Structure in Revelation 11

The account of the two witnesses (Revelation 11:3-13) is arranged in a chiastic order:

A. Two witnesses, olive trees, lampstands, vv 3-4

B. Devouring enemies with fire from mouth, v 5 

C. Authority to shut up heaven, turn waters, smite earth, v 6 

D. Beast from abyss makes war, overcomes, kills the witnesses, v 7

E. Body in street of great city for 3 1/2 days, v 8

F. Peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations look at bodies, v 9

F’. Land-dwellers rejoice, make merry, give gifts, v 10

E’. After 3 1/2 days, v 11a

D’. Spirit of life revives them, and they stand, v. 11b

C’. Called to heaven and ascend to heaven, v 12a

B’. Enemies behold them, v 12b

A’. Earthquake destroys 1/10 of the city, v 13

The least cogent parallel comes at the ends, A/A’. A introduces the two witnesses, but makes no mention of a city. A’ focuses on the destruction of the city and the great fear that falls on the people of the city as a result. Formally, both give a lot of attention to numbers. A mentions three times that there are two witnesses (two witnesses, olive trees, lampstands); A’ notes that 1/10 of the city falls, and that 7000 people are killed. That is a thin connection, though. Perhaps it would be better to push A back to 11:2, which refers to the trampling of the “holy city.” The passage would then begin and end with references to the city. If we include v. 2 in the structure, then John’s own commissioning as prophet becomes part of the story of the witnesses. His own ministry, life, death, and exaltation is incorporated into the story.

In any case, the remainder of the passage is neatly chiastic, with clear verbal echoes across the text. And that indicates that the narrative focuses on the reaction of two sets of people to the death of the two witnesses. The reaction of the Gentile peoples and tribes is neutral; the land-dwellers consider the two witnesses to be enemies and so rejoice over their demise. The divergence of this reaction will be important later in Revelation, when the land-dwellers drink from the whore’s cup, become drunk, and fall in her fall (Revelation  17:2).