Spring 1918–fall 1921The Truth is suppressed for three and a half years Predicted date · stated July 1917–1918
  14. Fall 1920The Finished Mystery expects the symbolic fire Predicted date · stated July 1917–1918
  15. Spring 1925The world is ready to hear the heavenly voice Predicted date · stated July 1917–1918

See this reading on the timeline →