The Two Witnesses
Revelation 11 foretells two prophets who testify, are slain, and rise.
Revelation 11 describes two witnesses given power to prophesy for 1,260 days in Jerusalem, clothed in sackcloth and armed with miraculous power. They are slain by the beast, lie unburied three and a half days, then are raised and ascend in a cloud.
The Prophecy
"And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth."
"...the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them...And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them...and they ascended up to heaven in a cloud..."
Two anointed prophets
Their powers — fire from the mouth, shutting heaven, turning waters to blood — echo Elijah and Moses, leading many interpreters to expect figures in their spirit and power.
Death and resurrection
Their public execution and resurrection three and a half days later will be a sign visible to all peoples, climaxing in their ascension and a great earthquake.
People in This Prophecy
Verse Commentary
Read verse-by-verse commentary on the key passages of this prophecy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the two witnesses?
Two end-time prophets given supernatural power to testify in Jerusalem during the tribulation.
How long do the two witnesses prophesy?
1,260 days (Revelation 11:3) — three and a half prophetic years during the tribulation period.
Are the two witnesses Moses and Elijah?
Scripture doesn't name them. Their miracles resemble Moses' plagues and Elijah's fire, which is why many identify them with these prophets.
Related Bible Prophecies
The Great Tribulation
Unequalled trouble before the coming of Christ.
The Antichrist and the Man of Sin
A final lawless one to be destroyed by the brightness of Christ's coming.
The Mark of the Beast
Revelation 13 foretells a forced mark for buying and selling under the beast.
The Battle of Armageddon
The kings of the earth gathered against the Lord at His coming.
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