(A)I know your deeds and your labor and [a]perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil people, and you have (B)put those who call themselves (C)apostles to the test, and they are not, and you found them to be false;

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 2:2 Or steadfastness

‘I know [a]your deeds and your toil, and your patient endurance, and that you cannot tolerate those who are evil, and have tested and critically appraised those who call themselves apostles (special messengers, personally chosen representatives, of Christ), and [in fact] are not, and have found them to be liars and impostors;

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 2:2 Here through 3:18, “your” and “you” are in the singular, referring to the angel of each church. Much of what is said is rebuke and admonishment, so if the angels are heavenly beings, they may serve in some way as representatives of the sinful people in their churches. Jewish tradition maintained that every nation and individual has a guardian angel, and that when God is about to punish a nation, He first punishes its angel. There is even a story of Michael, the guardian angel of Israel, being rebuked by God for the sins committed in the time of Ezekiel. So the original readers of Revelation might have assumed that the angels here are the guardian angels of the individual churches, sharing responsibility for the actions of the members.

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:

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‘I know your (A)tribulation and your (B)poverty (but you are (C)rich), and the [a]slander by those who (D)say they are Jews, and are not, but are a synagogue of (E)Satan.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 2:9 Or blasphemy

‘I know your suffering and your poverty (but you are rich), and how you are blasphemed and slandered by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan [they are Jews only by blood, and do not believe and truly honor the God whom they claim to worship].

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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.

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13 ‘I know where you dwell, where (A)Satan’s throne is; and you hold firmly to My name, and did not deny (B)My faith even in the days of Antipas, My (C)witness, My (D)faithful one, who was killed among you, (E)where Satan dwells.

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13 ‘I know where you dwell, [a place] where Satan sits enthroned. Yet you are holding fast to My name, and you did not deny [a]My faith even in the days of [b]Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed (martyred) among you, where Satan dwells.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 2:13 I.e. your faith in Me.
  2. Revelation 2:13 Antipas was a pastor or leader of the church at Pergamum.

13 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.

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19 (A)I know your deeds, and your love and faith, and service and [a]perseverance, and that your [b]deeds of late are greater than [c]at first.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 2:19 Or steadfastness
  2. Revelation 2:19 Lit last deeds
  3. Revelation 2:19 Lit the first

19 ‘I know your deeds, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your last deeds are more numerous and greater than the first.

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19 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.

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26 (A)The one who overcomes, and the one who keeps My deeds (B)until the end, (C)I will give him authority over the [a]nations; 27 and he shall [b](D)rule them with a rod of iron, (E)as the vessels of the potter are shattered, as I also have received authority from My Father;

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 2:26 Or Gentiles
  2. Revelation 2:27 Lit shepherd

26 And he who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God] and he who keeps My deeds [doing things that please Me] until the [very] end, to him I will give authority and power over the nations;(A) 27 and he shall shepherd and rule them with a rod of iron, as the earthen pots are broken in pieces, as I also have received authority [and power to rule them] from My Father;(B)

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

27 And 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.

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Message to Sardis

“To the angel of the church in (A)Sardis write:

He who has [a](B)the seven spirits of God and (C)the seven stars, says this: ‘(D)I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, and yet you are (E)dead. Be constantly alert, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 3:1 Possibly a symbolic reference to the Holy Spirit in His fullness, or to seven key angels

Message to Sardis

“To the angel (divine messenger) of the church in [a]Sardis write:

“These are the words of Him who has [b]the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your deeds; you have a name (reputation) that you are alive, but [in reality] you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen and reaffirm what remains [of your faithful commitment to Me], which is about to die; for I have not found [any of] your deeds completed in the sight of My God or meeting His requirements.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 3:1 Sardis (modern Sart, Turkey), in Roman times, was a wealthy city known for the manufacture and dyeing of woolen fabric and carpets. Originally, it was the capital of the ancient Lydian Empire and was the first city to mint coinage (600 b.c.). A stream that flowed through its market place carried gold dust from a nearby mountain. King Croesus of Lydia (560-546 b.c.) financed the building of the great Temple of Artemis in Ephesus (550 b.c.). The city was conquered twice, under Cyrus the Great and under Antiochus, due to lack of adequate watchfulness.
  2. Revelation 3:1 See note 1:4.

And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

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19 (A)Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline; therefore be zealous and (B)repent.

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19 Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I rebuke and discipline [showing them their faults and instructing them]; so be enthusiastic and repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will].(A)

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19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

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(A)I know your [a]deeds. Behold, I have put before you (B)an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have followed My word, and (C)have not denied My name.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 3:8 Or deeds (behold...shut), that you have

‘I know your deeds. See, I have set before you an open door which no one is able to shut, for you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not renounced or denied My name.(A)

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I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

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15 (A)I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; (B)I wish that you were cold or hot.

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15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are [a]neither cold (invigorating, refreshing) nor hot (healing, therapeutic); I wish that you were [b]cold or hot.

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Footnotes

  1. Revelation 3:15 This phrase and the word lukewarm in v 16 form a metaphor that is probably based on the quality of the water supply of Laodicea, which was delivered by aqueduct from the hot mineral springs about five miles away. During its journey, the water cooled to a warm or lukewarm temperature.
  2. Revelation 3:15 I.e. alive, productive—beneficial in one way or the other.

15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

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