# Connecting Statement:

God continues speaking to John.

# for 1,260 days

"for one thousand two hundred and sixty days" or "for twelve hundred and sixty days" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-numbers]])

# days, clothed in sackcloth

Why they will wear sackcloth can be made explicit. AT: "days, wearing rough mourning clothes" or "days: they will wear scratchy clothes to show that they are very sad" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-unknown]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])

# These witnesses are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that have stood before the Lord of the earth

The two olive trees and the two lampstands symbolize these people, but they are not literally the people. AT: "The two olive trees and the two lampstands that have stood before the Lord of the earth represent these witnesses" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/writing-symlanguage]])

# the two olive trees and the two lampstands that

John expects his readers to know about them because many years earlier another prophet had written about them. AT: "the two olive trees and the two lampstands, told about in scripture, that" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])

# fire comes out of their mouth and devours their enemies

Because this is about future events, it can also be stated in the future tense. AT: "fire will come out of their mouth and devour their enemies"

# fire ... devours their enemies

Fire burning and killing people is spoken of as if it were an animal that could eat them up. AT: "fire ... will destroy their enemies" or "fire ... will completely burn up their enemies" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# translationWords

* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/testimony]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/authority]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/prophet]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/clothed]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/sackcloth]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/olive]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/lampstand]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/lord]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/earth]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/fire]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/devour]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/adversary]]