Revelation 2:23-29

2:23 Furthermore, I will strike her followers ¹  with a deadly disease, ²  and then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts. I will repay ³  each one of you ⁴  what your deeds deserve. ⁵  2:24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, all who do not hold to this teaching ⁶  (who have not learned the so-called “deep secrets ⁷  of Satan”), to you I say: I do not put any additional burden on you. 2:25 However, hold on to what you have until I come. 2:26 And to the one who conquers ⁸  and who continues in ⁹  my deeds until the end, I will give him authority over the nations ¹⁰  –

2:27 he ¹¹  will rule ¹²  them with an iron rod ¹³ 

and like clay jars he will break them to pieces, ¹⁴ 

2:28 just as I have received the right to rule ¹⁵  from my Father – and I will give him the morning star. ¹⁶  2:29 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

¹ tn Grk “her children,” but in this context a reference to this woman’s followers or disciples is more likely meant.

² tn Grk “I will kill with death.” θάνατος (qanatos) can in particular contexts refer to a manner of death, specifically a contagious disease (see BDAG 443 s.v. 3; L&N 23.158).

³ tn Grk “I will give.” The sense of δίδωμι (didwmi) in this context is more “repay” than “give.”

⁴ sn This pronoun and the following one are plural in the Greek text.

⁵ tn Grk “each one of you according to your works.”

⁶ sn That is, the teaching of Jezebel (v. 20).

⁷ tn Grk “deep things.” For the translation “deep secrets” see L&N 28.76; cf. NAB, NIV, CEV.

⁸ tn Or “who is victorious”; traditionally, “who overcomes.”

⁹ tn Grk “keeps.” In a context that speaks of “holding on to what you have,” the idea here is one of continued faithful behavior (BDAG 1002 s.v. τηρέω 3 has “ὁ τηρῶν τὰ ἔργα μου the one who takes my deeds to heart Rv 2:26”).

¹⁰ tn Or “over the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).

¹¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

¹² tn Grk “will shepherd.”

¹³ tn Or “scepter.” The Greek term ῥάβδος (rJabdo") can mean either “rod” or “scepter.”

¹⁴ sn A quotation from Ps 2:9 (with the line introducing the quotation containing a partial allusion to Ps 2:8). See also Rev 12:5, 19:15.

¹⁵ tn What has been received is not specified in the Greek text, but must be supplied from the context. In the light of the two immediately preceding verses about rulership or dominion, it seems that the implied direct object of δώσω (dwsw) is “the right to rule” (i.e., ἔχειν ἐξουσίαν ποιμάνειν, ecein exousian poimanein), although many modern translations supply the word “authority” here (so NAB, NRSV, NLT).

¹⁶ tn On this expression BDAG 892 s.v. πρωϊνός states, “early, belonging to the morning ὁ ἀστὴρ ὁ πρ. the morning star, Venus Rv 2:28; 22:16.”