Bede
A.D. 673–735
“And they did not love their lives unto death. They rightly despise their lives for Christ, who by the blood of Christ have so greatly conquered the adversary.”
The interpretation timeline
Rev 12:11
How this passage has been read — the sources, oldest to newest.
From the early Church Fathers to now.
2 Patristic · 1 Medieval
Patristic
before A.D. 750
735
A.D.
Medieval
c. 750 – 1100
804
A.D.
Alcuin of York
c. A.D. 735–804
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony. They overcome him by the blood of the Lamb because they follow the example of the sufferings of Christ, and by the word of their testimony because they keep the rightness of faith. It is then added concerning them, and they loved not their lives unto death, which means that they put themselves to death so as not to love their lives wickedly.”
Undated
date unknown
Oecumenius
c. A.D. 550
“And they say that they resisted him on equal terms, having overcome the one who seemed invincible, as if daring even against God. They triumphed by employing a collaborator and helper in the precious blood of Christ, and by the word of the testimony given for Him, which they preferred over their own lives. Having therefore prevailed, all the angels of God rejoice, having been freed from the bitter region of Satan.”
Modern · 1953 →
The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.