These witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.
Parallel translations
- WEB These are the two olive trees and the two lamp stands, standing before the Lord of the earth.
- KJV These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
- NKJV These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth.
- NASB These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.
- NLT These two prophets are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of all the earth.
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
The witnesses are the two olive trees and two lampstands before the Lord. They are God's appointed, Spirit-empowered witnesses to the world.
Overview
The imagery draws on Zechariah 4, where olive trees and a lampstand depict leaders empowered by God's Spirit "not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit." Lampstands also symbolize churches in Revelation 1:20, supporting the view that the witnesses represent the testifying church. Standing "before the Lord of the earth" stresses their commissioned authority. Their power to witness flows not from themselves but from the Spirit of God.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Zech 4:11–14Then I asked the angel, “What are the two olive trees on the right and left of the lampstand?”
- Zech 4:2–3“What do you see?” he asked. “I see a solid gold lampstand,” I replied, “with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven spouts to the lamps.
- Jer 11:16The LORD once called you a flourishing olive tree, beautiful with well-formed fruit. But with a mighty roar He will set it on fire, and its branches will be consumed.
- Ps 52:8But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in the loving devotion of God forever and ever.
- Isa 54:5For your husband is your Maker—the LORD of Hosts is His name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth.
- Rev 1:20This is the mystery of the seven stars you saw in My right hand and of the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
- Rom 11:17Now if some branches have been broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others to share in the nourishment of the olive root,
- Luke 11:33No one lights a lamp and puts it in a cellar or under a basket. Instead, he sets it on a stand, so those who enter can see the light.
- Matt 5:14–16You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
- Exod 8:22But on that day I will give special treatment to the land of Goshen, where My people live; no swarms of flies will be found there. In this way you will know that I, the LORD, am in the land.
- 1 Kgs 17:1Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was among the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As surely as the LORD lives—the God of Israel before whom I stand—there will be neither dew nor rain in these years except at my word!”
- Deut 10:8At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name, as they do to this day.
- Mic 4:13Rise and thresh, O Daughter of Zion, for I will give you horns of iron and hooves of bronze to break to pieces many peoples. Then you will devote their gain to the LORD, their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.
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Christ at the center
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.
How Revelation 11:4 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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