And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Parallel translations
- WEB I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
- BSB And I will empower my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
- NKJV And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”
- NASB And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.”
- NLT And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will be clothed in burlap and will prophesy during those 1,260 days.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
God grants two witnesses to prophesy 1,260 days in sackcloth. He maintains a faithful, mourning testimony throughout the age of trial.
Overview
The 1,260 days equal the same forty-two months, marking the whole period of the church's witness amid opposition. Sackcloth signifies a message of repentance and lament. The "two witnesses" (perhaps the witnessing church, pictured by two for valid testimony per Deuteronomy 19:15) carry on God's prophetic word despite hostility. Their identity is debated among faithful Christians, but the central point is clear: God always preserves a bold gospel witness in the world.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 28
- Rev 12:6And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
- Rev 11:2But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
- Deut 19:15One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
- Acts 1:8But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
- Rev 13:5And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.
- Gen 37:34And Jacob rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days.
- Isa 22:12And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:
- Acts 13:31And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.
- Luke 24:48And ye are witnesses of these things.
- John 15:27And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.
- 2 Cor 13:1This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
- Acts 2:32This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
- 1 Chr 21:16And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
- Dan 12:7And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
- Job 16:15I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin, and defiled my horn in the dust.
- Esth 4:1–2When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
- Num 11:26But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp.
- Lam 2:10The elders of the daughter of Zion sit upon the ground, and keep silence: they have cast up dust upon their heads; they have girded themselves with sackcloth: the virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground.
- Acts 3:15And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
- Rev 1:5And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
- Matt 18:16But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
- Deut 17:6At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.
- Rev 19:10And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
- Eph 4:11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
- John 3:5–8Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
- 1 Cor 12:28And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
- Rev 20:4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
- John 3:27John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
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Revelation ends the story with the slain-yet-standing Lamb who is worthy, the Lion of Judah, the Alpha and Omega, the returning King who makes all things new and dwells with his people forever.
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Original language
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