Revelation 11:6

These witnesses have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall during the days of their prophecy, and power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The narrator describes the two witnesses during their prophetic ministry, detailing the specific judgments they can execute between the fire that protects them and the beast that will eventually kill them.

The words — The Greek ἐξουσίαν (exousian) means "authority" or "power," denoting delegated right, while κλεῖσαι (kleisai) means "to shut," describing the active restraint of the sky.

The thread — The text parallels Elijah’s ministry that shut the sky (1 Kings 17:1; Luke 4:25) and Moses’ ministry that turned waters to blood (Exodus 7:17).

Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to recognize that the witnesses act under delegated divine mandate, not personal will, and that their testimony carries direct control over natural order and judgment.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

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.

Cross-references

1 Kings 17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was among the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there will be neither dew nor rain in these years except at my word!”
Luke 4:25 But I tell you truthfully that there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and great famine swept over all the land.
Exodus 7:17 This is what the LORD says: By this you will know that I am the LORD. Behold, with the staff in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will turn to blood.
Psalms 105:26 He sent Moses His servant, and Aaron, whom He had chosen.
1 Samuel 4:8 Woe to us! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness.
James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.
Ezekiel 7:1 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,