2:8 “To 5 the angel of the church in Smyrna write the following: 6
“This is the solemn pronouncement of 7 the one who is the first and the last, the one who was dead, but 8 came to life:
22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the first and the last,
the beginning and the end!) 12
41:4 Who acts and carries out decrees? 13
Who 14 summons the successive generations from the beginning?
I, the Lord, am present at the very beginning,
and at the very end – I am the one. 15
43:10 You are my witnesses,” says the Lord,
“my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may consider 16 and believe in me,
and understand that I am he.
No god was formed before me,
and none will outlive me. 17
44:6 This is what the Lord, Israel’s king, says,
their protector, 18 the Lord who commands armies:
“I am the first and I am the last,
there is no God but me.
48:12 Listen to me, O Jacob,
Israel, whom I summoned!
I am the one;
I am present at the very beginning
and at the very end. 19
1 map For location see JP1-D2; JP2-D2; JP3-D2; JP4-D2.
2 tn Grk “and to Smyrna.” For stylistic reasons the conjunction καί (kai) and the preposition εἰς (eis) have not been translated before the remaining elements of the list. In lists with more than two elements contemporary English generally does not repeat the conjunction except between the next to last and last elements.
3 tn Grk “And when.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
4 tn Here the Greek conjunction καί (kai) has been translated as a contrastive (“but”) due to the contrast between the two clauses.
5 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.
6 tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.
7 tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.
8 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present between these two phrases.
9 tn Or “It has happened.”
10 tn The word “water” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
11 tn Or “as a free gift” (see L&N 57.85).
12 sn These lines are parenthetical, forming an aside to the narrative. The speaker here is the Lord Jesus Christ himself rather than the narrator.
13 tn Heb “Who acts and accomplishes?”; NASB “Who has performed and accomplished it.”
14 tn The interrogative particle is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
15 tn Heb “I, the Lord, [am with] the first, and with the last ones I [am] he.”
16 tn Or “know” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
17 tn Heb “and after me, there will not be”; NASB “there will be none after Me.”
18 tn Heb “his kinsman redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
19 tn Heb “I [am] he, I [am the] first, also I [am the] last.”