Revelation 2

Revelation · Chapter 2

Revelation 2:9

1Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;2I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:3And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.4Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.5Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.6But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.7He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.8And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;9I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.10Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.11He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.12And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;13I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.14But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.15So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.16Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.17He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.18And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;19I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.20Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.21And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.22Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.23And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.24But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.25But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.26And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:27And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.28And I will give him the morning star.29He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
9I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.I know your affliction and your poverty—though you are rich! And I am aware of the slander of those who falsely claim to be Jews, but are in fact a synagogue of Satan.I know thy tribulation, and thy poverty (but thou art rich), and the blasphemy of them that say they are Jews, and they are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

In context

AI-assisted, sourced

Revelation 2:8-11Smyrna

About Revelation 2The Son of man sends messages to four churches. Ephesus has laboured and kept patience but "hast left thy first love," and must "repent, and do the first works"; Smyrna, poor "but thou art rich," is told, "be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." Pergamos holds fast "where Satan's seat is" yet has some who hold "the doctrine of Balaam" and of the Nicolaitans, and Thyatira suffers "that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess," while each church hears, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." Revelation 2:2Revelation 2:4Revelation 2:5Revelation 2:9Revelation 2:10Revelation 2:13Revelation 2:14Revelation 2:15Revelation 2:20Revelation 2:29

Who, where and when in this chapter

Original Greek words

EnglishGreekSay itStrong'sMeaning
I knowοἶδάoidaG6063
to know

οἶδα (oida) 1. to know , εὖ οἶδα I know well; εὖ ἴσθι be assured : often with accusative rei, νοήματα οἶδε, μήδεα οἶδε he is versed in counsels, (Homer); with neut. Adjs., πεπνυμένα, φίλα, ἀθεμίστια εἰδώς (Homer); also with genitive, τόξων εὖ εἰδώς cunning in the use of the bow; οἰωνῶν σάφα εἰδώς (Odyssey by Homer): —; χάριν εἰδέναι τινί to acknowledge a debt to another, thank him , (Iliad by Homer), etc.:—;the Imperat. in protestations, ἴστω Ζεὺς αὐτός be Zeus my witness , (Iliad by Homer); doric ἴττω Ζεύς, ἴττω (Aristophanes Comicus): —; εἰδώς absolute one who knows , εἰδυίηι πάντ᾽ ἀγορεύω (Iliad by Hom …

yourσουsouG4771
you

σέ (se) αὐτός, -ή, -ό, determinative pron., in late Gk. much more frequently than in cl. (WM, 178f.; Jannaris, HGG, §1399). 1. Emphatic (so always in nom. exc. when preceded by the art., see infr., iii); (1) self (ipse), expressing opposition, distinction, exclusion, etc., αὐ. ἐκχυθήσεται, Luk.5:37; αὐ. ἐγινώσκεν, Jhn.2:25; αὐ.ὑμεῖς, Jhn.3:28; καὶ αὐ. ἐγώ, Rom.15:14; αὐ. Ἰησοῦς, Jhn.2:24; αὐ. καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, Mrk.2:25; ὑμεῖς αὐ., Mrk.6:31; esp. (as freq in cl.) αὐ. ὁ, Mat.3:4, Mrk.6:17, Jhn.16:27, 1Th.3:11, al.; in late Gk., sometimes weakened, ἐν αὐτῇ τ. ὥρᾳ, in that hour, Luk.10:21 (M, Pr., 91; …

worksἔργαergaG2041
work

ἔργον (ergon) ἔργον, -ου, τό (originally Ϝέργον, work), [very frequently in LXX, chiefly for מַשֶׂה, מְלָאכָה, also for עֲבֹדָה, פֹּעַל, etc. ;] 1. work, task, employment: Mrk.13:34, Jhn.4:34 17:4, Act.13:2, Php.1:22 2:30, 1Th.5:13, al.; of an enterprise or undertaking (Deu.15:10, Wis.2:12), Act.5:38. …

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

tribulationθλῖψινthlipsinG2347
pressure

θλῖψις (thlipsis) θλίψις (LTr., θλῖψις), -εως, ἡ (θλίβω), [in LXX for צָרָה, etc. ;] pressure (Arist.). In LXX and NT metaphorically, tribulation, affliction, distress: Mat.24:9, 21 24:29, Mrk.13:19, 24, Jhn.16:21, Act.7:11 11:19, Rom.12:12, 2Co.1:4 1:8 4:17 6:4 7:4 8:2 8:13, Php.4:14, 2Th.1:6, Jas.1:27, Rev.1:9 2:9, 22 7:14; with ἀνάγκη (which see), 1Th.3:7; στενοχωρία (which from the order of the words would appear to be the stronger term), Rom.2:9 8:35; διωγμός, Mat.13:21, Mrk.4:17, 2Th.1:4; θ. ἔχω, Jhn.16:33, 1Co.7:23, Rev.2:10; ἔρχεσθαι ἐπί, Act.7:11; ἐν θλίψει 1Th.1:6; pl., Act.7:10 14:22 20:28, Rom.5:3 …

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

poverty —πτωχείαν,ptōcheianG4432
poverty

πτωχεία (ptōcheia) πτωχεία, -ας, ἡ (πτωχεύω), [in LXX chiefly for עֳנִי ;] beggary, destitution: 2Co.8:2 8:9, Rev.2:9.† (AS)

richπλούσιοςplousiosG4145
rich

πλούσιος (plousios) πλούσιος, -α, -ον (πλοῦτος), [in LXX chiefly for עָשִׁיר ;] rich, wealthy: Mat.27:57, Luk.12:16 14:12 16:1, 19 18:23 19:2. Substantively, ὁ π., Luk.16:21-22, Jas.1:10-11; oἱ π., Luk.6:24 21:1, 1Ti.6:17, Jas.2:6 5:1, Rev.6:15 13:16; anarth., a rich man, Mat.19:23-24, Mrk.10:25 12:41, Luk.18:25. Metaphorical, of God, ἐν ἐλέει (= cl., with genitive, dative), Eph.2:4; of Christ, 2Co.8:9; of Christians, Rev.2:9 3:17; ἐν πίστει, Jas.2:5.† (AS)

nowδὲdeG1161
then

δέ (de) δέ (before vowels δ᾽; on the general neglect of the elision in NT, see WH, App., 146; Tdf., Pr., 96), post-positive conjunctive particle; 1. copulative, but, in the next place, and, now (Abbott, JG, 104): Mat.1:2ff., 2Co.6:15, 16, 2Pe.1:5-7; in repetition for emphasis, Rom.3:21, 22, 9:30, 1Co.2:6, Gal.2:2, Php.2:8; in transition to something new, Mat.1:18, 2:19, Luk.13:1, Jhn.7:14, Act.6:1, Rom.8:28, 1Co.7:1 8:1, al.; in explanatory parenthesis or addition, Jhn.3:19, Rom.5:8, 1Co.1:12, Eph.2:4, 5:32, al.; ὡς δέ, Jhn.2:9; καὶ . . . δέ, but also, Mat.10:18, Luk.1:76, Jhn.6:51, Rom.11:23, al.; …

you are —εἶ,eiG1510
you are

εἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. …

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

slanderβλασφημίανblasphēmianG0988
blasphemy

βλασφημία (blasphēmia) βλασφημία, -ας, ἡ (βλάσφημος), [in LXX: Eze.35:12 (נֶאָצָה), Da TH 3:29 (96) (שׁלה), Tob.1:18, 1Ma.2:6, 2Ma.8:4 10:35 15:24 * ;] (a) railing slander: Mat.12:31 15:19, Mrk.3:28 7:22, Eph.4:31, Col.3:8, 1Ti.6:4, Ju 9, Rev.2:9 (b) spec., impious speech against God, blasphemy: Mat.26:65, Mrk.14:64, Luk.5:21, Jhn.10:33, Rev.13:5; ὄνομα βλασφημίας, Rev.13:1 17:3; with genitive obj. Mat.12:31; πρὸς τ. θεόν, Rev.13:6 (Cremer, 570; DB, i, 305; DCG ii, 423).† (AS)

fromἐκekG1537
out from

ἐκ (ek) ἐκ (ἐξ), prep. with genitive, from out of, from (see Addendum, p. 492). This entry is included here, but in the print version the entry is found on p. 492. ἐκ, before a vowel ἐξ, prep. with genitive, of motion outwards, separation from (opposite to εἰς; = Lat. e, ex), from out of, from among, from. I. Of Place, …

claimingλεγόντωνlegontōnG3004G
to say

λέγω (legō) λέγω, [in LXX very freq., chiefly for אמר; λέγει for נְאֻם, Gen.22:16, al. ;] 1. in Hom., to pick out, gather, reckon, recount. 2. In Hdt. and Att., to say, speak, affirm, declare: absol., Act.13:15, 24:10; before orat. dir., Mat.9:34, Mrk.3:11, Jhn.1:29, al.; before ὅτι recit., Mrk.3:21, Luk.1:24, Jhn.6:14, al.; accusative and inf., Luk.11:18, Jhn.12:29, al.; after another verb of speaking, προσφωνεῖν κ. λέγειν, Mat.11:17, al.; ἀπεκρίθη (ἐλάλησεν) λέγων (καὶ λέγει; Dalman, Words, 24 ff.), Mat.25:9, Mrk.3:33, 7:28, Luk.24:6, 7, al.; of unspoken thought, λ. ἐν ἑαυτῷ, Mat.3:9, Luk.3:8, al.; of …

JewsἸουδαίουςIoudaiousG2453
Jew

Ἰουδαῖος (Ioudaios) Ἰουδαῖος, -αία, -αῖον (Ἰούδας), Jewish: ἀνήρ, Act.10:28 22:3; ἄνθρωπος, Act.21:39; ψευδοπροφήτης, 13:6; ἀσχιερεύς, 19:14; γυνή, 16:1 24:24; γῆ, Jhn.3:22; χώρα, Mrk.1:5. Substantively, (a) Ἰουδαῖος, ὁ, a Jew: Jhn.4:9, Act.18:24, Rom.2:28; pl., Rev.2:9 3:9; οἱ Ἰ., Mat.2:2, Mrk.7:3, Jhn.2:6, al.; Ἰ. τε καὶ Ἕλληνες, Act.14:1, al.; κ. προσήλυτοι, Act.2:10; ἔθνη τε κ. Ἰ., Act.14:5; οἱ κατὰ τὰ ἔθνη, Act.21:21; of Jewish Christians, Gal.2:13; of the ruling class who opposed Jesus, Jhn.1:19 2:18 5:10 11:8 13:33, al.; …

to beεἶναιeinaiG1511
to exist

εἶναι (einai) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. …

themselvesἑαυτοὺςhe'autousG1438
/him/herself

αὑτοῦ (ahutou) αὑτοῦ, -ῆς, -οῦ = ἑαυτοῦ (which see), Mat.6:34, Luk.12:17, al. (MM, see word) (AS)

andκαὶkaiG2532
and

καί (kai) καί, conj., and I. Copulative. 1. Connecting single words; (a) in general: Mat.2:18, 16:1, Mrk.2:15, Luk.8:15, Heb.1:1, al. mult.; repeated before each of the terms in a series, Mat.23:23, Luk.14:21, Rom.7:12, 9:4, al. (b) connecting numerals (WM, §37, 4): Jhn.2:20, Act.13:20; (with) joining terms which are not mutually exclusive, as the part with the whole: Mat.8:33, 26:59, Mrk.16:17, Act.5:29, al. 2. Connecting clauses and sentences: Mat.3:12, Act.5:21, al. mult.; esp. …

notοὐκoukG3756
no

οὐ (ou) οὐ, before a vowel with smooth breathing οὐκ, before one with rough breathing οὐχ (but improperly οὐχ ἰδού, Act.2:7, WH, mg.; cf. WH, Intr., §409; M, Pr., 44, 244), [in LXX for אֵין ,אַיִן ,לֹא ;] neg. particle, not, no, used generally with indic, and for a denial of fact (cf . μή); 1. absol. (accented), οὔ, no: Mat.13:29 Jhn.1:21 21:5; οὒ οὕ, Mat.5:37 Jas.5:12. …

are,εἰσίν,eisinG1510
you are

εἶ (ei) εἰμί, with various uses and significations, like the English verb to be. I. As substantive verb. 1. Of persons and things, to be, exist: Act.17:28, Jhn.1:1, 8:58, 17:5, al; ὁ ὢν καὶ ὁ ἦν (for past ptcp.), Rev.1:4, 8, 4:8, 11:17, 16:5 (see Swete, Ap., 5; M, Pr., 228); τὰ (μὴ) ὄντα, Rom.4:17, 1Co.1:28. 2. Of times, events, etc., to be, happen, take place: Mat.24:3, Mrk.14:2, 15:42, Luk.21:23, Jhn.4:6, 23, 5:10, al. …

butἀλλὰallaG0235
but

ἀλλά (alla) ἀλλά (ἀλλ᾽ usually bef. α and υ, often bef. ε and η, rarely bef. ο and ω, never bef. ι; Tdf., Pr., 93 f.; WH, App., 146), adversative particle, stronger than δέ; prop. neuter pl. of ἄλλος, used adverbially, with changed accent; hence prop. otherwise, on the other hand (cf. Rom.3:31); …

a synagogueσυναγωγὴsunagōgēG4864
synagogue

συναγωγή (sunagōgē) συν-αγωγή, -ῆς, ἡ [in LXX chiefly for עֵדָה, also for קָהָל, etc. ;] prop., a bringing together; 1. of things, (a) a gathering in of harvest; (b) a collection of money. 2. Of persons, (a) a collecting, assembling (Polyb.); (b) an assembly (MM, xxiv; Deiss., LAE, 101 ff.): Rev.2:9 3:9; esp. of a Jewish religious assembly, a synagogue: Luk.12:11, Act.9:2, al.; of a Christian assembly, Jas.2:2. By meton., of the building in which the assembly is held, a synagogue: Mat.10:17, Mrk.1:21, al. (cf. Cremer, see word ἐκκλησία) SYN.: ἐκκλησία (which see) (AS)

of Satan.σατανᾶ.satanaG4567
Satan

Σατανᾶς (Satanas) Σατανᾶς, -ᾶ (so also Sir 21:30, but in 3Ki.11:14, σατάν indecl.; Heb. שָׂטָן; Aram. סָטָנָא, whence the inflected Gk. form), ό, Satan (i.e. the adversary, as in LXX, ll. with): Mat.4:10 12:26, Mrk.1:13 3:23, 26 4:15 Luk.10:18 11:18 13:16 22:3, 31, Jhn.13:27, Act.5:3 26:18, Rom.16:20, 1Co.5:5 7:5, 2Co.2:11 11:14, 1Th.2:18, 2Th.2:9, 1Ti.1:20 5:15, Rev.2:9, 13 2:24 3:9 12:9 20:2, 7; addressed in person of Peter, Mat.16:23 Mrk.8:33; ἄγγελος Σατανᾶ, 2Co.12:7.† (AS)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.