καὶ τὸ πτῶμα αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τῆς πλατείας τῆς πόλεως τῆς μεγάλης, ἥτις καλεῖται πνευματικῶς Σόδομα καὶ Αἴγυπτος, ὅπου καὶ ὁ Κύριος αὐτῶν ἐσταυρώθη.
Subject and Location of Exposure: καὶ τὸ πτῶμα αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τῆς πλατείας τῆς πόλεως τῆς μεγάλης
– καὶ: Coordinating conjunction—”and.”
– τὸ πτῶμα: Accusative singular neuter of πτῶμα, “corpse” or “dead body.”
– Subject of the implied verb “lies” or “was” (understood from the context).
– αὐτῶν: Genitive plural personal pronoun—”their.”
– Possessive genitive modifying πτῶμα: “their dead body” (collectively referring to the two witnesses).
– ἐπὶ τῆς πλατείας: Preposition ἐπὶ with genitive—”on the street.”
– πλατείας: Genitive singular feminine of πλατεία, “broad street” or “public square.”
– τῆς πόλεως τῆς μεγάλης: Genitive singular of πόλις with modifiers.
– τῆς μεγάλης: Genitive singular feminine adjective—”great.”
– Full phrase: “of the great city.”
– Translation: “And their corpse [lies] on the street of the great city.”
Relative Clause with Spiritual Interpretation: ἥτις καλεῖται πνευματικῶς Σόδομα καὶ Αἴγυπτος
– ἥτις: Relative pronoun with explanatory force—”which indeed,” used to introduce further qualification.
– καλεῖται: Present passive indicative, 3rd person singular of καλέω, “is called.”
– πνευματικῶς: Adverb—”spiritually,” indicating symbolic or figurative naming.
– Σόδομα καὶ Αἴγυπτος: Nominative singular names used metaphorically.
– Both carry intense theological weight:
– Σόδομα: Symbol of moral corruption and judgment.
– Αἴγυπτος: Symbol of oppression and bondage.
– Phrase translation: “which is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt.”
– This clause reveals a symbolic indictment of the city, not its literal identity.
Relative Clause of Historical Fulfillment: ὅπου καὶ ὁ Κύριος αὐτῶν ἐσταυρώθη
– ὅπου: Relative adverb—”where.”
– καὶ: Emphatic “also” or “even.”
– ὁ Κύριος αὐτῶν: Nominative phrase—”their Lord.”
– Κύριος: Nominative singular masculine—”Lord.”
– αὐτῶν: Genitive plural—”their.”
– ἐσταυρώθη: Aorist passive indicative, 3rd person singular of σταυρόω, “to crucify.”
– Passive voice emphasizes Christ’s being acted upon.
– Aorist tense presents the crucifixion as a completed historical act.
– Full translation: “where also their Lord was crucified.”
– This identifies the city as Jerusalem, though previously veiled in apocalyptic metaphor.
Symbolic Condemnation and Theological Juxtaposition
Revelation 11:8 blends literal history with symbolic geography. The clause ὅπου καὶ ὁ Κύριος αὐτῶν ἐσταυρώθη unmistakably locates the scene in Jerusalem, yet the city is not called by name. Instead, it’s described as Σόδομα and Αἴγυπτος—places synonymous with depravity and oppression—via the adverb πνευματικῶς.
The participial and appositional syntax places the judgment on the city’s spiritual state. Although Jerusalem was the historical site of the crucifixion, in Revelation’s apocalyptic worldview, it has become morally indistinguishable from Sodom and Egypt—opposing God’s prophets and executing the Messiah.
The grammar intensifies the theological point: the use of ἥτις rather than ἥ adds explanatory tone, implying “which, as you should know, is symbolically called…” The present passive καλεῖται reflects a current spiritual state, not merely historical memory.
The result is a judicial irony: the “great city” revered for its covenantal heritage now bears the names of cities destroyed for their rebellion. The syntax, vocabulary, and structure all contribute to Revelation’s indictment of false religion and compromised covenant identity.
