Revelation 2

29 verses • SBL Greek New Testament 1 tradition available

Translator's Introduction

What This Chapter Is About

Revelation 2 contains four of the seven letters to the churches of Asia: Ephesus (vv. 1-7), Smyrna (vv. 8-11), Pergamum (vv. 12-17), and Thyatira (vv. 18-29). Each letter follows a consistent pattern: an address identifying Christ by a feature from the chapter 1 vision, a commendation ('I know your works'), a criticism or encouragement, a command, and a promise 'to the one who conquers.' Ephesus is praised for endurance but has abandoned its first love. Smyrna faces suffering and is told to be faithful unto death. Pergamum holds fast to Christ's name but tolerates false teaching. Thyatira is commended for love and service but rebuked for tolerating a false prophetess.

What Makes This Chapter Remarkable

Each letter begins with a self-description of Christ drawn from the vision of 1:12-20, creating a direct literary connection. The promises to the conqueror in each letter anticipate the final vision of the new creation in chapters 21-22 (tree of life, no second death, hidden manna, morning star). The reference to 'the synagogue of Satan' (2:9) reflects a sharp conflict between the early church and local Jewish communities over claims to be the true people of God. The 'Nicolaitans' and the teaching of 'Balaam' appear to involve compromise with Greco-Roman religious culture, particularly eating food offered to idols and sexual immorality.

Translation Friction

The phrase 'synagogue of Satan' (2:9) is historically specific to a first-century dispute and must not be generalized; we render it as written. 'Jezebel' in the Thyatira letter (2:20) is likely a symbolic name drawn from the Old Testament figure, not a literal name; we note the allusion. The precise identity of the Nicolaitans is uncertain; we render the name without speculative identification.

Connections

Ephesus: Genesis 2:9 and Revelation 22:2 (tree of life). Smyrna: Daniel 1:12-14 (testing period). Pergamum: Numbers 22-25 (Balaam), Numbers 25:1-2 (eating sacrifices, sexual immorality), Exodus 16:33-34 (hidden manna), Isaiah 62:2 (new name). Thyatira: 1 Kings 16:31, 21:25 (Jezebel), Psalm 2:8-9 (ruling nations with iron rod), Isaiah 14:12 (morning star). **Tradition comparisons:** JST footnote at Revelation 2:26: Promise to the overcomer — power over nations revised See the [JST notes](/jst/revelation).

Revelation 2:1

Τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Ἐφέσῳ ἐκκλησίας γράψον· Τάδε λέγει ὁ κρατῶν τοὺς ἑπτὰ ἀστέρας ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ αὐτοῦ, ὁ περιπατῶν ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ἑπτὰ λυχνιῶν τῶν χρυσῶν·

To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands:

KJV Unto 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;

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The formula tade legei ('these things says') echoes the prophetic messenger formula of the Old Testament ('thus says the LORD'). Christ's self-identification draws from 1:13 and 1:16. The verb peripatōn ('walking') implies active presence — Christ is not distant from his churches but moves among them. Ephesus was the largest and most prominent city in the province of Asia, home to the famous temple of Artemis.

Joseph Smith Translation (Footnotes)minor

The JST clarifies the message to the angel of the church at Ephesus

The KJV reads 'Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write.' The JST footnote adjusts the introduction to the letters to the seven churches. In the Latter-day Saint tradition, the 'angel' of each church is understood as the presiding authority or servant (the Greek angelos means 'messenger'), connecting to the principle of priesthood stewardship over congregations.

Revelation 2:2

Οἶδα τὰ ἔργα σου καὶ τὸν κόπον καὶ τὴν ὑπομονήν σου, καὶ ὅτι οὐ δύνῃ βαστάσαι κακούς, καὶ ἐπείρασας τοὺς λέγοντας ἑαυτοὺς ἀποστόλους καὶ οὐκ εἰσίν, καὶ εὗρες αὐτοὺς ψευδεῖς·

"I know your works, your labor and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate evil people. You have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and you have found them to be false.

KJV I 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:

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The Greek oida ('I know') is emphatic — Christ's knowledge is comprehensive and personal. The triad of 'works, labor, endurance' (erga, kopon, hypomonēn) suggests both active effort and patient suffering. The testing of false apostles indicates a community with strong doctrinal vigilance — a quality that will be contrasted with their deficiency in verse 4.

Revelation 2:3

καὶ ὑπομονὴν ἔχεις, καὶ ἐβάστασας διὰ τὸ ὄνομά μου, καὶ οὐ κεκοπίακες.

You have endurance, and you have borne up for the sake of my name, and you have not grown weary.

KJV And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The Greek ou kekopiakes ('you have not grown weary') uses the perfect tense, indicating a sustained state — they have not flagged despite ongoing hardship. The phrase 'for the sake of my name' (dia to onoma mou) connects their suffering to their identification with Christ.

Revelation 2:4

ἀλλὰ ἔχω κατὰ σοῦ ὅτι τὴν ἀγάπην σου τὴν πρώτην ἀφῆκες.

But I have this against you: you have abandoned the love you had at first.

KJV Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The Greek aphēkes ('you have abandoned, left behind') is a strong word — not 'diminished' or 'cooled' but actively forsaken. The 'first love' (tēn agapēn sou tēn prōtēn) likely refers to the initial fervent devotion to Christ and to one another that characterized the community's founding. The irony is sharp: a church excellent at doctrinal vigilance has lost the very thing that motivated its faith.

Revelation 2:5

μνημόνευε οὖν πόθεν πέπτωκας, καὶ μετανόησον καὶ τὰ πρῶτα ἔργα ποίησον· εἰ δὲ μή, ἔρχομαί σοι καὶ κινήσω τὴν λυχνίαν σου ἐκ τοῦ τόπου αὐτῆς, ἐὰν μὴ μετανοήσῃς.

Remember then how far you have fallen. Repent, and do the works you did at first. If you do not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place — unless you repent.

KJV Remember 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

Three imperatives frame the call to restoration: 'remember' (mnēmoneue), 'repent' (metanoēson), and 'do' (poiēson). Repentance here is not merely feeling sorry but taking concrete action — returning to the 'first works.' The threat to remove the lampstand means the loss of the church's identity and witness — it would cease to exist as a church. This is not about individual salvation but about the community's corporate calling.

Revelation 2:6

ἀλλὰ τοῦτο ἔχεις, ὅτι μισεῖς τὰ ἔργα τῶν Νικολαϊτῶν ἃ κἀγὼ μισῶ.

But you do have this: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

KJV But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The identity of the Nicolaitans (Nikolaitōn) is uncertain. Early church tradition connected them to Nicolas of Antioch (Acts 6:5), but this is unverifiable. Their 'works' appear related to the teaching of Balaam in 2:14-15 — compromise with pagan religious practices. The name may be a Greek equivalent of the Hebrew Balaam (both possibly meaning 'conqueror of the people'), though this etymology is debated. Christ's statement 'which I also hate' validates the church's rejection of these practices.

Revelation 2:7

Ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτω τί τὸ πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις. τῷ νικῶντι δώσω αὐτῷ φαγεῖν ἐκ τοῦ ξύλου τῆς ζωῆς, ὅ ἐστιν ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ τοῦ θεοῦ.

Let the one who has an ear hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God."

KJV He 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The hearing formula ('let the one who has an ear hear') echoes Jesus's words in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 11:15; 13:9). The promise of the 'tree of life' (xylou tēs zōēs) reaches back to Genesis 2:9 and 3:22-24 — access to the tree that was lost at the fall is restored to those who conquer. The same tree reappears in Revelation 22:2. The word paradeisos ('paradise') is a Persian loanword originally meaning 'an enclosed garden,' used in the Septuagint for the Garden of Eden.
[TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Genesis 2:9. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.

Joseph Smith Translation (Footnotes)theological

The JST clarifies the promise to eat of the tree of life in the paradise of God

The KJV reads 'To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.' The JST footnote adjusts this promise. In the Latter-day Saint tradition, the tree of life is a central symbol (Lehi's dream in 1 Nephi 8, 11), representing the love of God and the blessings of the Atonement, and access to it is through overcoming the world through covenant faithfulness.

Revelation 2:8

Καὶ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Σμύρνῃ ἐκκλησίας γράψον· Τάδε λέγει ὁ πρῶτος καὶ ὁ ἔσχατος, ὃς ἐγένετο νεκρὸς καὶ ἔζησεν·

To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of the first and the last, who was dead and came to life:

KJV And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

Christ's self-identification draws from 1:17-18. For a church facing death, Christ identifies himself as one who has already passed through death and conquered it. Smyrna (modern Izmir) was a prosperous port city; its name is related to the word for myrrh, an aromatic resin associated with burial — an ironic connection given the letter's theme of suffering and death.

Revelation 2:9

Οἶδά σου τὴν θλῖψιν καὶ τὴν πτωχείαν, ἀλλὰ πλούσιος εἶ, καὶ τὴν βλασφημίαν ἐκ τῶν λεγόντων Ἰουδαίους εἶναι ἑαυτούς, καὶ οὐκ εἰσὶν ἀλλὰ συναγωγὴ τοῦ σατανᾶ.

"I know your tribulation and your poverty — but you are rich — and the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.

KJV I 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The paradox 'poverty but rich' (ptōcheian, alla plousios) inverts worldly categories — material deprivation coexists with spiritual wealth, a reversal that contrasts sharply with Laodicea (3:17). The phrase 'synagogue of Satan' (synagōgē tou satana) reflects a specific local conflict where certain members of the Jewish community were opposing or denouncing Christians to Roman authorities. This is not a blanket condemnation of Judaism but a charge against specific accusers. The Greek blasphēmian here means 'slander' or 'defamation' rather than blasphemy in the theological sense.

Revelation 2:10

μηδὲν φοβοῦ ἃ μέλλεις πάσχειν. ἰδοὺ μέλλει βάλλειν ὁ διάβολος ἐξ ὑμῶν εἰς φυλακὴν ἵνα πειρασθῆτε, καὶ ἕξετε θλῖψιν ἡμερῶν δέκα. γίνου πιστὸς ἄχρι θανάτου, καὶ δώσω σοι τὸν στέφανον τῆς ζωῆς.

Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Look, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested, and you will face tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.

KJV Fear 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The 'ten days' (hēmerōn deka) may echo Daniel 1:12-14 (Daniel's ten-day test) or simply indicate a limited, defined period of suffering. The promise 'be faithful unto death' (ginou pistos achri thanatou) does not mean 'until you die of old age' but 'even if faithfulness costs your life.' The 'crown of life' (ton stephanon tēs zōēs) uses stephanos, the victor's wreath given to athletic champions, not diadēma (a royal crown) — the imagery is of winning a contest through endurance. Smyrna was famous for its athletic games, making this metaphor locally resonant.
[TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes Daniel 1:12-14 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.

Joseph Smith Translation (Footnotes)major

The JST clarifies the counsel to be faithful unto death to receive a crown of life

The KJV reads 'be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.' The JST footnote adjusts this martyr's promise. In the Latter-day Saint tradition, the 'crown of life' connects to the concept of exaltation and the temple symbolism of crowns (associated with celestial glory), and faithfulness 'unto death' describes the covenant of sacrifice that is part of the endowment.

Revelation 2:11

Ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτω τί τὸ πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις. ὁ νικῶν οὐ μὴ ἀδικηθῇ ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου τοῦ δευτέρου.

Let the one who has an ear hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be harmed by the second death."

KJV He 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The double negative ou mē ('absolutely not') is the strongest form of negation in Greek — there is no possibility of harm from the second death for the one who conquers. The 'second death' (tou thanatou tou deuterou) is defined in 20:14 as 'the lake of fire.' Physical death may come to the faithful in Smyrna, but the second death — final, permanent separation from God — holds no power over them.

Revelation 2:12

Καὶ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Περγάμῳ ἐκκλησίας γράψον· Τάδε λέγει ὁ ἔχων τὴν ῥομφαίαν τὴν δίστομον τὴν ὀξεῖαν·

To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of the one who has the sharp two-edged sword:

KJV And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

Christ's self-identification draws from 1:16. For a church in a city dominated by Roman imperial authority, the reference to a sword is significant — Rome claimed the 'right of the sword' (ius gladii), the authority to execute. Christ holds a greater sword, one that proceeds from his mouth (the word of truth that judges all human authority). Pergamum was the administrative capital of the province of Asia and a major center of emperor worship.

Revelation 2:13

Οἶδα ποῦ κατοικεῖς, ὅπου ὁ θρόνος τοῦ σατανᾶ, καὶ κρατεῖς τὸ ὄνομά μου, καὶ οὐκ ἠρνήσω τὴν πίστιν μου καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Ἀντιπᾶς ὁ μάρτυς μου ὁ πιστός μου, ὃς ἀπεκτάνθη παρ' ὑμῖν, ὅπου ὁ σατανᾶς κατοικεῖ.

"I know where you dwell — where Satan's throne is. Yet you hold fast to my name, and you did not deny your faith in me even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.

KJV I 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The 'throne of Satan' (ho thronos tou satana) may refer to the great altar of Zeus on the Pergamum acropolis, the temple of Augustus and Roma (the first provincial temple of the imperial cult in Asia), or the city's role as the judicial seat where death sentences were pronounced. The exact referent is uncertain; the point is that Pergamum was a stronghold of forces opposed to Christ. Antipas is called 'my faithful witness' (ho martys mou ho pistos mou) — the same title given to Christ himself in 1:5. The word martys here carries both its original meaning ('witness') and its developing sense of 'one who dies for testimony' — the English word 'martyr' derives from this Greek word.

Revelation 2:14

ἀλλ' ἔχω κατὰ σοῦ ὀλίγα, ὅτι ἔχεις ἐκεῖ κρατοῦντας τὴν διδαχὴν Βαλαάμ, ὃς ἐδίδασκεν τῷ Βαλὰκ βαλεῖν σκάνδαλον ἐνώπιον τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ, φαγεῖν εἰδωλόθυτα καὶ πορνεῦσαι.

But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they would eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.

KJV But 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The reference to Balaam draws on Numbers 22-25 and 31:16. According to the tradition, Balaam could not curse Israel directly, so he advised Balak to seduce Israel into idolatry and sexual sin through Moabite women — an indirect strategy of corruption from within. The parallel is clear: some in Pergamum are teaching that participation in pagan religious feasts (which involved eating idol-sacrificed food and often ritual sexual activity) is acceptable. The Greek eidōlothyta ('food sacrificed to idols') and porneusai ('to practice sexual immorality') are the same issues addressed at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:20, 29).
[TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Numbers 22-25. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.

Revelation 2:15

οὕτως ἔχεις καὶ σὺ κρατοῦντας τὴν διδαχὴν τῶν Νικολαϊτῶν ὁμοίως.

In the same way, you also have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

KJV So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The word homoiōs ('in the same way, likewise') links the Nicolaitans directly to the teaching of Balaam — the two groups may be identical or share the same essential error of accommodating pagan practice. The SBLGNT does not include 'which thing I hate' (found in some manuscripts and reflected in the KJV); we follow the critical text.

Revelation 2:16

μετανόησον οὖν· εἰ δὲ μή, ἔρχομαί σοι ταχὺ καὶ πολεμήσω μετ' αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ ῥομφαίᾳ τοῦ στόματός μου.

Therefore repent. If you do not, I will come to you soon and wage war against them with the sword of my mouth.

KJV Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The command to repent is directed to the whole church ('you,' singular, addressing the congregation), but the war is directed against 'them' (the Nicolaitans/Balaamites). The church as a whole is responsible for tolerating false teaching within its community. The 'sword of my mouth' (tē rhomphaia tou stomatos mou) is the word of Christ that exposes and judges — the same sword described in 1:16 and drawn from Isaiah 49:2.
[TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Isaiah 49:2. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.

Revelation 2:17

Ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτω τί τὸ πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις. τῷ νικῶντι δώσω αὐτῷ τοῦ μάννα τοῦ κεκρυμμένου, καὶ δώσω αὐτῷ ψῆφον λευκὴν καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ψῆφον ὄνομα καινὸν γεγραμμένον ὃ οὐδεὶς οἶδεν εἰ μὴ ὁ λαμβάνων.

Let the one who has an ear hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written that no one knows except the one who receives it."

KJV He 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

Three gifts are promised: hidden manna, a white stone, and a new name. The 'hidden manna' (tou manna tou kekrymmenou) alludes to the jar of manna preserved in the ark of the covenant (Exodus 16:33-34; Hebrews 9:4) and to Jewish tradition that Jeremiah hid the ark before the Babylonian destruction. Against the temptation to eat idol-food, Christ offers heavenly food. The 'white stone' (psēphon leukēn) has been variously interpreted: a voting pebble signifying acquittal, an admission token to a feast, or a victor's token. The 'new name' may echo Isaiah 62:2 ('you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow'). Its secrecy — known only to the recipient — suggests an intimate, personal relationship between Christ and the individual believer.
[TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Exodus 16:33-34. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.
[TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Isaiah 62:2. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.

Revelation 2:18

Καὶ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Θυατείροις ἐκκλησίας γράψον· Τάδε λέγει ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ, ὁ ἔχων τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ ὡς φλόγα πυρὸς καὶ οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ ὅμοιοι χαλκολιβάνῳ·

To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire and feet like burnished bronze:

KJV And 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;

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

This is the only place in Revelation where the title 'Son of God' (ho huios tou theou) is used explicitly. The description draws from 1:14-15. Thyatira was the smallest of the seven cities but receives the longest letter. The city was known for its trade guilds (including dyeing — Lydia, the seller of purple cloth in Acts 16:14, was from Thyatira). Guild membership typically required participation in guild feasts held in pagan temples, creating the central tension of this letter.

Revelation 2:19

Οἶδά σου τὰ ἔργα καὶ τὴν ἀγάπην καὶ τὴν πίστιν καὶ τὴν διακονίαν καὶ τὴν ὑπομονήν σου, καὶ τὰ ἔργα σου τὰ ἔσχατα πλείονα τῶν πρώτων.

"I know your works — your love, faith, service, and endurance — and that your last works are greater than your first.

KJV I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

Four qualities are listed: love (agapēn), faith (pistin), service (diakonian), and endurance (hypomonēn). Notably, Thyatira possesses the very quality Ephesus has lost — love. The statement that their 'last works are greater than the first' (ta erga sou ta eschata pleiona tōn prōtōn) indicates a growing, maturing community — the opposite trajectory from Ephesus, which declined from its first love.

Revelation 2:20

ἀλλὰ ἔχω κατὰ σοῦ ὅτι ἀφεῖς τὴν γυναῖκα Ἰεζάβελ, ἡ λέγουσα ἑαυτὴν προφῆτιν, καὶ διδάσκει καὶ πλανᾷ τοὺς ἐμοὺς δούλους πορνεῦσαι καὶ φαγεῖν εἰδωλόθυτα.

But I have this against you: you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and teaches and deceives my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

KJV Notwithstanding 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The name 'Jezebel' (Iezabel) almost certainly alludes to Ahab's wife in 1 Kings 16:31 and 21:25, who promoted Baal worship in Israel and persecuted the prophets of the LORD. Whether this is the woman's actual name or a prophetic label is debated; the Old Testament association — a woman who leads God's people into idolatry — is clearly intended. The charges are identical to the Balaam/Nicolaitan teaching in the Pergamum letter: idol-food and sexual immorality, the twin temptations of assimilation into Greco-Roman culture.
[TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes 1 Kings 16:31 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.

Revelation 2:21

καὶ ἔδωκα αὐτῇ χρόνον ἵνα μετανοήσῃ, καὶ οὐ θέλει μετανοῆσαι ἐκ τῆς πορνείας αὐτῆς.

I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality.

KJV And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The verb edōka ('I gave') is aorist — time for repentance was given at a specific past point. The present tense ou thelei ('she does not wish, refuses') indicates an ongoing, deliberate choice. The opportunity for repentance was real but has been rejected. God's patience has a boundary.

Revelation 2:22

ἰδοὺ βάλλω αὐτὴν εἰς κλίνην καὶ τοὺς μοιχεύοντας μετ' αὐτῆς εἰς θλῖψιν μεγάλην, ἐὰν μὴ μετανοήσωσιν ἐκ τῶν ἔργων αὐτῆς,

Look, I will throw her onto a bed of sickness, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works.

KJV Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The 'bed' (klinēn) is an ironic reversal — the bed of illicit pleasure becomes a bed of illness and judgment. The Greek moicheuontas ('committing adultery') may be literal or metaphorical (spiritual unfaithfulness, following the Old Testament prophetic tradition where idolatry is depicted as adultery — cf. Hosea, Ezekiel 16, 23). The condition 'unless they repent' (ean mē metanoēsōsin) keeps the door open — even followers of Jezebel can still turn back.
[TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Ezekiel 16. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.

Joseph Smith Translation (Footnotes)moderate

Jezebel's punishment — 'bed' of suffering revised or clarified

The JST footnote adjusts the letter to Thyatira's threat against Jezebel and those who commit adultery with her, providing clearer language about the judgment described.

Revelation 2:23

καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς ἀποκτενῶ ἐν θανάτῳ· καὶ γνώσονται πᾶσαι αἱ ἐκκλησίαι ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἐραυνῶν νεφροὺς καὶ καρδίας, καὶ δώσω ὑμῖν ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα ὑμῶν.

I will strike her children dead, and all the churches will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts, and I will give to each of you according to your works.

KJV And 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.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The phrase 'her children' (ta tekna autēs) likely refers to her committed followers, not biological offspring. The expression 'searches minds and hearts' (eraunōn nephrous kai kardias) echoes Jeremiah 17:10 ('I the LORD search the heart and test the mind'), directly applying a divine prerogative of YHWH to Christ. The Greek nephrous literally means 'kidneys,' which in ancient thought were the seat of deep emotion and will — we render it as 'minds' for clarity. The principle of judgment 'according to your works' (kata ta erga hymōn) echoes Psalm 62:12 and Proverbs 24:12.
[TCR Cross-Reference] References Jeremiah 17:10 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
[TCR Cross-Reference] References Psalm 62:12 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
[TCR Cross-Reference] References Proverbs 24:12 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.

Revelation 2:24

ὑμῖν δὲ λέγω τοῖς λοιποῖς τοῖς ἐν Θυατείροις, ὅσοι οὐκ ἔχουσιν τὴν διδαχὴν ταύτην, οἵτινες οὐκ ἔγνωσαν τὰ βαθέα τοῦ σατανᾶ ὡς λέγουσιν· οὐ βάλλω ἐφ' ὑμᾶς ἄλλο βάρος·

But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known what they call 'the deep things of Satan' — I place no other burden on you.

KJV But 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;

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The phrase ta bathea tou satana ('the deep things of Satan') is ambiguous: it may be what Jezebel's followers claimed as their own teaching (claiming to know 'deep things,' possibly gnostic-style secret knowledge, which Christ relabels as satanic), or it may be Christ's own label for their teaching. The phrase hōs legousin ('as they say') suggests the former — they advertised their knowledge of 'deep things,' and Christ reframes it. The phrase 'no other burden' (ou...allo baros) echoes the language of the Jerusalem Council's decision (Acts 15:28).

Revelation 2:25

πλὴν ὃ ἔχετε κρατήσατε ἄχρι οὗ ἂν ἥξω.

Only hold fast to what you have until I come.

KJV But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The imperative kratēsate ('hold fast, grip firmly') implies active resistance, not passive waiting. The phrase achri hou an hēxō ('until I come') points to the return of Christ — the eschatological horizon that frames all seven letters.

Revelation 2:26

Καὶ ὁ νικῶν καὶ ὁ τηρῶν ἄχρι τέλους τὰ ἔργα μου, δώσω αὐτῷ ἐξουσίαν ἐπὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν

The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end — to that one I will give authority over the nations,

KJV And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

The promise shifts from individual rewards (tree of life, hidden manna) to cosmic authority. The phrase exousian epi tōn ethnōn ('authority over the nations') draws from Psalm 2, which is quoted directly in the next verse. This is a royal promise: those who share in Christ's faithful endurance will share in his reign.
[TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Psalm 2. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.

Joseph Smith Translation (Footnotes)theological

Promise to the overcomer — power over nations revised

The JST footnote revises the promise of rule over nations given to the one who overcomes and keeps works to the end, clarifying the nature of the eschatological authority promised.

Revelation 2:27

καὶ ποιμανεῖ αὐτοὺς ἐν ῥάβδῳ σιδηρᾷ ὡς τὰ σκεύη τὰ κεραμικὰ συντρίβεται,

He will rule them with a rod of iron. As the vessels of a potter will they be broken to shivers:.

KJV And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers:

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

This is a direct quotation from Psalm 2:9 (LXX), a royal enthronement psalm. The verb poimanei can mean 'to rule' or 'to shepherd' — the dual meaning is deliberate, as ancient kings were conceived as shepherds of their people. The iron rod and shattered pottery express the irresistible authority of the messianic king. In Psalm 2, this authority belongs to God's anointed; here Christ shares it with those who conquer.
[TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Psalms 2:9. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.

Joseph Smith Translation (Footnotes)theological

Rod of iron rule over nations — ruling and breaking of pots clarified

Follows from v. 26. The JST revises the Psalm 2 citation about ruling with a rod of iron, which appears across Revelation and Book of Mormon. The revision clarifies the scope and nature of this authority.

Revelation 2:28

ὡς κἀγὼ εἴληφα παρὰ τοῦ πατρός μου, καὶ δώσω αὐτῷ τὸν ἀστέρα τὸν πρωϊνόν.

Indeed as I received of my Father. And I will provide him the morning star.

KJV even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

Christ's authority is derived from the Father and then shared with the faithful — a chain of delegated sovereignty. The 'morning star' (ton astera ton prōinon) is identified in 22:16 as Christ himself ('I am the bright morning star'). The gift of the morning star is therefore the gift of Christ's own presence and glory. The morning star allusion may also draw on Numbers 24:17 ('A star will come out of Jacob'), one of the oldest messianic oracles.
[TCR Cross-Reference] References Numbers 24:17 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.

Revelation 2:29

Ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτω τί τὸ πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις.

Let the one who has an ear hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

KJV He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Notes & Key Terms

Translator Notes

In the first three letters, the hearing formula precedes the promise to the conqueror; in the last four (beginning with Thyatira), the promise precedes the hearing formula. This structural shift at the midpoint of the seven letters may be intentional, though its significance is debated.

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