Revelation2
New International Version
1“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.
2I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.
3You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
4Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.
5Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
6But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
8“To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.
9I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
10Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.
11Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who is victorious will not be hurt at all by the second death.
12“To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.
13I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.
14Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality.
15Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
16Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
17Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.
18“To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.
19I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.
20Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.
21I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.
22So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways.
23I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.
24Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you,
25except to hold on to what you have until I come.’
26To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—
27that one ‘will rule them with an iron scepter and will dash them to pieces like pottery’—just as I have received authority from my Father.
28I will also give that one the morning star.
29Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Revelation 2.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Epistles to the churches in Asia, with warnings and encouragements, To the church at Ephesus; (1–7). at Smyrna; (8–11). at Pergamos; (12–17). and at Thyatira. (18–29).
vv1-7
These churches were in such different states as to purity of doctrine and the power of godliness, that the words of Christ to them will always suit the cases of other churches, and professors. Christ knows and observes their state; though in heaven, yet he walks in the midst of his churches on earth, observing what is wrong in them, and what they want. The church of Ephesus is commended for diligence in duty. Christ keeps an account of every hour's work his servants do for him, and their labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. But it is not enough that we are diligent; there must be bearing patience, and there must be waiting patience. And though we must show all meekness to all men, yet we must show just zeal against their sins. The sin Christ charged this church with, is, not the having left and forsaken the object of love, but having lost the fervent degree of it that at first appeared. Christ is displeased with his people, when he sees them grow remiss and cold toward him. Surely this mention in Scripture, of Christians forsaking their first love, reproves those who speak of it with carelessness, and thus try to excuse indifference and sloth in themselves and others; our Saviour considers this indifference as sinful. They must repent: they must be grieved and ashamed for their sinful declining, and humbly confess it in the sight of God. They must endeavour to recover their first zeal, tenderness, and seriousness, and must pray as earnestly, and watch as diligently, as when they first set out in the ways of God. If the presence of Christ's grace and Spirit is slighted, we may expect the presence of his displeasure. Encouraging mention is made of what was good among them. Indifference as to truth and error, good and evil, may be called charity and meekness, but it is not so; and it is displeasing to Christ. The Christian life is a warfare against sin, Satan, the world, and the flesh. We must never yield to our spiritual enemies, and then we shall have a glorious triumph and reward. All who persevere, shall derive from Christ, as the Tree of life, perfection and confirmation in holiness and happiness, not in the earthly paradise, but in the heavenly. This is a figurative expression, taken from the account of the garden of Eden, denoting the pure, satisfactory, and eternal joys of heaven; and the looking forward to them in this world, by faith, communion with Christ, and the consolations of the Holy Spirit. Believers, take your wrestling life here, and expect and look for a quiet life hereafter; but not till then: the word of God never promises quietness and complete freedom from conflict here.
vv8-11
Our Lord Jesus is the First, for by him were all things made; he was before all things, with God, and is God himself. He is the Last, for he will be the Judge of all. As this First and Last, who was dead and is alive, is the believer's Brother and Friend, he must be rich in the deepest poverty, honourable amidst the lowest abasement, and happy under the heaviest tribulation, like the church of Smyrna. Many who are rich as to this world, are poor as to the next; and some who are poor outwardly, are inwardly rich; rich in faith, in good works, rich in privileges, rich in gifts, rich in hope. Where there is spiritual plenty, outward poverty may be well borne; and when God's people are made poor as to this life, for the sake of Christ and a good conscience, he makes all up to them in spiritual riches. Christ arms against coming troubles. Fear none of these things; not only forbid slavish fear, but subdue it, furnishing the soul with strength and courage. It should be to try them, not to destroy them. Observe, the sureness of the reward; “I will give thee:” they shall have the reward from Christ's own hand. Also, how suitable it is; “a crown of life:” the life worn out in his service, or laid down in his cause, shall be rewarded with a much better life, which shall be eternal. The second death is unspeakably worse than the first death, both in the agonies of it, and as it is eternal death: it is indeed awful to die, and to be always dying. If a man is kept from the second death and wrath to come, he may patiently endure whatever he meets with in this world.
vv12-17
The word of God is a sword, able to slay both sin and sinners. It turns and cuts every way; but the believer need not fear this sword; yet this confidence cannot be supported without steady obedience. As our Lord notices all the advantages and opportunities we have for duty in the places where we dwell, so he notices our temptations and discouragements from the same causes. In a situation of trials, the church of Pergamos had not denied the faith, either by open apostacy, or by giving way so as to avoid the cross. Christ commends their stedfastness, but reproves their sinful failures. A wrong view of gospel doctrine and Christian liberty, was a root of bitterness from which evil practices grew. Repentance is the duty of churches and bodies of men, as well as of particular persons; those who sin together, should repent together. Here is the promise of favour to those that overcome. The influences and comforts of the Spirit of Christ, come down from heaven into the soul, for its support. This is hidden from the rest of the world. The new name is the name of adoption; when the Holy Spirit shows his own work in the believer's soul, this new name and its real import are understood by him.
Key Words
ἄγγελος (ángelos): compare G34 (ἀγέλη)) (to bring tidings); a messenger; especially an "angel"; by implication, a pastor
ἐκκλησία (ekklēsía): a calling out, i.e. (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both)
Ἐφεσῖνος (Ephesînos): Ephesine, or situated at Ephesus
γράφω (gráphō): to "grave", especially to write; figuratively, to describe
ὅδε (hóde): the same, i.e. this or that one (plural these or those); often used as a personal pronoun
λέγω (légō): properly, to "lay" forth, i.e. (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas G2036 (ἔπω) and G5346 (φημί) generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while G4483 (ῥέω) is properly to break silence merely, and G2980 (λαλέω) means an extended or random harangue)); by implication, to mean
κρατέω (kratéō): to use strength, i.e. seize or retain (literally or figuratively)
ἑπτά (heptá): seven
ἀστήρ (astḗr): a star (as strown over the sky), literally or figuratively
ἐν (en): "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.
Cross References
Revelation 2Directly quoted concerning ruling the nations with a rod of iron and breaking potter's vessels.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Identifies the seven stars and seven golden candlesticks in Christ's hands.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Repeats Christ's title as 'the first and the last' from the opening vision.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Repeats the vision of the sharp two-edged sword proceeding from Christ's mouth.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The historical account of Israel committing fornication and eating sacrifices to idols through Balaam's counsel.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
The historical Jezebel who introduced idolatry and led Israel into spiritual adultery.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallels the trial and exposure of false apostles who are found to be liars.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
The final fulfillment of eating from the tree of life in God's paradise.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Illuminates those who 'say they are Jews, and are not' by defining true circumcision.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Identifies the 'synagogue of Satan' who falsely claim to be Jews.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Explicitly defines the 'second death' as having no power over the holy.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The exact Old Testament source for searching the reins and the heart to give according to works.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Paul's prophecy to Ephesian elders warning that grievous wolves would enter.
Supported by JFB
Parallels the condemnation of casting off or leaving one's first faith and love.
Supported by JFB
Illustrates the warning of removing the candlestick by removing God's kingdom from unfaithful caretakers.
Supported by Matthew Henry
New Testament parallel defining the way and error of Balaam.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Apostolic instructions regarding the eating of things offered to idols.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Parallels hating the deeds of the wicked with holy hatred.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Contrast of physical poverty with being rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Prophetic parallel of the 'day star' arising in the hearts of believers.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB