Why Does Revelation 11:8 Say “Their Lord” Instead of “Our Lord”?

Textual variants in Revelation 11:8 reveal a profound spiritual connection between the destiny of God’s witnesses and the sacrifice of Christ Himself. An analysis of ancient Greek manuscripts helps us gain a deeper understanding of the prophetic imagery in the eleventh chapter of Revelation and the mission of the faithful in times of apostasy.

Bible readers often notice a difference between translations of this verse: some read “our Lord,” while others, including many modern editions, say “their Lord.”

“And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified.” Rev 11:8

The Evidence of the Greek Manuscripts

In the earliest and most reliable New Testament manuscripts, such as Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Alexandrinus, we find the phrase «ὅπου καὶ ὁ κύριος αὐτῶν ἐσταυρώθη». The pronoun αὐτῶν translates into English as “their” (third person plural). That is why modern critical editions of the Greek text (Nestle-Aland) and the translations based on them contain the phrase “where also their Lord was crucified.”

The variant with the pronoun ἡμῶν (“our”) appeared in later Byzantine manuscripts. It eventually made its way into the printed Textus Receptus during the Reformation era. Because of this, the reading “our Lord” entered the English King James Version (KJV), the Russian Synodal translation, and several traditional Ukrainian translations. Scribes may have piously altered “their” to “our,” identifying themselves with the community of believers and expressing their own personal devotion to the Crucified Savior.

The Prophetic Meaning of the Phrase “Their Lord”

Why, then, does the original text emphasize the pronoun “their”? The context of the eleventh chapter reveals the story of the two witnesses who prophesy in sackcloth for 1,260 days.

“And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” Rev 11:3

Seventh-day Adventists historically understand the two witnesses to represent the Old and New Testaments, testifying to God’s truth throughout the long period of papal supremacy. The phrase “their Lord” points to the unbreakable unity between these prophetic witnesses and Jesus Himself. The Word of God always bears witness of Christ, and the fate of the witnesses is intimately intertwined with the fate of their Master.

A disciple is not above his Teacher. Just as Christ suffered at the hands of the religious and civil authorities of His day, so His Word undergoes persecution, mockery, and symbolic death.

The Great City: Sodom, Egypt, and the Place of Crucifixion

John specifically emphasizes that the names of the city are symbolic: “symbolically called” (or “spiritually called”). This is not literal Jerusalem, Sodom, or Egypt, but a prophetic symbol of a system that rejects the truth.

Sodom embodies moral decay, degradation, and contempt for God’s law. Egypt symbolizes open atheism, the defiance of earthly rulers, and Pharaoh’s insolent question: “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice?”

The mention of the place “where their Lord was crucified” points to the spirit of religious betrayal, dogmatic formalism, and cruelty that led to Calvary. In the book The Great Controversy, Ellen White explains that this prophecy met a striking historical fulfillment during the events of the French Revolution. At that time, the state officially abolished the worship of God, proclaimed atheism, and banned the Holy Scriptures. The assault on the Bible was a direct attempt to “crucify” Christ anew in the person of His Word.

Lessons for the Modern Christian

The textual difference between “our” and “their” does not alter a single doctrine of our faith. Christ remains the Lord of every redeemed heart. At the same time, the phrase “their Lord” serves as a powerful practical reminder for us.

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.” John 15:18

If we stand on the side of truth, we must be prepared for the world to respond to us just as it responded to Jesus Christ. Today, Christians are called to hold fast to the biblical Word even when the contemporary world combines within itself the immorality of Sodom, the godlessness of Egypt, and the spiritual blindness of those who crucified the Savior. Our faithfulness to Scripture must be steadfast, for we know: after the three and a half days of reproach, the witnesses are resurrected by God’s power, and Christ will return as King of kings.