11:8a
Their bodies: The Greek phrase is literally “their body,” but it refers to both bodies.
street: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as street refers to an important or broad street. For example:
main street (New Living Translation (2004))
the great city: This phrase refers to Jerusalem, or possibly Rome or all places where the people oppose God. John purposely did not name the city here.
great: The word great indicates that the city is an important or well-known city. For example:
important (God’s Word)
11:8b
figuratively called Sodom and Egypt: The people of Sodom sinned greatly (Genesis 13:13). The people of Egypt oppressed God’s people (Exodus 3:7,9). God punished them for those sins. Perhaps at this time, the people of Jerusalem will be sinning greatly too. But John does not explain why the great city is called Sodom and Egypt. So you should not explain it in your translation either.
This clause tells the reader more about the great city. Translate this clause so that it tells more about the great city. Some languages must avoid using the word “which” to do so. For example:
It is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt.
figuratively called: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as figuratively means “spiritually.” It indicates that the great city is like Sodom and Egypt, perhaps in their bad thinking toward God. Other ways to translate this phrase are:
that is prophetically called (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
which mystically is called (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
known by the symbolic names (New Jerusalem Bible)
11:8c
where their Lord was also crucified:
This phrase tells the reader more about the “great city.” Translate it so that it tells more about the great city. Some languages must avoid using the word where to do so. For example:
Their Lord was crucified there.
John’s readers knew that Jesus was crucified at Jerusalem. But the “great city” might be symbolic of all people who are enemies of God. You may want to explain this in a footnote:
Jesus was crucified at Jerusalem. But the “great city” may be symbolic of all people who are enemies of God.
their Lord was also crucified: This clause is passive. Some languages must use an active clause. The particular people who crucified Jesus is not important here. For example:
⌊people⌋ crucified the Lord of those two witnesses
their: The pronoun their refers to the two witnesses, and not to the people of the great city.
Lord: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Lord means “the one who has authority over (something),” or “owner.” Jesus is ruler over the two witnesses, so they always did what he told them.
crucified: The word crucified refers to a method of executing someone. Soldiers nailed the prisoner to a wooden cross through the wrists and feet. Then they raised the cross and stood it up in a hole in the ground. The person hung from the cross in great pain until he died. Other ways to translate this word are:
nailed to a cross
-or-
put on a cross to die
If you have translated one or more of the Gospels, see how you translated this word in Matthew 20:19, Mark 15:13, Luke 23:21, or John 19:6.
General Comment on 11:8b–c
The “great city” is described in two ways in 11:8b–c. It is given two symbolic names. In some languages a literal translation would wrongly indicate that Jesus was crucified in Sodom and Egypt. If that is true in your language, you may want to reorder the phrases. For example:
where their Lord was crucified, which is also figuratively called Sodom and Egypt.
-or-
where the Lord was killed. This city is named Sodom and Egypt, which has a spiritual meaning. (New Century Version)
-or-
where their Lord was crucified. The spiritual names of that city are Sodom and Egypt. (God’s Word)
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