Revelation · Catholic Public Domain Version
Revelation 2 Catholic Public Domain Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (3)
- Esther and Daniel are the Vulgate books (Esther 1–16 with the Greek additions as chapters 10:4–16; Daniel 1–14 with the Song of the Three, Susanna and Bel). Baruch 6 is the Letter of Jeremiah.
- The translator's footnotes, cross-references, chapter summaries and book introductions in the CrossWire module are not shown.
- No imprimatur; single translator.
1 “And to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus write: Thus says the One who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:
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·
2 I know your works, and your hardship and patient endurance, and that you cannot stand those who are evil. And so, you have tested those who declare themselves to be Apostles and are not, and you have found them to be liars.
2 οἶδα τὰ ἔργα σου καὶ τὸν κόπον σου καὶ τὴν ὑπομονήν σου, καὶ ὅτι οὐ δύνῃ βαστάσαι κακούς, καὶ ἐπείρασας τοὺς λέγοντας ἑαυτοὺς ἀποστόλους εἶναι, καὶ οὐκ εἰσί, καὶ εὗρες αὐτοὺς ψευδεῖς·
3 And you have patient endurance for the sake of my name, and you have not fallen away.
3 καὶ ὑπομονὴν ἔχεις, καὶ ἐβάστασας διὰ τὸ ὄνομά μου, καὶ οὐ κεκοπίακας.
4 But I have this against you: that you have relinquished your first charity.
4 ἀλλὰ ἔχω κατὰ σοῦ, ὅτι τὴν ἀγάπην σου τὴν πρώτην ἀφῆκας.
5 And so, call to mind the place from which you have fallen, and do penance, and do the first works. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.
5 μνημόνευε οὖν πόθεν πέπτωκας, καὶ μετανόησον καὶ τὰ πρῶτα ἔργα ποίησον· εἰ δὲ μή, ἔρχομαί σοι ταχὺ καὶ κινήσω τὴν λυχνίαν σου ἐκ τοῦ τόπου αὐτῆς, ἐὰν μὴ μετανοήσῃς.
6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
6 ἀλλὰ τοῦτο ἔχεις, ὅτι μισεῖς τὰ ἔργα τῶν Νικολαϊτῶν, ἃ κἀγὼ μισῶ.
7 Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches. To him who prevails, I will give to eat from the Tree of Life, which is in the Paradise of my God.
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 μου.
8 And to the Angel of the Church of Smyrna write: Thus says the First and the Last, he who was dead and now lives:
8 Καὶ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Σμύρνῃ ἐκκλησίας γράψον· τάδε λέγει ὁ πρῶτος καὶ ὁ ἔσχατος, ὃς ἐγένετο νεκρὸς καὶ ἔζησεν·
9 I know your tribulation and your poverty, but you are rich, and that you are blasphemed by those who declare themselves to be Jews and are not, but who are a synagogue of Satan.
9 οἶδά σου τὰ ἔργα καὶ τὴν θλῖψιν καὶ τὴν πτωχείαν· ἀλλὰ πλούσιος εἶ· καὶ τὴν βλασφημίαν ἐκ τῶν λεγόντων Ἰουδαίους εἶναι ἑαυτούς, καὶ οὐκ εἰσίν, ἀλλὰ συναγωγὴ τοῦ σατανᾶ.
10 You should fear nothing amid those things which you will suffer. Behold, the devil will cast some of you into prison, so that you may be tested. And you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful even unto death, and I will give to you the crown of life.
10 μηδὲν φοβοῦ ἃ μέλλεις παθεῖν. ἰδοὺ [δὴ] μέλλει βαλεῖν ὁ διάβολος ἐξ ὑμῶν εἰς φυλακὴν ἵνα πειρασθῆτε, καὶ ἕξετε θλῖψιν ἡμέρας δέκα. γίνου πιστὸς ἄχρι θανάτου, καὶ δώσω σοι τὸν στέφανον τῆς ζωῆς.
11 Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches. Whoever will prevail, he shall not be harmed by the second death.
11 Ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτω τί τὸ Πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις. Ὁ νικῶν οὐ μὴ ἀδικηθῇ ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου τοῦ δευτέρου.
12 And to the Angel of the Church of Pergamus write: Thus says he who holds the sharp two-edged spear:
12 Καὶ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Περγάμῳ ἐκκλησίας γράψον· τάδε λέγει ὁ ἔχων τὴν ῥομφαίαν τὴν δίστομον τὴν ὀξεῖαν·
13 I know where you dwell, where the seat of Satan is, and that you hold to my name and have not denied my faith, even in those days when Antipas was my faithful witness, who was slain among you, where Satan dwells.
13 οἶδα τὰ ἔργα σου καὶ ποῦ κατοικεῖς· ὅπου ὁ θρόνος τοῦ σατανᾶ· καὶ κρατεῖς τὸ ὄνομά μου, καὶ οὐκ ἠρνήσω τὴν πίστιν μου [καὶ] ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αἷς Ἀντίπας ὁ μάρτυς μου ὁ πιστός, ὃς ἀπεκτάνθη παρ᾽ ὑμῖν, ὅπου ὁ σατανᾶς κατοικεῖ.
14 But I have a few things against you. For you have, in that place, those who hold to the doctrine of Balaam, who instructed Balak to cast a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat and to commit fornication.
14 ἀλλὰ ἔχω κατὰ σοῦ ὀλίγα, ὅτι ἔχεις ἐκεῖ κρατοῦντας τὴν διδαχὴν Βαλαάμ, ὃς ἐδίδαξε τὸν Βαλὰκ βαλεῖν σκάνδαλον ἐνώπιον τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ καὶ φαγεῖν εἰδωλόθυτα καὶ πορνεῦσαι.
15 And you also have those who hold to the doctrine of the Nicolaitans.
15 οὕτως ἔχεις καὶ σὺ κρατοῦντας τὴν διδαχὴν τῶν Νικολαϊτῶν ὁμοίως.
16 So do penance to the same extent. If you do less, I will come to you quickly and I will fight against these ones with the sword of my mouth.
16 μετανόησον οὖν· εἰ δὲ μή, ἔρχομαί σοι ταχὺ καὶ πολεμήσω μετ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ ῥομφαίᾳ τοῦ στόματός μου.
17 Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches. To him who prevails, I will give the hidden manna. And I will give to him a white emblem, and on the emblem, a new name has been written, which no one knows, except the one who receives it.
17 Ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτω τί τὸ Πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις. Τῷ νικῶντι δώσω αὐτῷ τοῦ μάννα τοῦ κεκρυμμένου, καὶ δώσω αὐτῷ ψῆφον λευκήν, καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ψῆφον ὄνομα καινὸν γεγραμμένον, ὃ οὐδεὶς οἶδεν εἰ μὴ ὁ λαμβάνων.
18 And to the Angel of the Church of Thyatira write: Thus says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and his feet are like shining brass.
18 Καὶ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς ἐν Θυατείροις ἐκκλησίας γράψον· τάδε λέγει ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ ἔχων τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ ὡς φλόγα πυρός, καὶ οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ ὅμοιοι χαλκολιβάνῳ·
19 I know your works, and your faith and charity, and your ministry and patient endurance, and that your more recent works are greater than the earlier ones.
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.
20 But I have a few things against you. For you permit the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants, to commit fornication and to eat the food of idolatry.
20 ἀλλὰ ἔχω κατὰ σοῦ ὀλίγα, ὅτι ἀφεῖς τὴν γυναῖκά σου Ἰεζάβελ, ἣ λέγει ἑαυτὴν προφῆτιν, καὶ διδάσκει καὶ πλανᾷ τοὺς ἐμοὺς δούλους πορνεῦσαι καὶ φαγεῖν εἰδωλόθυτα.
21 And I gave her a time, so that she might do penance, but she is not willing to repent from her fornication.
21 καὶ ἔδωκα αὐτῇ χρόνον ἵνα μετανοήσῃ, καὶ οὐ θέλει μετανοῆσαι ἐκ τῆς πορνείας αὐτῆς.
22 Behold, I will cast her onto a bed, and those who commit adultery with her shall be in a very great tribulation, unless they repent from their works.
22 ἰδοὺ βάλλω αὐτὴν εἰς κλίνην καὶ τοὺς μοιχεύοντας μετ᾽ αὐτῆς εἰς θλῖψιν μεγάλην, ἐὰν μὴ μετανοήσωσιν ἐκ τῶν ἔργων αὐτῆς,
23 And I will put her sons to death, and all the Churches shall know that I am the one who examines temperaments and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works. But I say to you,
23 καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς ἀποκτενῶ ἐν θανάτῳ, καὶ γνώσονται πᾶσαι αἱ ἐκκλησίαι ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἐρευνῶν νεφροὺς καὶ καρδίας, καὶ δώσω ὑμῖν ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα ὑμῶν.
24 and to the others who are at Thyatira: Whoever does not hold to this doctrine, and who has not ‘known the depths of Satan,’ as they say, I will not set any other weight upon you.
24 ὑμῖν δὲ λέγω τοῖς λοιποῖς τοῖς ἐν Θυατείροις, ὅσοι οὐκ ἔχουσι τὴν διδαχὴν ταύτην, οἵτινες οὐκ ἔγνωσαν τὰ βαθέα τοῦ σατανᾶ, ὡς λέγουσιν· οὐ βάλλω ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς ἄλλο βάρος·
25 Even so, that which you have, hold on to it until I return.
25 πλὴν ὃ ἔχετε κρατήσατε ἄχρις οὗ ἂν ἥξω.
26 And whoever will prevail and will observe my works even unto the end, I will give to him authority over the nations.
26 Καὶ ὁ νικῶν καὶ ὁ τηρῶν ἄχρι τέλους τὰ ἔργα μου, δώσω αὐτῷ ἐξουσίαν ἐπὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν,
27 And he shall rule them with an iron rod, and they shall be broken like the earthenware of a potter.
27 καὶ ποιμανεῖ αὐτοὺς ἐν ῥάβδῳ σιδηρᾷ, ὡς τὰ σκεύη τὰ κεραμικὰ συντριβήσεται, ὡς κἀγὼ εἴληφα παρὰ τοῦ πατρός μου,
28 The same I also have received from my Father. And I will give to him the morning star.
28 καὶ δώσω αὐτῷ τὸν ἀστέρα τὸν πρωϊνόν.
29 Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.”
29 Ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτω τί τὸ Πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Antipas
Called Christ's faithful witness, killed at Pergamum where Satan dwells.
Cited in the guide: Revelation 2:13
Jezebel
A woman at Thyatira who called herself a prophetess and led Christ's servants into immorality and idolatry; the name probably recalls Ahab's wife.
Cited in the guide: Revelation 2:20
Places
Ephesus
The chief city of Roman Asia, famed for the temple of Artemis. Paul's long ministry sparked the silversmiths' riot; the city is also the first addressed in Revelation.
Cited in the guide: Acts 19:1; Acts 19:28; Revelation 2:1
Cross references (29)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Revelation 1:20; Revelation 1:16; Revelation 1:11–13; Revelation 3:7; Revelation 2:18
- 2 1 John 4:1; 2 Peter 2:1–3; 1 Thessalonians 5:21; 2 Corinthians 11:13–15; Revelation 3:8
- 3 Hebrews 10:36; Galatians 6:9; James 5:7–11; Hebrews 12:1; James 1:3–4
- 4 Matthew 24:12–13; Jeremiah 2:2–5; Hebrews 6:10–11; Philippians 1:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:3
- 5 Revelation 3:2–3; Revelation 3:19; Revelation 2:16; Hosea 14:1; Acts 17:30–31
- 6 Psalm 26:5; Psalm 101:3; 2 John 9–10; Revelation 2:14–15; 2 Chronicles 19:2
- 7 Revelation 2:11; Revelation 2:17; Matthew 11:15; Matthew 13:43; Revelation 13:9
- 8 Revelation 1:17–18; Revelation 1:8; Revelation 1:11; Revelation 2:1
- 9 Revelation 3:9; James 2:5–6; 2 Corinthians 8:9; Romans 9:6; 2 Corinthians 6:10
- 10 James 1:12; Matthew 10:22; Revelation 3:10–11; Luke 21:16–19; Mark 13:13
- 11 Revelation 20:6; Revelation 20:14; Revelation 21:8; Revelation 2:7; Revelation 2:17
- 12 Revelation 2:16; Revelation 1:16; Hebrews 4:12; Revelation 19:15; Revelation 1:11
- 13 Revelation 2:9–10; 1 Timothy 5:8; Revelation 3:8–9; Revelation 3:11; Acts 22:20
- 14 Numbers 31:16; 2 Peter 2:15; Revelation 2:20; Numbers 25:1–3; Jude 11
- 15 Revelation 2:6
- 16 2 Thessalonians 2:8; Revelation 1:16; Ephesians 6:17; Revelation 2:5; Isaiah 11:4
- 17 Isaiah 62:2; Isaiah 65:15; Revelation 19:12–13; Revelation 3:12–13; Revelation 2:7
- 18 Revelation 1:14–15; Revelation 1:11; John 3:35–36; Psalm 2:7; John 5:25
- 19 1 Timothy 1:5; 2 Peter 1:7; John 15:2; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; Revelation 2:2–4
- 20 Revelation 2:14; 1 Kings 16:31; 1 Corinthians 10:18–21; Acts 15:29; 2 Kings 9:7
- 21 2 Peter 3:9; Romans 2:4–5; Revelation 9:20–21; Revelation 16:11; Revelation 16:9
- 22 Revelation 17:2; Luke 13:5; Ezekiel 16:37–41; Jeremiah 36:3; Revelation 18:3
- 23 Matthew 16:27; Psalm 7:9; Romans 8:27; 1 Peter 1:17; Acts 1:24
- 24 2 Corinthians 2:11; Revelation 12:9; 2 Corinthians 11:3; Acts 15:28; 2 Corinthians 11:13–15
- 25 Revelation 3:3; Revelation 3:11; Hebrews 10:23; 1 Thessalonians 5:21; Revelation 22:7
- 26 Revelation 3:21; Revelation 2:7; Daniel 7:27; Psalm 2:8; Revelation 20:4
- 27 Psalm 2:8–9; Revelation 12:5; Revelation 19:15; Isaiah 30:14; Matthew 11:27
- 28 Revelation 22:16; 2 Peter 1:19; Luke 1:78–79
- 29 Revelation 2:7
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
Wherefore the Word has also spoken of them thus: "But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate." Chapter XXVII — Doctrines of Cerdo and Marcion
… and is called so; so also, when man is grafted in by faith and receives the Spirit of God, he certainly does not lose the substance of flesh, but changes the quality of the fruit [brought forth, i.e.,] of his works, and receives another name, showing that he has become changed for the better, being now not [mere] flesh and …