Wahyu 2:4-8

2:4 But I have this against you: You have departed ¹  from your first love! 2:5 Therefore, remember from what high state ²  you have fallen and repent! Do ³  the deeds you did at the first; ⁴  if not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place – that is, if you do not repent. ⁵  2:6 But you do have this going for you: ⁶  You hate what the Nicolaitans ⁷  practice ⁸  – practices I also hate. 2:7 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, ⁹  I will permit ¹⁰  him to eat from the tree of life that is ¹¹  in the paradise of God.’ ¹² 

To the Church in Smyrna

2:8 “To ¹³  the angel of the church in Smyrna write the following: ¹⁴ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ¹⁵  the one who is the first and the last, the one who was dead, but ¹⁶  came to life:

[2:4]  ¹ tn The Greek word translated “departed from” (ἀφίημι, afihmi; L&N 15.48) can actually be used of divorce (L&N 34.78), so the imagery here is very strong.

[2:5]  ² tn Grk “from where,” but status is in view rather than physical position. On this term BDAG 838 s.v. πόθεν 1 states, “from what place? from where?…In imagery μνημόνευε πόθεν πέπτωκες remember from what (state) you have fallen Rv 2:5.”

[2:5]  ³ tn Grk “and do” (a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text). For stylistic reasons in English a new sentence was started here in the translation. The repeated mention of repenting at the end of the verse suggests that the intervening material (“do the deeds you did at first”) specifies how the repentance is to be demonstrated.

[2:5]  ⁴ tn Or “you did formerly.”

[2:5]  ⁵ tn Although the final clause is somewhat awkward, it is typical of the style of Revelation.

[2:6]  ⁶ tn Grk “But you do have this.” The words “going for you” are supplied to complete the English idiom; other phrases like “in your favor” (NIV) or “to your credit” (NRSV) could also be supplied.

[2:6]  ⁷ sn The Nicolaitans were a sect (sometimes associated with Nicolaus, one of the seven original deacons in the church in Jerusalem according to Acts 6:5) that apparently taught that Christians could engage in immoral behavior with impunity.

[2:6]  ⁸ tn The expression τὰ ἔργα τῶν Νικολαϊτῶν (ta erga twn Nikolaitwn) has been translated as a subjective genitive.

[2:7]  ⁹ tn Or “who is victorious”; traditionally, “who overcomes.” The pendent dative is allowed to stand in the English translation because it is characteristic of the author’s style in Revelation.

[2:7]  ¹⁰ tn Or “grant.”

[2:7]  ¹¹ tn Or “stands.”

[2:7]  ¹² tc The omission of “my” (μου, mou) after “God” (θεοῦ, qeou) is well attested, supported by א A C and the Andreas of Caesarea group of Byzantine mss (Ï^A). Its addition in 1611, the Ï^K group, latt, and others, seems to be evidence of a purposeful conforming of the text to 3:2 and the four occurrences of “my God” (θεοῦ μου) in 3:12.

[2:8]  ¹³ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[2:8]  ¹⁴ tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

[2:8]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[2:8]  sn The expression This is the solemn pronouncement of reflects an OT idiom. See the note on this phrase in 2:1.

[2:8]  ¹⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present between these two phrases.