11:5–6
The Greek and the Berean Standard Bible use present tense in these verses. It indicates that the events here occur throughout the 1,260 days (11:3b). Use the proper tense and grammar to indicate that the events here occur throughout the 1,260 days.
11:5a–b
If anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouths and devours their enemies: The word anyone is singular, but refers generally to their enemies. The singular word indicates that whoever the enemy is, he will be destroyed. Other ways to translate these words are:
Fire comes from their mouths and consumes their enemies if anyone tries to harm them (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
Any enemy who tries to harm them will be destroyed by the fire that comes out of their mouths (Contemporary English Version)
11:5b
fire proceeds from their mouths: This indicates that flames of fire leave the mouths of the witnesses. It is implied that the flames leave their mouths forcefully.
devours: This word refers to eating something. But it also refers to the way fire burns something until only ashes are left. Use a word that refers to when fire burns something completely. The word probably implies “immediately” or “quickly” here. Other ways to translate this word are:
consumes (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
completely burns
11:5c
In this way, anyone who wants to harm them must be killed: The Greek words are literally “If anyone tries to harm them, it is necessary for him to be killed in that way.” The words indicate that any enemy attacking the two witnesses will certainly die. They will die from the fire coming from the mouths of the two witnesses. Other ways to translate this are:
anyone who tries to harm them will certainly be killed in this way (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
so shall anyone die who tries to do them injury (Revised English Bible)
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