Wahyu 2:1

To the Church in Ephesus

2:1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, ¹  write the following: ² 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ³  the one who has a firm grasp on ⁴  the seven stars in his right hand ⁵  – the one who walks among the seven golden ⁶  lampstands:

Wahyu 3:1

To the Church in Sardis

3:1 “To ⁷  the angel of the church in Sardis write the following: ⁸ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ⁹  the one who holds ¹⁰  the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a reputation ¹¹  that you are alive, but ¹²  in reality ¹³  you are dead.

Wahyu 3:7

To the Church in Philadelphia

3:7 “To ¹⁴  the angel of the church in Philadelphia write the following: ¹⁵ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ¹⁶  the Holy One, the True One, who holds the key of David, who opens doors ¹⁷  no one can shut, and shuts doors ¹⁸  no one can open:

Wahyu 18:7

18:7 As much as ¹⁹  she exalted herself and lived in sensual luxury, ²⁰  to this extent give her torment and grief because she said to herself, ²¹  ‘I rule as queen and am no widow; I will never experience grief!’

Wahyu 19:10

19:10 So ²²  I threw myself down ²³  at his feet to worship him, but ²⁴  he said, “Do not do this! ²⁵  I am only ²⁶  a fellow servant ²⁷  with you and your brothers ²⁸  who hold to the testimony about ²⁹  Jesus. Worship God, for the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

[2:1]  ¹ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[2:1]  ² tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

[2:1]  ³ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” The expression τάδε λέγει (tade legei) occurs eight times in the NT, seven of which are in Rev 2-3. “The pronoun is used to add solemnity to the prophetic utterance that follows. …In classical drama, it was used to introduce a new actor to the scene (Smyth, Greek Grammar, 307 [§1241]). But the τάδε λέγει formula in the NT derives from the OT, where it was used to introduce a prophetic utterance (BAGD, s.v. ὅδε, 1)” (ExSyn 328). Thus, the translation “this is the solemn pronouncement of” for τάδε λέγει is very much in keeping with the OT connotations of this expression.

[2:1]  sn The expression This is the solemn pronouncement of reflects an OT idiom. The LXX has the same Greek phrase (τάδε λέγει, tade legei) about 350 times, with nearly 320 of them having “the Lord” (Heb יהוה, Yahweh) as subject. That the author of Revelation would use such an expression seven times with the risen Christ as the speaker may well imply something of Christ’s sovereignty and deity. Cf. also Acts 21:11 in which the Holy Spirit is the speaker of this expression.

[2:1]  ⁴ tn Grk “holds,” but the term (i.e., κρατῶν, kratwn) with an accusative object, along with the context, argues for a sense of firmness. (Cf. ExSyn 132.)

[2:1]  ⁵ sn On seven stars in his right hand see 1:16.

[2:1]  ⁶ tn Grk “lampstands of gold” with the genitive τῶν χρυσῶν (twn cruswn) translated as an attributive genitive.

[3:1]  ⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[3:1]  ⁸ tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

[3:1]  ⁹ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[3:1]  sn The expression This is the solemn pronouncement of reflects an OT idiom. See the note on this phrase in 2:1.

[3:1]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “who has” (cf. 1:16).

[3:1]  ¹¹ tn Grk “a name.”

[3:1]  ¹² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[3:1]  ¹³ tn The prepositional phrase “in reality” is supplied in the translation to make explicit the idea that their being alive was only an illusion.

[3:7]  ¹⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[3:7]  ¹⁵ tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

[3:7]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[3:7]  sn The expression This is the solemn pronouncement of reflects an OT idiom. See the note on this phrase in 2:1.

[3:7]  ¹⁷ tn The word “door” is not in the Greek text but has been supplied in the translation. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context. Since the following verse does contain the word “door” (θύραν, quran), that word has been supplied as the direct object here.

[3:7]  ¹⁸ tn See the note on the word “door” earlier in this verse.

[18:7]  ¹⁹ tn “As much as” is the translation of ὅσα (Josa).

[18:7]  ²⁰ tn On the term ἐστρηνίασεν (estrhniasen) BDAG 949 s.v. στρηνιάω states, “live in luxury, live sensually Rv 18:7. W. πορνεύειν vs. 9.”

[18:7]  ²¹ tn Grk “said in her heart,” an idiom for saying something to oneself.

[19:10]  ²² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s announcement.

[19:10]  ²³ tn Grk “I fell down at his feet.” BDAG 815 s.v. πίπτω 1.b.α.ב. has “fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion or humility, before high-ranking persons or divine beings.”

[19:10]  ²⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[19:10]  ²⁵ tn On the elliptical expression ὅρα μή (Jora mh) BDAG 720 s.v. ὁράω B.2 states: “Elliptically…ὅρα μή (sc. ποιήσῃς) watch out! don’t do that! Rv 19:10; 22:9.”

[19:10]  ²⁶ tn The lowliness of a slave is emphasized in the Greek text with the emphatic position of σύνδουλος (sundoulo"). The use of “only” helps to bring this nuance out in English.

[19:10]  ²⁷ tn Grk “fellow slave.” See the note on the word “servants” in v. 2.

[19:10]  ²⁸ tn The Greek term “brother” literally refers to family relationships, but here it is used in a broader sense to connote familial relationships within the family of God (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a).

[19:10]  ²⁹ tn The genitive ᾿Ιησοῦ (Ihsou) has been translated as an objective genitive here. A subjective genitive, also possible, would produce the meaning “who hold to what Jesus testifies.”