Revelation 11

The Two Witnesses 1I was given a long stick that looked like a measuring rod. I was told, “Go and measure the temple of God. And measure the altar where the people are worshiping. 2But do not measure the outer courtyard. That’s because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will take over the holy city for 42 months. 3I will appoint my two witnesses. And they will prophesy for 1,260 days. They will be dressed in the rough clothes people wear when they’re sad.” 4The witnesses are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands. And “they stand in front of the Lord of the earth.” 5If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and eats up their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die.

6These witnesses have power to close up the sky. Then it will not rain while they are prophesying. They also have power to turn the waters into blood. And they can strike the earth with every kind of plague. They can do this as often as they want to. 7When they have finished speaking, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them. He will overpower them and kill them. 8Their bodies will lie in the main street of the great city. It is also the city where their Lord was nailed to a cross. The city is sometimes compared to Sodom or Egypt. 9For three and a half days, people will stare at their bodies. These people will be from every tribe and nation, no matter what language they speak. They will refuse to bury them.

10Those who live on the earth will be happy about this. That’s because those two prophets had made them suffer. The people will celebrate by sending one another gifts. 11But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God entered the witnesses. They both stood up. Terror struck those who saw them.

12Then the two witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven. It said to them, “Come up here.” They went up to heaven in a cloud. Their enemies watched it happen.

13At that same time there was a powerful earthquake. A tenth of the city crumbled and fell. In the earthquake, 7,000 people were killed. Those who lived through it were terrified. They gave glory to the God of heaven.

14The second terrible judgment has passed. The third is coming soon.

The Seventh Trumpet 15The seventh angel blew his trumpet. There were loud voices in heaven. They said, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah. He will rule for ever and ever.” 16The 24 elders were sitting on their thrones in front of God. They fell on their faces and worshiped God.

17They said, “Lord God who rules over all, we give thanks to you. You are the God who is and who was. We give you thanks. That’s because you have begun to rule with your great power.

18The nations were angry, and the time for your anger has come. The time has come to judge the dead. It is time to reward your servants the prophets and your people who honor you. There is a reward for all your people, both great and small. It is time to destroy those who destroy the earth.” 19Then God’s temple in heaven was opened. Inside it the wooden chest called the ark of his covenant could be seen. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings and thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.