Revelation 11:2

But 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.

But {G2532} the court {G833} which {G3588} is without {G1855}{G2081} the temple {G3485} leave {G1544} out {G1854}, and {G2532} measure {G3354} it {G846} not {G3361}; for {G3754} it is given {G1325} unto the Gentiles {G1484}: and {G2532} the holy {G40} city {G4172} shall they tread under foot {G3961} forty {G5062} and two {G1417} months {G3376}.

But the court outside the Temple, leave that out; don’t measure it; because it has been given to the Goyim, and they will trample over the holy city for forty-two months.

But exclude the courtyard outside the temple. Do not measure it, because it has been given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for 42 months.

And the court which is without the temple leave without, and measure it not; for it hath been given unto the nations: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.

Revelation 11:2 is a pivotal verse within the apocalyptic vision of the Apostle John, immediately following the command to measure the temple of God. This verse distinguishes between what is protected and what is given over to external forces during a period of intense tribulation.

Context

This verse is part of the "two witnesses" interlude in the Book of Revelation, which occurs between the sounding of the sixth and seventh trumpets. John is instructed to measure the temple, its altar, and its worshippers, but explicitly told to "leave out" the outer court. This imagery is highly symbolic, representing a divine distinction. The "holy city" refers to Jerusalem, which is prophesied to be under Gentile dominion for a specific period of "forty and two months," signaling a time of significant tribulation and desecration.

Key Themes

  • Divine Distinction and Preservation: The act of measuring the inner court while excluding the outer court signifies God's sovereign hand in preserving a remnant or true believers, even amidst widespread apostasy or persecution. What is measured is under divine protection; what is not, is subject to earthly powers.
  • Gentile Dominion and Persecution: The "Gentiles" being given authority to "tread under foot" the holy city indicates a period of intense oppression and desecration of what is sacred. This points to external, hostile forces exerting control over God's earthly people or their symbolic representation.
  • Prophetic Timeframes: The mention of "forty and two months" is a crucial prophetic duration, equivalent to 3.5 years or 1260 days. This period appears in other apocalyptic texts, such as Revelation 11:3 and Revelation 12:6, and is often associated with the duration of the "Great Tribulation" or the reign of the Antichrist.

Linguistic Insights

  • "Leave out, and measure it not": The Greek phrase for "leave out, and measure it not" (ekbale exō, kai mē metrēsēs) implies divine exclusion or abandonment of that specific area from God's protective measure. This outer court is explicitly "given unto the Gentiles," highlighting a period of allowed external control.
  • "Tread under foot": The Greek verb patēsousin (πατήσουσιν) signifies severe oppression, desecration, and even destruction. It evokes a sense of being trampled upon, underscoring the harshness of the Gentile rule over the holy city. This phrase is also used by Jesus in Luke 21:24 regarding Jerusalem's future.

Practical Application

Revelation 11:2 offers profound assurance for believers, even in the face of daunting circumstances. It teaches that even when persecution or tribulation seems overwhelming and the world appears to dominate, God maintains ultimate sovereign control. There is a divine boundary and a pre-ordained limit to the enemy's power.

This verse encourages perseverance, reminding us that the true people of God (the "measured" sanctuary) are distinct from the world and its systems, even when they coexist or are subject to the same trials. The specific timeframe, whether interpreted literally or symbolically, underscores that suffering has a determined end, offering hope and encouraging believers to look beyond immediate trials to God's ultimate victory and the establishment of His eternal kingdom.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Revelation 12:6

    And 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.

  • Luke 21:24

    And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

  • Daniel 7:25

    And he shall speak [great] words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

  • Daniel 12:7

    And 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.

  • Revelation 11:3

    ¶ And I will give [power] unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred [and] threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

  • Revelation 21:2

    And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

  • Isaiah 52:1

    ¶ Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

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