Revelation 1:11

1:11 saying: “Write in a book what you see and send it to the seven churches – to Ephesus, ¹  Smyrna, ²  Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”

Revelation 1:20--2:1

1:20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands is this: ³  The seven stars are the angels ⁴  of the seven churches and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

To the Church in Ephesus

2:1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, ⁵  write the following: ⁶ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ⁷  the one who has a firm grasp on ⁸  the seven stars in his right hand ⁹  – the one who walks among the seven golden ¹⁰  lampstands:

Revelation 2:8

To the Church in Smyrna

2:8 “To ¹¹  the angel of the church in Smyrna write the following: ¹² 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ¹³  the one who is the first and the last, the one who was dead, but ¹⁴  came to life:

Revelation 2:12

To the Church in Pergamum

2:12 “To ¹⁵  the angel of the church in Pergamum write the following: ¹⁶ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ¹⁷  the one who has the sharp double-edged sword: ¹⁸ 

Revelation 2:18

To the Church in Thyatira

2:18 “To ¹⁹  the angel of the church in Thyatira write the following: ²⁰ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ²¹  the Son of God, the one who has eyes like a fiery flame ²²  and whose feet are like polished bronze: ²³ 

Revelation 3:1

To the Church in Sardis

3:1 “To ²⁴  the angel of the church in Sardis write the following: ²⁵ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ²⁶  the one who holds ²⁷  the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a reputation ²⁸  that you are alive, but ²⁹  in reality ³⁰  you are dead.

Revelation 3:7

To the Church in Philadelphia

3:7 “To ³¹  the angel of the church in Philadelphia write the following: ³² 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ³³  the Holy One, the True One, who holds the key of David, who opens doors ³⁴  no one can shut, and shuts doors ³⁵  no one can open:

Revelation 3:14

To the Church in Laodicea

3:14 “To ³⁶  the angel of the church in Laodicea write the following: ³⁷ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ³⁸  the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the originator ³⁹  of God’s creation:

Acts 19:10

19:10 This went on for two years, so that all who lived in the province of Asia, ⁴⁰  both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord. ⁴¹ 

Acts 19:1

Disciples of John the Baptist at Ephesus

19:1 While ⁴²  Apollos was in Corinth, ⁴³  Paul went through the inland ⁴⁴  regions ⁴⁵  and came to Ephesus. ⁴⁶  He ⁴⁷  found some disciples there ⁴⁸ 

Acts 1:1

Jesus Ascends to Heaven

1:1 I wrote ⁴⁹  the former ⁵⁰  account, ⁵¹  Theophilus, ⁵²  about all that Jesus began to do and teach

[1:11]  ¹ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[1:11]  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.

[1:20]  ³ tn The words “is this” are supplied to make a complete sentence in English.

[1:20]  ⁴ tn Or perhaps “the messengers.”

[2:1]  ⁵ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[2:1]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ sn On seven stars in his right hand see 1:16.

[2:1]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “lampstands of gold” with the genitive τῶν χρυσῶν (twn cruswn) translated as an attributive genitive.

[2:8]  ⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[2:8]  ⁸ 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]  ⁹ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[2:8]  ¹⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present between these two phrases.

[2:12]  ⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[2:12]  ¹⁰ tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

[2:12]  ¹¹ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[2:12]  ¹² sn On the sharp double-edged sword see 1:16.

[2:18]  ¹¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[2:18]  ¹² tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

[2:18]  ¹³ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[2:18]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “a flame of fire.” The Greek term πυρός (puros) has been translated as an attributive genitive.

[2:18]  ¹⁵ tn The precise meaning of the term translated “polished bronze” (χαλκολιβάνῳ, calkolibanw), which appears no where else in Greek literature outside of the book of Revelation (see 1:15), is uncertain. Without question it is some sort of metal. BDAG 1076 s.v. χαλκολίβανον suggests “fine brass/bronze.” L&N 2.57 takes the word to refer to particularly valuable or fine bronze, but notes that the emphasis here and in Rev 1:15 is more on the lustrous quality of the metal.

[3:1]  ¹³ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[3:1]  ¹⁴ 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]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

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

[3:1]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “a name.”

[3:1]  ¹⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[3:1]  ¹⁹ 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]  ¹⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[3:7]  ¹⁶ 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]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[3:7]  ¹⁸ 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]  ¹⁹ tn See the note on the word “door” earlier in this verse.

[3:14]  ¹⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[3:14]  ¹⁸ tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

[3:14]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[3:14]  ²⁰ tn Or “the beginning of God’s creation”; or “the ruler of God’s creation.” From a linguistic standpoint all three meanings for ἀρχή (arch) are possible. The term is well attested in both LXX (Gen 40:13, 21; 41:13) and intertestamental Jewish literature (2 Macc 4:10, 50) as meaning “ruler, authority” (BDAG 138 s.v. 6). Some have connected this passage to Paul’s statements in Col 1:15, 18 which describe Christ as ἀρχή and πρωτότοκος (prwtotoko"; e.g., see R. H. Mounce, Revelation [NICNT], 124) but the term ἀρχή has been understood as either “beginning” or “ruler” in that passage as well. The most compelling connection is to be found in the prologue to John’s Gospel (1:2-4) where the λόγος (logos) is said to be “in the beginning (ἀρχή) with God,” a temporal reference connected with creation, and then v. 3 states that “all things were made through him.” The connection with the original creation suggests the meaning “originator” for ἀρχή here. BDAG 138 s.v. 3 gives the meaning “the first cause” for the word in Rev 3:14, a term that is too philosophical for the general reader, so the translation “originator” was used instead. BDAG also notes, “but the mng. beginning = ‘first created’ is linguistically probable (s. above 1b and Job 40:19; also CBurney, Christ as the ᾿Αρχή of Creation: JTS 27, 1926, 160-77).” Such a meaning is unlikely here, however, since the connections described above are much more probable.

[19:10]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.

[19:10]  ²⁰ sn The word of the Lord is a technical expression in OT literature, often referring to a divine prophetic utterance (e.g., Gen 15:1, Isa 1:10, Jonah 1:1). In the NT it occurs 15 times: 3 times as ῥῆμα τοῦ κυρίου (rJhma tou kuriou; Luke 22:61, Acts 11:16, 1 Pet 1:25) and 12 times as λόγος τοῦ κυρίου (logo" tou kuriou; here and in Acts 8:25; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:20; 1 Thess 1:8, 4:15; 2 Thess 3:1). As in the OT, this phrase focuses on the prophetic nature and divine origin of what has been said.

[19:1]  ²¹ tn Grk “It happened that while.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[19:1]  ²² map For location see JP1 C2; JP2 C2; JP3 C2; JP4 C2.

[19:1]  ²³ tn Or “interior.”

[19:1]  ²⁴ tn BDAG 92 s.v. ἀνωτερικός has “upper τὰ ἀ. μέρη the upper (i.e. inland) country, the interior Ac 19:1.”

[19:1]  ²⁵ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[19:1]  ²⁶ tn Grk “and found.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the sequencing with the following verse the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[19:1]  ²⁷ tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text but is implied.

[1:1]  ²³ tn Or “produced,” Grk “made.”

[1:1]  ²⁴ tn Or “first.” The translation “former” is preferred because “first” could imply to the modern English reader that the author means that his previous account was the first one to be written down. The Greek term πρῶτος (prwtos) does not necessarily mean “first” in an absolute sense, but can refer to the first in a set or series. That is what is intended here – the first account (known as the Gospel of Luke) as compared to the second one (known as Acts).

[1:1]  ²⁵ tn The Greek word λόγος (logos) is sometimes translated “book” (NRSV, NIV) or “treatise” (KJV). A formal, systematic treatment of a subject is implied, but the word “book” may be too specific and slightly misleading to the modern reader, so “account” has been used.

[1:1]  ²⁶ tn Grk “O Theophilus,” but the usage of the vocative in Acts with ὦ (w) is unemphatic, following more the classical idiom (see ExSyn 69).