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The Witnesses Killed and Raised
This vision shows what happens to the two witnesses after their testimony is complete. The passage moves from their death and exposed bodies to God giving them life, their ascent to heaven, and a fearful judgement on the city.
Understanding the passage
The setting of this message
John reports this scene as part of Revelation’s apocalyptic vision. These verses continue the account of the two witnesses and focus on the events after their testimony ends. The passage uses symbolic names, a beast from the abyss, and dramatic signs, so it should be read as vision and apocalypse.
Revelation 11:7–14Main takeaway
This vision shows that after the witnesses are killed and exposed, God gives them life again, calls them up to heaven, and brings fear and glory to the God of heaven.
Explore the message
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01The beast attacks after the testimony is finishedThe order is important. The witnesses are not attacked until they have finished their testimony.
Explanation
The order is important. The witnesses are not attacked until they have finished their testimony. Then the beast that comes up out of the abyss makes war on them, overcomes them, and kills them. The vision states the sequence plainly and highlights the completion of their testimony before their death.
02Their bodies lie in the great cityTheir dead bodies remain in the street of the great city. The passage says the city is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, giving it symbolic meaning within the vision.
Explanation
Their dead bodies remain in the street of the great city. The passage says the city is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, giving it symbolic meaning within the vision. It also says this is where their Lord was crucified. People from many groups look on, and the bodies are not placed in a tomb.
03People on the earth celebrateThe response is joy, not grief. Those who dwell on the earth rejoice, are glad, and give gifts to one another.
Explanation
The response is joy, not grief. Those who dwell on the earth rejoice, are glad, and give gifts to one another. The reason given is that the two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth. This verse does not explain that torment further here, but it shows strong hostility towards the witnesses.
04God gives life and heaven calls them upAfter three and a half days, the breath of life from God enters them and they stand on their feet.
Explanation
After three and a half days, the breath of life from God enters them and they stand on their feet. Great fear falls on those who see them. Then a loud voice from heaven says, "Come up here!" They go up into heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watch this happen.
05The earthquake brings terror and glory to GodOn that day a great earthquake strikes, a tenth of the city falls, and seven thousand people are killed.
Explanation
On that day a great earthquake strikes, a tenth of the city falls, and seven thousand people are killed. The rest are terrified and give glory to the God of heaven. The passage ends by marking a transition in the vision: the second woe is past, and the third woe is coming quickly.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What happens only after the witnesses finish their testimony?
Follow the order in the verse: their testimony is completed before the beast makes war on them, overcomes them, and kills them.
02How is the city described where their bodies lie?
List each description the passage gives, including its title, its spiritual names, and its link to their Lord.
03What responses follow when the witnesses live again and after the earthquake?
Notice first the fear of those who see the witnesses stand, then the terror and glory given to God after the earthquake.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Revelation 11:7–14
7When 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.
8Their dead bodies will be in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.
9From 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.
10Those 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.
11After 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.
12I 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.
13In 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.
14The second woe is past. Behold, the third woe comes quickly.