Revelation 2 (BHT-ATN)

“To the Messenger to the Assembly in Ephesus Write”

1 “To the messenger+ to the assembly in Ephesus write: ‘Thus says he who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands: 2 I know ˢyour+ deeds and your hard work and patient endurance, and that you don’t dare put up with evildoers; you have tested those who claim to be “apostles,” even though they really aren’t, and have discovered them frauds. 3 ˢYou are enduring so patiently,+ and have suffered hardships because of my name+ and haven’t grown weary.

4 ‘Nevertheless, I have this against ˢyou: You have abandoned the love indeed that you had at first.+ 5 Remember the high state from which you have fallen, therefore, and repent and do those things you did early on. If you don’t, I will surely come to you and remove your lampstand from its place—if you don’t repent. 6 Yet you do have this in your favor+: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I myself hate, too. 7 If someone has an ear to hear, let him pay close attention+ to what the Spirit is saying to the assemblies. The victor: I will grant him the right to eat the fruit from the tree of life, which is in the Garden+ of God.’+

“To the Messenger to the Assembly in Smyrna Write”

8 “To the messenger+ to the assembly in Smyrna write: ‘Thus says the First and the Last, who died and came back to life: 9 I know about ˢyour suffering and your poverty (though you are actually rich), and about the slanderous things being spoken against you by those who call themselves Jews, but aren’t true Israelites+; on the contrary, they are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Don’t be afraid of the things ᵖyou are going to suffer. Listen carefully: The devil is going to have some of ᵖyou thrown into prison so that ᵖyou may be tested, and ᵖyou will suffer trial and persecution for a short time.+ Remain faithful even to the point of death, and I will give ˢyou the victor’s crown of life. 11 If someone has an ear to hear, let him pay close attention+ to what the Spirit is saying to the assemblies. The victor will certainly not be harmed by the second death.’

“To the Messenger to the Assembly in Pergamum Write”

12 “To the messenger+ to the assembly in Pergamum write: ‘Thus says he who has the sharp, double-edged sword: 13 I know where ˢyou live—where Satan’s throne is. Yet you continue to hold fast to my name, and did not renounce your faith in me even during the time when+ Antipas—the faithful witness, who bore solemn testimony about me—was killed in your city,+ where Satan lives.

14 ‘Nevertheless, I have a few things against ˢyou: There are some among you+ who adhere to the teaching of Balaam, who instructed Balak to place a stumbling block of temptation before the people of Israel, to entice them to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.+ 15 Similarly, there are people among you+ who adhere to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 So repent! If ˢyou don’t, I will come to you suddenly+ and meet these people+ in battle with the sword of my mouth. 17 If someone has an ear to hear, let him pay close attention to what the Spirit is saying to the assemblies. The victor: I will give him some of the hidden manna.+ I will also give him a white stone,+ on which+ will be inscribed a new name,+ which no one will know, except one: The person who receives it.’

“To the Messenger to the Assembly in Thyatira Write”

18 “To the messenger+ to the assembly in Thyatira write: ‘Thus says the Son of God, whose eyes are like a fiery flame and whose feet are like bright, glowing metal: 19 I know ˢyour deeds and love and faith and service and your patient endurance, and that the things you are doing now excel+ the things you did at first.+

20 ‘Nevertheless, I have this against ˢyou: You keep putting up with that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she deceives+ my servants into committing sexual immorality and eating food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent, but she refuses to turn from+ her immorality. 22 Listen! I am about to strike her with severe illness,+ and those who are committing adultery with her with severe affliction—if they do not repent of the wicked things they do at her bidding.+ 23 Yes, her followers+ I will slay with a deadly plague,+ and all the assemblies will know that I AM the one who searches minds and hearts, and will repay each of you according to your deeds.

24 ‘I say, now, to the rest of ᵖyou in Thyatira, to all who do not hold to this teaching, who have not learned+ the “deep secrets”—of Satan!—+as they refer to them: I do not place on ᵖyou any additional load.+ 25 To what ᵖyou have, however, hold fast until I come. 26 The victor, indeed the one who obeys to the finish the things I bid you to do+: I will grant him authority over the nations, 27 and he will “shepherd them with an iron scepter,” and as his own prize will “crush them to pieces like pottery,”+ 28 just as I, too, have received authority from my Father; I will give him the morning star.+ 29 If someone has an ear to hear, let him pay close attention+ to what the Spirit is saying to the assemblies.’

+1:1Divine necessity is implied by the verb used here (see translation and notes at Mt 16:21, Jn 3:15; UBSHS [Re], 12).+1:1Cf Lk 21:31.+1:1Or happen soon, or happen suddenly.+1:1Or messenger.+1:2Cf NLT.+1:2Or word.+1:3Or and pay close attention to.+1:4Cf Ex 3:14 (LXX). See NET Bible Notes, Re 1:4, for a solid explanation of the rough grammar here (ie, John is not wanting to alter the divine name). See also Wallace, Grammar, 62.+1:4Or from the seven spirits. Cf CJB, HCSB footnote, NIV footnote, NLT. An allusion to Is 11:2-3 (LXX).+1:5Cf Ps 89:38. The nominative case is being used in apposition to the genitive here to preserve the titles from the OT (see Wallace, Grammar, 62). In other words, the grammar here is intentionally violated for the sake of theological connection to the OT.+1:5Cf Ps 89:27; Re 17:14, 19:16.+1:5Cf NET.+1:6Cf Ex 19:6; Ml 1:11; Jn 4:21-24; Rm 12:1-2, 15:16; 1 Th 1:3; 1 Pt 2:9; Heb 13:15.+1:7Dn 7:13 (LXX)+1:7Or even.+1:7Or of the earth. Cf Zc 12:10-14. The Greek word that is used here can mean “land,” “earth,” “ground,” or “region,” depending on the context. So throughout Revelation.+1:7Zc 12:10-14+1:9Lit your brother and fellow-sharer. Cf Php 1:7.+1:9IT (see UBSHS [Re], 25). Cf Ac 14:22; Rm 8:17; Php 3:10-11; Re 11:15, 12:10.+1:9Cf, eg, Rm 8:17; Php 3:10-11.+1:10Lit I became in the Spirit. ME (see UBSHS [Re], 28). The entrance into a state signaled by the verb here is difficult to convey in natural English without an ME. Hence the rendering here. Cf CEV, TEV.+1:10Lit I heard behind me a great voice like a trumpet. In English, “voice” is typically used for intelligible messages, while trumpets make “sound.” Hence the rendering here. Cf UBSHS (Re), 28.+1:11Or in a book.+1:12Lit to see the voice that was speaking with me. ME. Cf CJB, NCV, NLT, TEV.+1:13Or among the lampstands.+1:13Dn 7:13+1:13Lit girded about at the chest with a golden sash. Cf ISV, NIV, NLT.+1:15Lit [was] like the sound/voice of many waters. ME(OTB)/IT (see BDAG, 1071, sv φωνή 1; ESS [Re 1-11], 36; UBSHS [Re], 31). Cf CJB, ESV, NET, NIV; ISV, NCV, NET, NLT, TEV at Ezk 43:2; NCV, NIV, NLT, NRSV at Ps 93:4.+1:16Lit And his face was like the sun shining in its power. ME (see UBSHS [Re], 32). Cf HCSB, ISV, NET, TEV.+1:18Lit Hades. ME(OTB). Hades is the Greek word used in the LXX for Sheol, the abode of the dead (see, eg, Ps 6:6 in the LXX).+1:19Lit the things that are. ME (see UBSHS [Re], 34).+1:19Lit destined to happen after these things. ME. Cf NIV. “These things” are referring to “the things that are,” and therefore “after these things” is referring to future occurrences.+1:20Or angels.+2:1Or angel.+2:2Here the pronoun is singular because Jesus is speaking to the assembly as a whole.+2:3Lit And you have patient endurance. ME. Cf ESV, NRSV, RSV.+2:3Or for the sake of my name.+2:4Cf Ac 19:17-20.+2:6Cf CJB, ISV, NCV, NET, NIV, NLT, NRSV.+2:7Lit He who has an ear, let him hear. ME(I/F) (see translation and notes at Mt 11:15).+2:7Or Eden, or Paradise. ME(OTB) (see BDAG, 761, sv παράδεισος 1; NASB Dic, #3857; LEH LXX Lex, sv παράδεισος; ANLEX, 294, sv παράδεισος 1; UBSHS [Re], 44). In the LXX, this was the word used for the Garden of Eden.+2:7Cf Gn 2:8-9; Ezk 47:12; Re 22:1-2.+2:8Or angel.+2:9Lit but are not. ME (see translation and notes at Rm 2:25-29, Ga 6:16, and Re 3:9). Cf NCV; Re 3:9. Cf also Lv 26:41; Dt 10:16, 30:6; Ps 32:2, 73:1; Jr 4:4, 9:25; Jn 1:47; Ac 7:51, 14:2, 17:5; Rm 2:17-29; 15:31; Re 2:2, 3:9. In both the Old and New Testaments, a “true Israelite/Jew” is a Jew who is circumcised outwardly (see Gn 17) and circumcised inwardly (ie, on the inside he is free of deceit, repentant, loyal to God, etc), while a “false Jew/Israelite” is a Jew who is circumcised outwardly but full of wickedness and deceit inwardly (cf Lv 26:41; Dt 10:16, 30:6; Ps 32:2, 73:1; Jr 4:4, 9:25; Jn 1:47; Ac 7:51, 14:2, 17:5; Rm 2:17-29; 15:31). Thus, for a “Jew” to “not be a Jew” simply means that a Jewish person (or Gentile proselyte; cf Mt 23:15), though circumcised outwardly, is still uncircumcised of heart (cf Re 2:2 and 3:2, where the same language is used in context to discriminating the true [authentic] from the false [inauthentic]). In Smyrna and Asia more widely, this uncircumcision of heart (cf Ac 5:17, 17:5) sometimes manifested itself in slander and persecution of followers of the Messiah (eg Ac 19:33), both Jew and Gentile (cf Ac 19:17). (It is worth noting here that in the book of Acts, Jewish persecution against believers was most often instigated by Jewish leaders and those influenced by them [see ESV footnotes at Ac 9:23, 13:50, 17:5, 18:12]; in fact, prior to Acts 10, every example of persecution we see involves Jews persecuting other Jews!) That some Jews had uncircumcised hearts, however, does not mean that God has abandoned the Jewish people and his covenant promises to Israel (see Rm 9-11)! Nor does it mean that the Jewish people are any more inherently vile or wicked than Gentiles! We all deserve the Lake of Fire, and it is by the blood of Jesus alone that any of us are spared such punishment.+2:10Lit for ten days. ME. “In apocalyptic literature ten days stands for a short, limited amount of time” ( UBSHS [Re], 48; cf BDAG, 216, sv δέκα). Cf Gn 24:55, Dn 1:12-14.+2:11Lit He who has an ear, let him hear. ME(I/F) (see translation and notes at Mt 11:15).+2:12Or angel.+2:13Lit in the days of. ME. Cf CJB, NCV, TEV.+2:13Lit was killed at you. ME (see BDAG, 757, sv παρά B.1.b.β.). Cf CJB, NCV, NET NIV.+2:14Lit ˢyou have there. ME. Cf NET at v 15; TEV. The singular pronoun is addressing the assembly as a whole.+2:14An allusion to Nu 25.+2:15Lit ˢyou too have. ME. Cf NET; TEV at v 14. The singular pronoun is addressing the assembly as a whole.+2:16Or soon, or without delay, or quickly. So throughout Revelation. Cf NLT.+2:16Lit them.+2:17Cf Ex 16:32-34; Jr 3:15-17; Jn 6:31-41; Heb 9:4. See also 2 Mac 2:4-8.+2:17The “white stone” here most likely means either (1) a vote of acquittal (see BDAG, 1098, sv ψῆφος 1; cf Ac 26:10); or (2) admission to the Messianic feast as guests with special privileges (see ANLEX, 414, sv ψῆφος 3; JNTC, Re 2:17).+2:17Lit and on the stone.+2:17Cf Is 62:2, 65:15 (LXX).+2:18Or angel.+2:19Or are more than.+2:19Lit that your last works are more than/excel the first. ME (see UBSHS [Re], 58). Cf CJB, NCV, NIV, TEV.+2:20Lit She teaches and deceives. The coordinated verbs are interpreted as a hendiadys (ie, the expression of a unified concept by means of coordination). This is reflected in the translation. Cf NCV, NET, NIV, TEV.+2:21Lit to repent of. ME (see UBSHS [Re], 59). Cf NCV, NLT, TEV.+2:22Lit throw her onto a bed. ME(I/F) (see L-N, 23.152; UBSHS [Re], 59).+2:22Cf Dt 28:22, 29:22; 32:39;1 Sm 2:6, 25:38; 2 Sm 24:16; 2 Ki 19:35; 2 Ch 21:11-20; Ps 106:15; Hs 6:1; Ac 5:1-11, 13:8-12, 12:23.+2:23Lit her children. ME(I/F) (see L-N, 36.40; NET Bible Notes, Re 2:23). Cf NCV, NET, TEV.+2:23Lit will kill with death. ME. In this context, “death” means a deadly pestilence or plague (see BDAG, 443, sv θάνατος 3; L-N, 23.158; NET Bible Notes, Re 2:23).+2:24Or experienced.+2:24The genitive here is interpreted as the Lord’s evaluation of, and indignation towards, the teachings and practices taught by Jezebel, rather than as a self-designated description (following Vincent; see Vincent, Word Studies, 2:457). This is reflected in the translation.+2:24Or burden. Cf Ac 15:28.+2:26Lit the deeds of me. The genitive here is a subjective genitive, and ἔργα ( erga) approximates “commands” in meaning (see BDAG, 390, sv ἔργον 1.c.β.; UBSHS [Re], 63). Cf CJB, NCV, TEV here; NCV, NET, NIV, TEV at Jn 6:28. Here Jesus is stressing the things that he commands his disciples to do, in contrast to the things that Jezebel commands her disciples to do (v 20, 22, 24).+2:27Ps 2:9 (LXX). Cf Nu 24:17; Ps 149; Is 11:14; Zc 14:17-19.+2:28As the context makes clear, the morning star, usually identified with Venus (see, eg, BDAG, 147, sv ἀστήρ; L-N, 1.33; UBSHS [Re], 64), represents governmental authority granted in context to the commencement of the new “Day,” ie, the Messianic Kingdom to be established at Jesus’ return (see note at 2 Pt 2:19). Cf Gn 1:14-19 (“rule/govern” the night); Nu 24:17; Jb 9:9, 38:32; Ps 19:1-6, 84:11; Is 40:25-26, 60:1-2; Dn 7:27, 12:3; Ml 4:2; Mt 13:43; Lk 1:78; Rm 10:14-18, 13:11-12; 2 Pt 1:19; Re 20:4, 22:16. Jesus will be the chief ruler in the coming Kingdom as “the Bright Morning Star” (Re 22:16). Cf FSB, Re 2:28.+2:29Lit He who has an ear, let him hear. ME(I/F) (see translation and notes at Mt 11:15).