Revelation 11 · Verse 12

Revelation 11:12

And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

Revelation 11:12, King James Version

Revelation 11:12 in other translations

BSB	And the witnesses heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched them.
WEB	I heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here!” They went up into heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them.
ASV	And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they went up into heaven in the cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
YLT	and they heard a great voice out of the heaven saying to them, ‘Come up hither;' and they went up to the heaven in the cloud, and their enemies beheld them;
DARBY	And I heard a great voice out of the heaven saying to them, Come up here; and they went up to the heaven in the cloud, and their enemies beheld them.
BBE	And a great voice from heaven came to their ears, saying to them, Come up here. And they went up into heaven in the cloud, and were seen by those desiring their death.
Webster	And they heard a great voice from heaven, saying to them, Come up hither. And they ascended to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.

What does Revelation 11:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

12. they--so A, C, and Vulgate. But B, Coptic, Syriac, and Andreas read, "I heard." a cloud--Greek, "the cloud"; which may be merely the generic expression for what we are familiar with, as we say "the clouds." But I prefer taking the article as definitely alluding to THE cloud which received Jesus at His ascension, Ac 1:9 (where there is no article, as there is no allusion to a previous cloud, such as there is here). As they resembled Him in their three and a half years' witnessing, their three and a half days lying in death (though not for exactly the same time, nor put in a tomb as He was), so also in their ascension is the translation and transfiguration of the sealed of Israel (Re 7:1-8), and the elect of all nations, caught up out of the reach of the Antichristian foe. In Re 14:14-16, He is represented as sitting on a white cloud. their enemies beheld them--and were thus openly convicted by God for their unbelief and persecution of His servants; unlike Elijah's ascension formerly, in the sight of friends only. The Church caught up to meet the Lord in the air, and transfigured in body, is justified by her Lord before the world, even as the man-child (Jesus) was "caught up unto God and His throne" from before the dragon standing ready to devour the woman's child as soon as born.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 12. And they heard a great voice from heaven. Some manuscripts read, "I heard"--ηκουσα but the more approved reading is that of the common text. John says that a voice was addressed to them calling them to ascend to heaven.

Come up hither. To heaven.

And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud. So the Saviour ascended, Acts 1:9, and so probably Elijah, 2Kgs 2:11.

And their enemies beheld them. That is, it was done openly, so that their enemies, who had put them to death, saw that they were approved of God, as if they had been publicly taken up to heaven. It is not necessary to suppose that this would literally occur. All this is, manifestly, mere symbol. The meaning is, that they would triumph as if they should ascend to heaven, and be received into the presence of God. The sense of the whole is, that these witnesses, after bearing a faithful testimony against prevailing errors and sins, would be persecuted and silenced; that for a considerable period their voice of faithful testimony would be hushed as if they were dead; that during that period they would be treated with contempt and scorn, as if their unburied bodies should be exposed to the public gaze; that there would be general exultation and joy that they were thus silenced; that they would again revive, as if the dead were restored to life, and bear a faithful testimony to the truth again, and that they would have the Divine attestation in their favour, as if they were raised up visibly and publicly to heaven.

(a) "cloud" 1Thes 4:17 (b) "enemies" Mal 3:18

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 12 They ascended up to heaven - Enjoyed a state of great peace and happiness.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Revelation 11:3-13

In the time of treading down, God kept his faithful witnesses to attest the truth of his word and worship, and the excellence of his ways, The number of these witnesses is small, yet enough. They prophesy in sackcloth. It shows their afflicted, persecuted state, and deep sorrow for the abominations against which they protested. They are supported during their great and hard work, till it is done. When they had…

Read the full comment on Revelation 11:3-13 →

Revelation 11:12 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532

ἤκουσανēkousanthey heardG191

φωνῆςphōnēsa voiceG5456

μεγάληςmegalēsgreatG3173

ἐκekout ofG1537

τοῦtou<the>G3588

οὐρανοῦouranouheavenG3772

λεγούσηςlegousēssayingG3004

αὐτοῖς·autoisto them;G846

ἀνάβατεanabatedo come upG305

ὧδε.hōdehere.G5602

καὶkaiAndG2532

ἀνέβησανanebēsanthey went upG305

εἰςeistoG1519

τὸνton<the>G3588

οὐρανὸνouranonheavenG3772

ἐνeninG1722

τῇtēatheG3588

νεφέλῃ,nephelēcloud,G3507

καὶkaiandG2532

ἐθεώρησανetheōrēsanbeheldG2334

αὐτοὺςautousthemG846

οἱhoitheG3588

ἐχθροὶechthroienemiesG2190

αὐτῶν.autōnof them.G846

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Revelation 11:12

Revelation 4:1
After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
2 Kings 2:11
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
Acts 1:9
And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
1 Thessalonians 4:17
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Ephesians 2:5-6
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
Revelation 12:5
And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.
Isaiah 60:8
Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?
Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Luke 16:23
And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
2 Kings 2:5
And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.
2 Kings 2:1
And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.
Revelation 3:21
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Come.
4:1; Ps 15:1; 24:3; Isa 40:31
And they.
3:21; 12:5; 2Ki 2:11; Isa 14:13; Ac 1:9; Ro 8:34-37; Eph 2:5,6
in.
Isa 60:8; Ac 1:9; 1Th 4:17
and their.
Ex 14:25; 2Ki 2:1,5,7; Ps 86:17; 112:10; Mal 3:18; Lu 16:23

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Revelation 11:11
And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.
Revelation 11:12
And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.
Revelation 11:13
And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

Read all of Revelation 11

Revelation 11:12 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y oyeron una grande voz del cielo, que les decía: Subid acá. Y subieron al cielo en una nube, y sus enemigos los vieron.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Et j’entendis une grande voix venant du ciel, leur disant: Montez ici. Et ils montèrent au ciel dans la nuée, et leurs ennemis les contemplèrent.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und ich hörte eine laute Stimme aus dem Himmel zu ihnen sagen: Steiget hier herauf! Und sie stiegen in den Himmel hinauf in der Wolke, und es schauten sie ihre Feinde.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et audierunt vocem magnam de cælo, dicentem eis: Ascendite huc. Et ascenderunt in cælum in nube: et viderunt illos inimici eorum.