Revelation 11:8

KJV

And their dead bodies [shall lie] in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

KJV (with Strong's)

And {G2532} their {G846} dead bodies {G4430} shall lie in {G1909} the street {G4113} of the great {G3173} city {G4172}, which {G3748} spiritually {G4153} is called {G2564} Sodom {G4670} and {G2532} Egypt {G125}, where {G3699} also {G2532} our {G2257} Lord {G2962} was crucified {G4717}.

Complete Jewish Bible

and their dead bodies will lie in the main street of the great city whose name, to reflect its spiritual condition, is “S’dom” and “Egypt” — the city where their Lord was executed on a stake.

Berean Standard Bible

Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city—figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where their Lord was also crucified.

American Standard Version

And their dead bodies lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Revelation 11:8 vividly portrays the aftermath of the two witnesses' deaths, describing their unburied bodies lying in the public square of a prominent city. This city, though geographically identifiable as Jerusalem, is spiritually condemned by being metaphorically labeled "Sodom" and "Egypt," signifying its profound moral corruption and oppressive nature. The verse culminates in the poignant observation that this same city is where "our Lord was crucified," drawing a direct and damning parallel between its historical rejection of Christ and its contemporary persecution of His witnesses.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Revelation 11 introduces two mysterious "witnesses" who prophesy for 1,260 days, empowered by God with supernatural abilities to inflict plagues and consume their enemies with fire. Their ministry is a direct challenge to the Beast and his followers, mirroring the power of Old Testament prophets like Moses and Elijah. Verse 8 immediately follows the description of their death at the hands of the "beast that comes up from the Abyss" (Revelation 11:7). The public display of their bodies, unburied for three and a half days, is a macabre celebration by those who dwell on the earth, highlighting their intense hatred for God's truth and His messengers. This scene sets the stage for the witnesses' miraculous resurrection in [Revelation 11:11](/revelation/11-11 "Revelation 11:11 - The Resurrection of the Two Witnesses"), underscoring God's ultimate vindication of His servants and the triumph of life over death, even in the face of extreme persecution.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The mention of "Sodom," "Egypt," and the place "where also our Lord was crucified" points unmistakably to Jerusalem. Historically, Jerusalem was considered the holy city, the dwelling place of God's temple and the center of Jewish worship. However, its spiritual trajectory often diverged from its sacred calling, marked by periods of idolatry, injustice, and rejection of prophets (e.g., [Jeremiah 7](/jeremiah/7 "Jeremiah 7 - The Temple Sermon")). Culturally, leaving bodies unburied was a profound disgrace and a sign of utter contempt in the ancient Near East, denying the deceased proper honor and rest. This act in Revelation 11:8 signifies the complete triumph of the Beast's forces and the world's open defiance against God and His people, mirroring the ultimate rejection of Christ himself in that very city.
* **Key Themes:** This verse powerfully contributes to several key themes within Revelation and the broader biblical narrative. It highlights the theme of **spiritual apostasy**, showing how a city with a sacred heritage can become utterly corrupt in God's eyes, aligning itself with notorious symbols of rebellion like Sodom and Egypt. It underscores the **ongoing conflict between God's truth and worldly opposition**, demonstrating the world's hatred for divine revelation and its messengers, echoing the persecution faced by prophets throughout Israel's history (e.g., [Matthew 23:37](/matthew/23-37 "Matthew 23:37 - Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets")). Furthermore, it reinforces the theme of **divine irony and judgment**, as the very city where the Messiah was rejected and crucified becomes the stage for the gruesome rejection of His final witnesses, foreshadowing its ultimate judgment as described in later chapters of Revelation, particularly [Revelation 18](/revelation/18 "Revelation 18 - The Fall of Babylon")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **spiritually (Greek, _pneumatikōs'_):** From G4153, meaning "non-physically, i.e. divinely, figuratively." This adverb is crucial, indicating that the names "Sodom" and "Egypt" are not literal geographical renamings of Jerusalem but rather symbolic designations. It signifies a profound spiritual assessment, revealing the city's true character in God's sight, apart from its physical or historical identity. It's a divine indictment of its moral and theological state.
* **city (Greek, _pólis'_):** From G4172, meaning "a town (properly, with walls, of greater or less size)." While "city" here refers to a physical urban center, its spiritual designation as Sodom and Egypt, combined with the reference to Christ's crucifixion, points to Jerusalem as the specific "great city." The term emphasizes its prominence and significance, making its spiritual degradation all the more stark.
* **crucified (Greek, _stauróō'_):** From G4717, meaning "to impale on the cross; figuratively, to extinguish (subdue) passion or selfishness." This verb directly links the location of the witnesses' death to the historical crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It is a powerful and unambiguous identifier of Jerusalem, establishing a direct continuity of rejection and persecution of God's messengers in that very place, from the Lord Himself to His final witnesses.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And their dead bodies shall lie in the street":** This clause describes the immediate and humiliating aftermath of the witnesses' death. Their bodies are left unburied, exposed to public view in the "street" (Greek, _plateîa_), an open square or public thoroughfare. This act signifies extreme contempt, a denial of human dignity, and a public spectacle of triumph by their enemies, who rejoice in their apparent defeat.
* **"of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt":** This identifies the location as a prominent urban center, but crucially, it renames it symbolically. "Sodom" evokes extreme moral depravity, sexual perversion, and rebellion against God, reminiscent of the city destroyed by fire and brimstone in [Genesis 19](/genesis/19 "Genesis 19 - The Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah"). "Egypt" symbolizes oppression, slavery, and resistance to God's people and His will, recalling the Exodus narrative where Pharaoh enslaved Israel and defied God (e.g., [Exodus 1-14](/exodus/1 "Exodus 1-14 - The Oppression and Deliverance of Israel")). The adverb "spiritually" emphasizes that these are not literal names but divine, figurative labels reflecting the city's profound spiritual state and actions.
* **"where also our Lord was crucified":** This final phrase provides the undeniable geographical and theological identifier for the "great city"—Jerusalem. It draws a direct, chilling parallel between the city's historical rejection and murder of Jesus Christ, the ultimate Prophet and Son of God, and its contemporary rejection and murder of His two witnesses. It underscores a persistent pattern of rebellion against divine truth and messengers that characterizes this city in the eschatological narrative.

#### Literary Devices
Revelation 11:8 is rich in **Symbolism**. The "great city" is not merely a geographical location but a symbolic entity representing a center of opposition to God. Its spiritual renaming as **Sodom** and **Egypt** is a powerful use of **Allusion**, drawing on well-known Old Testament narratives to convey its moral and spiritual corruption. Sodom signifies profound moral depravity and divine judgment, while Egypt represents oppressive power and resistance to God's redemptive plan. The phrase "where also our Lord was crucified" employs **Irony**, highlighting the tragic paradox that the very city considered holy, the place of God's temple and the crucifixion of His Son, continues its pattern of rejecting and persecuting God's messengers. This verse also utilizes **Juxtaposition**, placing the sacred historical event of Christ's crucifixion alongside the profane act of leaving God's witnesses unburied, emphasizing the city's spiritual decline and complicity in evil.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Revelation 11:8 offers a profound theological statement about the nature of spiritual apostasy and the persistent rejection of God's truth, even in places historically associated with divine presence. It reveals that outward religious identity or historical significance does not guarantee spiritual purity. The city's spiritual designation as "Sodom" and "Egypt" underscores that its actions, particularly its complicity in the death of Christ and now His witnesses, have aligned it with the most notorious examples of human rebellion and opposition to God in biblical history. This serves as a stark warning that any community, regardless of its past, can fall into deep spiritual corruption if it continually rejects divine revelation and persecutes God's messengers. The verse thus highlights the ongoing spiritual battle between the kingdom of God and the forces of evil, culminating in the ultimate vindication of God's truth and His servants.

* [Isaiah 1:10](/isaiah/1-10 "Isaiah 1:10 - Rulers of Sodom, people of Gomorrah")
* [Luke 13:34](/luke/13-34 "Luke 13:34 - Jesus' Lament Over Jerusalem")
* [Hebrews 13:12-13](/hebrews/13-12-13 "Hebrews 13:12-13 - Jesus Suffered Outside the City Gate")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Revelation 11:8 challenges us to look beyond superficial appearances and historical claims to discern the true spiritual condition of any community, institution, or even our own hearts. It reminds us that spiritual heritage or outward religious observance is no guarantee against profound moral and theological corruption. The "great city," despite its sacred past, became a place of extreme wickedness because it rejected God's ultimate revelation in Christ and continued to persecute His messengers. For believers today, this verse calls for vigilant discernment, urging us to evaluate systems, leaders, and even our own spiritual walk not by external labels but by their alignment with God's truth and their treatment of His people. It also serves as a powerful encouragement to faithfulness in witness, even when facing hostility and rejection, knowing that the world's apparent triumph over God's truth is always temporary, and divine vindication will ultimately prevail. We are called to stand with Christ, even if it means being identified with His suffering outside the "city" gates.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How might a community or individual, despite a religious heritage, become "spiritually" like Sodom or Egypt in God's eyes?**
* **What does this verse teach us about the nature of spiritual discernment and the importance of looking beyond outward appearances?**
* **In what ways might we, as believers, be tempted to compromise or remain silent when God's truth is rejected or His messengers are persecuted in our own contexts?**
* **How does the historical fact of Christ's crucifixion in this city deepen the prophetic significance of the witnesses' death there?**

### FAQ

**Why is Jerusalem called "Sodom and Egypt" and not by its actual name?**

Answer: The text states the city "spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt" (Greek: _pneumatikōs kaleitai_), indicating these are not literal names but symbolic, divine designations. This is a prophetic indictment of Jerusalem's spiritual condition. "Sodom" (from [Genesis 19](/genesis/19 "Genesis 19 - The Destruction of Sodom")) symbolizes extreme moral depravity, rebellion against God, and divine judgment. "Egypt" (from [Exodus 1-14](/exodus/1 "Exodus 1-14 - The Oppression and Deliverance of Israel")) represents oppression, slavery, and resistance to God's people and His will. By using these names, the author highlights that despite its sacred history and status as the place where "our Lord was crucified," Jerusalem, in this prophetic period, has become spiritually akin to these notorious centers of wickedness and opposition to God. It signifies a profound apostasy and moral corruption that aligns it with the enemies of God.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Revelation 11:8, though describing the fate of the two witnesses, powerfully echoes and foreshadows the ultimate rejection and suffering of Christ Himself. The "great city" identified as the place "where also our Lord was crucified" is undeniably Jerusalem, the very city that historically rejected its Messiah. Just as the world celebrated the apparent defeat of the two witnesses by leaving their bodies exposed, so too did the powers of this world believe they had triumphed over Jesus on the cross. However, Christ's crucifixion in that city was not a defeat but the ultimate act of redemptive love, fulfilling ancient prophecies (e.g., [Isaiah 53:5](/isaiah/53-5 "Isaiah 53:5 - He was pierced for our transgressions")). His death was followed by a glorious resurrection (e.g., [1 Corinthians 15:3-4](/1_corinthians/15-3-4 "1 Corinthians 15:3-4 - Christ Died and Rose Again")), guaranteeing victory over sin and death, and foreshadowing the resurrection of the two witnesses themselves (Revelation 11:11). Thus, the suffering of the witnesses in the city of Christ's crucifixion serves as a poignant reminder that those who bear witness to the Lamb will share in His suffering, but ultimately also in His triumph and vindication, demonstrating that the path of faithful witness, though it may lead to the cross, ultimately leads to resurrection and eternal glory, just as it did for our Lord (e.g., [Philippians 2:8-11](/philippians/2-8-11 "Philippians 2:8-11 - Christ's Humiliation and Exaltation")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Jeremiah 23:14

I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.

Revelation 18:10

Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

Ezekiel 16:53

When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then [will I bring again] the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them:

Ezekiel 16:55

When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate.

Hebrews 13:12

Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

Revelation 18:21

And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast [it] into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.

Amos 4:11

I have overthrown [some] of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.