“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.”
My Notes
What Does Revelation 11:2 Mean?
Revelation 11:2 introduces a measurement — and a deliberate exclusion. An angel has told John to measure the temple of God, the altar, and the worshippers (v. 1). But the outer court is to be left out, cast aside, because "it is given unto the Gentiles." The distinction is between what God protects and what He allows to be trampled.
The "holy city" trodden underfoot for "forty and two months" echoes Daniel 7:25 and 12:7, where a period of three and a half years represents a season of intense tribulation — long enough to be devastating, short enough to signal it will end. Forty-two months, 1,260 days, three and a half years — this time signature recurs throughout Revelation and Daniel as the designated duration of persecution and testing. It's a bounded season.
Interpretations vary widely. Some read this as literal future events involving a rebuilt Jerusalem temple. Others see it as symbolic: the inner temple represents the true spiritual community God preserves, while the outer court represents the visible, institutional structures that can be overrun by hostile forces. In either reading, the core message holds — God measures and protects what is His, even while allowing external structures to suffer temporary violation. The trampling has an expiration date.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Have you ever experienced a season where it felt like something sacred in your life was being 'trampled'? How did you hold onto hope?
- 2.What does it mean to you that God 'measures' what He protects — that claiming and preserving are active choices He makes?
- 3.How do you endure when suffering has a known limit but you can't see the end yet?
- 4.What's the difference between the 'inner temple' and the 'outer court' in your own spiritual life — what's protected versus what's vulnerable?
Devotional
There's something quietly reassuring buried inside this intense prophetic imagery. God tells John to measure the inner temple — and measuring in Scripture is an act of ownership and protection. What God measures, God claims. But the outer court? Leave it. It's been given over.
If you've ever watched something you cared about — a church, a community, a season of life — get trampled by forces beyond your control, this verse speaks to that experience. The outer structures can be overrun. The visible things can be damaged. But the inner reality — the place where worship happens, where God meets His people — that is measured, claimed, and preserved.
Forty-two months. It sounds like a long time when you're living through it. But notice: it has a number. The trampling isn't permanent. The suffering isn't open-ended. God doesn't say "the Gentiles will trample the holy city forever." He gives it a limit. If you're in a season that feels like everything sacred is being walked on, this verse says two things simultaneously: yes, this is real — and no, it won't last. God hasn't lost track of the timeline, and He hasn't lost track of you.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not,.... The allusion is to the court of the…
But the court which is without the temple - Which is outside of the temple proper, and, therefore, which does not…
But the court - is given unto the Gentiles - The measuring of the temple probably refers to its approaching destruction,…
This prophetical passage about measuring the temple is a plain reference to what we find in Ezekiel's vision, Eze 40:3,…
the court which is without the temple The words might be translated "the outer court of the Temple." It must be…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture