Revelation 11:2
but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The command to "leave out" the outer court and not measure it is crucial: it's not about simply omitting a space, but about a deliberate act of exclusion, marking it as profane and belonging to the "nations," not God's people, signifying a separation within what appears to be worship. This outward area, though appearing connected to the temple, is declared by God as given over to external powers to trample, highlighting a profound distinction between outward profession and true belonging.
John is commanded to measure the temple, altar, and worshippers, signifying God's preservation of His true people amidst turmoil. However, he is specifically instructed to exclude the outer court and the holy city itself, as these are given over to the nations (Gentiles) to be trampled for a period of forty-two months. This exclusion signifies that while the inner sanctuary of true worship is protected, the broader visible church and city will be subjected to foreign domination and profanation for a designated time.
Why would God tell John to measure a part of His temple, only to say 'leave that out'?
In this vision, John is instructed to measure the inner temple, the altar, and the worshippers. This act signifies God's ownership and preservation of His true people and sacred space. However, he's explicitly told not to measure the outer court.
This outer court, often understood as the 'Court of the Gentiles,' represents something that appears connected to God's presence but is ultimately given over to external, ungodly powers. It's a place where people might gather in proximity to worship, but they don't belong to the innermost circle of God's true worshippers. Therefore, it's excluded from the 'measurement' – not because it's unimportant, but because it's not part of the sacred core God is preserving.
This highlights a crucial distinction: not everyone or everything that seems religious or connected to God's people is truly part of His kingdom. There's a boundary between those who are genuinely His and those who are not, even if they occupy the same general space.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Revelation 11:2 is available in the Sola app.
Even the 'holy city' is subjected to worldly powers. What does this tell us about God's rule during difficult times?
The verse states that the nations 'will trample the holy city for forty-two months.' This imagery is powerful and sobering.
The 'holy city' here is symbolic of Jerusalem, God's chosen dwelling place, and by extension, His people and His church. To be 'trampled under foot' signifies subjugation, desecration, and loss of control.
This doesn't mean God loses His ultimate sovereignty. Instead, it describes a specific period where He permits worldly powers (symbolized by 'the nations' or Gentiles) to exert dominance over His people and sacred spaces. This 'trampling' isn't arbitrary; it's limited by divine decree: 'forty-two months.'
This period, understood prophetically as 1260 days (each day representing a year), points to a defined time of trial, persecution, or spiritual compromise that God allows for His people's testing, refinement, or for His own purposes.
Understand the original words
ethnos · Greek Noun
In biblical contexts, often refers to the Gentiles or non-Jewish peoples, frequently characterized as being outside the covenant community or opposed to the kingdom of God. It highlights the distinction between the people of God and the world system.
pateō · Greek Verb
To treat with disrespect, tread down, or dominate. In apocalyptic literature, it signifies the temporary period of persecution or oppression inflicted upon the people of God by worldly powers.
The prophecy in Revelation 11:2 vividly recalls Jesus' words about Jerusalem being trampled by Gentiles and connects it to the destruction of the Temple and the city by the Romans, a recent and traumatic event for John's audience.
c. 20 BC - AD 64
Herod's Temple Expansion
Herod the Great began a massive renovation of the Second Temple, significantly expanding its courts, including the Court of the Gentiles. This architectural grandeur would later be associated with the holy city.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Olivet Discourse
Jesus prophesied the future trampling of Jerusalem by the Gentiles, referencing a period of tribulation. This prophecy is echoed in Revelation.
AD 66-70— this verse
First Jewish-Roman War and Temple Destruction
The Roman Empire waged war against Judea, culminating in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Second Temple. This event saw the 'holy city' and its courts trampled by Roman legions (Gentiles).
c. AD 95
Writing of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is believed to have been written during the reign of Emperor Domitian, a period of renewed Roman persecution against Christians.
This passage directly echoes the imagery of the 'holy city' being 'trodden under foot by the Gentiles,' highlighting a recurring theme of desecration and oppression against God's people and sacred places throughout Scripture.
Daniel 7:25This verse introduces the concept of a specific, limited period ('a time, times, and half a time') during which a hostile power will persecute God's people, a theme mirrored in Revelation's 'forty-two months.'
Ezekiel 40:3-5The act of 'measuring' the temple in Revelation directly parallels Ezekiel's vision, where measuring signifies preservation and delineation of what is holy amidst impurity and destruction.
Isaiah 63:18This prophetic lament speaks of God's people being dispossessed and their sacred land trampled, resonating with the imagery of the holy city being given over to hostile forces.
barnesRevelation 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 the court which is without the temple - Which is outside of the temple proper, and, therefore, which does not strictly pertain to it. There is undoubtedly reference here to the "court of the Gentiles," as it was called among the Jews - the outer court of the temple to which the Gentiles had access,…
pulpitRevelation 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."
Verse 2. - But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles; it hath been given (Revised Version). Not merely "leave out," but "cast out." The "court which is without the temple" was entered only by Jews. It seems, therefore, here to signify part…
The command to "leave out" the outer court and not measure it is crucial: it's not about simply omitting a space, but about a deliberate act of exclusion, marking it as profane and belonging to the "nations," not God's people, signifying a separation within what appears to be worship. This outward area, though appearing connected to the temple, is declared by God as given over to external powers to trample, highlighting a profound distinction between outward profession and true belonging.
John is commanded to measure the temple, altar, and worshippers, signifying God's preservation of His true people amidst turmoil. However, he is specifically instructed to exclude the outer court and the holy city itself, as these are given over to the nations (Gentiles) to be trampled for a period of forty-two months. This exclusion signifies that while the inner sanctuary of true worship is protected, the broader visible church and city will be subjected to foreign domination and profanation for a designated time.
John is commanded to measure the temple, altar, and worshippers, signifying God's preservation of His true people amidst turmoil. However, he is specifically instructed to exclude the outer court and the holy city itself, as these are given over to the nations (Gentiles) to be trampled for a period of forty-two months. This exclusion signifies that while the inner sanctuary of true worship is protected, the broader visible church and city will be subjected to foreign domination and profanation for a designated time.
"but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months." — The command to "leave out" the outer court and not measure it is crucial: it's not about simply omitting a space, but about a deliberate act of exclusion, marking it as profane and belonging to the "…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
