Revelation 11:6 Meaning: The Witnesses and Their Strange Power
These have the power to shut up the sky, that it may not rain during the days of their prophecy. They have power over the waters, to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.
These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
These have the power to shut the heaven, that it rain not during the days of their prophecy: and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth with every plague, as often as they shall desire.
These have authority to shut the heaven, that it may not rain rain in the days of their prophecy, and authority they have over the waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the land with every plague, as often as they may will.
These have power to shut the heaven that no rain may fall during the days of their prophecy; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to smite the earth as often as they will with every plague.
Meaning in one sentence
What does Revelation 11:6 mean? The two witnesses wield authority like Moses and Elijah, shutting the sky and turning waters to blood during their
Context
John is watching a vision of two witnesses. They wear sackcloth and prophesy for 1,260 days, the same period the nations trample the holy city. Just before this verse, we learn that fire comes from their mouths to devour anyone who tries to harm them. Now verse 6 describes the kind of authority these witnesses carry. It echoes two giants from the Old Testament: Elijah, who prayed for drought, and Moses, who turned the Nile to blood and struck Egypt with plagues. The witnesses are not ordinary preachers. They are armed with the power of God’s earlier deliverers. But their power is tied to a specific season: the days of their prophecy. It does not last forever. When their testimony is finished, the beast from the abyss will overcome and kill them. Their authority has an expiration, and it serves a larger story.
Key Words
The Greek word behind power here is exousia (G1849), meaning delegated authority, not raw force. These witnesses do not act on their own; they act under orders. That makes their power less like a superhero’s and more like a king’s messenger carrying a sealed writ. The verb to shut (kleisai, G2808) is the same word used for locking a door. To shut the sky is to lock the rain away. The word for rain (huetos, G5205) combined with brechē (G1026) paints a picture of rain falling and wetting the ground. The witnesses can stop that wetting, just as Elijah did. The word to strike (patassai, G3960) means to smite hard, the same word used in Matthew for striking a shepherd. The phrase every plague uses plēgē (G4127), which originally meant a blow or wound, and came to mean a devastating calamity. Each term connects back to the Exodus story, reminding readers that the same God who freed slaves still equips His messengers with authority that shakes the earth.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have long read this verse through two main lenses. Many in the Reformed and evangelical traditions understand the two witnesses as symbolic of the church’s prophetic witness throughout the age of tribulation. The plagues represent the spiritual impact of faithful proclamation, the word of God either brings life or, to those who resist, becomes a judgment. Others, including many Methodists and some early commentators like Wesley, read the witnesses as two literal individuals, perhaps Moses and Elijah returned, who will perform actual miracles before the end. Catholic tradition has often seen them as figures representing the Old and New Testaments or the entire company of martyrs. Both readings agree on one thing: the authority is real, and its purpose is to testify to Christ before a world that does not want to hear.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is that the witnesses are capricious, that they strike the earth with plagues whenever they feel like it, out of anger or frustration. In fact, the phrase as often as they will is better understood as as often as they choose in obedience to God’s purpose. Their will is aligned with God’s will. The plagues are not temper tantrums; they are acts of divine witness, designed to call the world to repentance, just as the plagues in Egypt did.
Living This Out
You may never shut the sky or turn water to blood. But the same exousia, delegated authority, is given to every follower of Christ when they speak His truth. This week, you may face a chance to say something true when it is easier to stay quiet. That is a small version of the witness’s calling. You do not need plagues. You need the courage to speak, and the trust that God’s word carries its own weight. The resistance you meet is not a sign you are wrong. It may be a sign you are right on time.
Main takeaway: God authorizes His witnesses to speak with power, but their authority serves His purposes, not their own, and it lasts only as long as He wills.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God gave two special messengers power like Moses and Elijah had. They could stop the rain and make rivers turn to blood. That sounds scary, but it shows that God is stronger than anything.
For ages 9, 12
The two witnesses in Revelation have power that reminds us of Moses and Elijah. But their real job is not to cause trouble; it is to tell people the truth about God. Sometimes standing up for what is right makes people mad, but God gives His people the strength they need. You may not stop the rain, but you can speak the truth and trust God with the results.
Questions People Ask
Who are the two witnesses in Revelation 11?
The text does not name them directly. Many Christians believe they are Moses and Elijah, because the miracles in verse 6 match those two prophets. Others understand them as symbols of the church’s prophetic witness, or as two specific martyrs who will appear before the end. The main point is that God empowers them to testify with authority.
Is Revelation 11:6 meant to be taken literally?
Christians differ on this. Some read the plagues as literal physical events, like a real drought and bloody water. Others understand them as symbolic language describing the spiritual impact of the witnesses’ message. Either way, the verse shows that God gives His witnesses real power to accomplish His purposes.
What does 'as often as they will' mean in Revelation 11:6?
It means the witnesses have the freedom to exercise their God-given authority whenever their mission requires it. Their will is not selfish; it is aligned with God’s will. The phrase emphasizes that they are not helpless victims but active agents of divine judgment and mercy, acting under God's direction.
Why do the witnesses have power like Moses and Elijah?
Moses and Elijah represent the Law and the Prophets in the Old Testament. Both confronted hardhearted rulers and performed miracles that validated God’s word. By echoing their plagues, the witnesses show that the same God who delivered Israel is still at work, calling people to repentance through His faithful messengers.
Does Revelation 11:6 mean Christians should expect to perform similar miracles?
Most Christians do not think this verse promises identical miracles to every believer. The witnesses are unique figures with a specific end-times role. However, the verse does encourage believers that God can and does work through ordinary people in extraordinary ways when His purposes require it.
For pastors & researchers
Greek interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study