Revelation 11:1
in Revelation 11Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers there.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and one said, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
KJV
And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.
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This verse in Revelation 11
Commentary
15 notes on this verseAnd there was given me a reed like unto a rod,.... A measuring reed, which with the Jews was six cubits long, Eze 40:5; with the Greeks and Romans, ten feet long; the Ethiopic version here calls it a "golden reed", as in Rev 21:
This site's exposition
measure the temple of God
on Revelation 11:1-2
John is told to measure the temple of God and the altar, but to leave the outer court, given over to the nations for 42 months. Some read a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, others the true worshipers marked off, and the 42 months equal the 1,260 days of verse 3.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
A commentator
Victorinus of PettauCommentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John · Written before 304.
proposed
"And there was shown unto me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein." A reed was shown like to a rod. This itself is the Apocalypse which he subsequently exhibited to the churches; for the Gospel of the complete faith he subsequently wrote for the sake of our salvation. For when Valentinus, and Cerinthus, and Ebion, and others of the school of Satan, were scattered abroad throughout the world, there assembled together to him from the neighbouring provinces all the bishops, and compelled him himself also to draw up his testimony. Moreover, we say that the measure of God's temple is the command of God to confess the Father Almighty, and that His Son Christ was begotten by the Father before the beginning of the world, and was made man in very soul and flesh, both of them having overcome misery and death; and that, when received with His body into heaven by the Father, He shed forth the Holy Spirit, the gift and pledge of immortality, that He was announced by the prophets, He was described by the law, He was God's hand, and the Word of the Father from God, Lord over all, and founder of the world: this is the reed and the measure of faith; and no one worships the holy altar save he who confesses this faith.
He commands that the teaching of a false faith and the contagion of a sinful way of life among the heretics, Jews and Gentiles be expelled, for it is not right that such persons approach the holy of holies. For the apostle says, "What have …
When he says "Rise," he arouses the church, for John, who is an image of the church, did not hear these things sitting down but standing up. "Measure," it says, "the temple and the altar and those who worship there." He did not command that …
In the visions that had come before, the apparition revealed to the divine John the multitude of saints accompanying Christ and the divine throne they beheld, among whom those from the nations far outnumbered those from Israel. But now, another vision shows him how many, …
The Medieval Church1 voice
We think that the church is called the "temple of the living God," for in it we offer spiritual sacrifices to God. And I think that the "court outside" is the assembly of the unbelieving Gentiles and Jews, and so by virtue of their impiety …
8 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church4 voices
And there was given me a reed like unto a rod, saying: Arise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar and them that adore therein. He says this in the person of preachers in general. The reed represents metaphorically the divine preaching written …
And a reed like a rod was given to me. In the reed, he received the ministry of writing the Gospel, which is not superfluous in vain elegance, but like a rod of righteousness, the rod of the kingdom of God (Hebrews I). For he …
Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar. He said rise, not because John was hearing these things while sitting, but because with this word he rouses the hearts of each one to measure the evangelical Scripture and deeds. For there they find …
And those who worship in it. Because not all who seem to worship in it do so, just as he who confesses me. Finally, he commands that a part not be counted, saying:
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Ezekiel's prophecy was not fulfilled at the return from the Babylonish captivity.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
And there was given me - He does not say by whom, but the connection would seem to imply that it was by the angel. All this is of course to be regarded as symbolical. The representation undoubtedly pertains to a future age, but the language is such as would be properly addressed to one who had been a Jew, and the imagery employed is such as he would be more likely to understand than any other.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Heb 1:8, Greek, "a rod of straightness," English Version, "a scepter of righteousness"; this is added to guard against it being thought that the reed was one "shaken by the wind" In the abrupt style of the Apocalypse, "saying" is possibly indefinite, put for "one said." Still WORDSWORTH'S view agrees best with Greek.
And there was given me a reed - See Eze 40:3, etc. Measure the temple of God - This must refer to the temple of Jerusalem; and this is another presumptive evidence that it was yet standing.
The words behind it
22 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἐδόθη | edothe | was given | G1325 → | 412 times |
| μοι | moi | to me | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| κάλαμος | kalamos | a measuring rod | G2563 → | 12 times |
| ὅμοιος | homoios | like | G3664 → | 45 times |
| ῥάβδῳ | rhabdo | as a staff | G4464 → | 12 times |
| λέγων· | legon | saying; | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| ἔγειρε | egeire | do rise | G1453 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| μέτρησον | metreson | do measure | G3354 → | 11 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ναὸν | naon | temple | G3485 → | 45 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ | theou | of God | G2316 → | 1312 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τὸ | to | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θυσιαστήριον, | thusiasterion | altar, | G2379 → | 23 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τοὺς | tous | those | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| προσκυνοῦντας | proskunountas | worshiping | G4352 → | 60 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| αὐτῷ. | auto | it. | G846 → | 5565 times |
ΚαὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἐδόθηwas given
edotheG1325 →412 times
μοιto me
moiG3165 →1936 times
κάλαμοςa measuring rod
kalamosG2563 →12 times
ὅμοιοςlike
homoiosG3664 →45 times
ῥάβδῳas a staff
rhabdoG4464 →12 times
λέγων·saying;
legonG3004 →1325 times
ἔγειρεdo rise
egeireG1453 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
μέτρησονdo measure
metresonG3354 →11 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
ναὸνtemple
naonG3485 →45 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦof God
theouG2316 →1312 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τὸthe
toG3588 →19766 times
θυσιαστήριον,altar,
thusiasterionG2379 →23 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τοὺςthose
tousG3588 →19766 times
προσκυνοῦνταςworshiping
proskunountasG4352 →60 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
αὐτῷ.it.
autoG846 →5565 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
4 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Revelation 21:15The angel who spoke with me had a golden measuring rod to measure the city and its gates and walls.
it leads to
- Zechariah 2:1
Then I lifted up my eyes and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand.
- Revelation 11:1–2
Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshipers there.
- Ezekiel 41:1–5
Then the man brought me into the outer sanctuary and measured the side pillars to be six cubits wide on each side.
- Exodus 40:3–5
Put the ark of the Testimony in it and screen off the ark with the veil.
- Zechariah 2:1
Where this verse is studied
About Revelation
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Alcuin of York, COMMENTARY ON REVELATION; Andreas of Caesarea, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 11:1-2; Bede, Commentary on Revelation; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Oecumenius, Commentary on Revelation; Primasius of Hadrumetum, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 11:2; Ticonius, COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 11:1-2 and Victorinus of Pettau, Commentary on the Apocalypse of the Blessed John.