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 2:1

To the Church in Ephesus

2:1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, ³  write the following: ⁴ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ⁵  the one who has a firm grasp on ⁶  the seven stars in his right hand ⁷  – the one who walks among the seven golden ⁸  lampstands:

Revelation 2:18

To the Church in Thyatira

2:18 “To ⁹  the angel of the church in Thyatira write the following: ¹⁰ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ¹¹  the Son of God, the one who has eyes like a fiery flame ¹²  and whose feet are like polished bronze: ¹³ 

Revelation 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:

Revelation 3:14

To the Church in Laodicea

3:14 “To ¹⁹  the angel of the church in Laodicea write the following: ²⁰ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ²¹  the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the originator ²²  of God’s creation:

Revelation 13:8

13:8 and all those who live on the earth will worship the beast, ²³  everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world ²⁴  in the book of life belonging to the Lamb who was killed. ²⁵ 

Revelation 19:9

19:9 Then ²⁶  the angel ²⁷  said to me, “Write the following: Blessed are those who are invited to the banquet at the wedding celebration of the Lamb!” He also said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

Revelation 21:5

21:5 And the one seated on the throne said: “Look! I am making all things new!” Then ²⁸  he said to me, “Write it down, ²⁹  because these words are reliable ³⁰  and true.”

Revelation 21:27

21:27 but ³¹  nothing ritually unclean ³²  will ever enter into it, nor anyone who does what is detestable ³³  or practices falsehood, ³⁴  but only those whose names ³⁵  are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

Revelation 22:18

22:18 I testify to the one who hears the words of the prophecy contained in this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described ³⁶  in this book.

[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.

[2:1]  ³ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[2:1]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ sn On seven stars in his right hand see 1:16.

[2:1]  ⁸ tn Grk “lampstands of gold” with the genitive τῶν χρυσῶν (twn cruswn) translated as an attributive genitive.

[2:18]  ⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[2:18]  ⁶ tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

[2:18]  ⁷ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[2:18]  ⁸ tn Grk “a flame of fire.” The Greek term πυρός (puros) has been translated as an attributive genitive.

[2:18]  ⁹ 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.

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

[3:7]  ⁸ tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

[3:7]  ⁹ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[3:7]  ¹⁰ 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]  ¹¹ tn See the note on the word “door” earlier in this verse.

[3:14]  ⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[3:14]  ¹⁰ 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]  ¹¹ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[3:14]  ¹² 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.

[13:8]  ¹¹ tn Grk “it”; the referent (the beast) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:8]  ¹² tn The prepositional phrase “since the foundation of the world” is traditionally translated as a modifier of the immediately preceding phrase in the Greek text, “the Lamb who was killed” (so also G. B. Caird, Revelation [HNTC], 168), but it is more likely that the phrase “since the foundation of the world” modifies the verb “written” (as translated above). Confirmation of this can be found in Rev 17:8 where the phrase “written in the book of life since the foundation of the world” occurs with no ambiguity.

[13:8]  ¹³ tn Or “slaughtered”; traditionally, “slain.”

[19:9]  ¹³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[19:9]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:5]  ¹⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[21:5]  ¹⁶ tn The words “it down” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[21:5]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “faithful.”

[21:27]  ¹⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[21:27]  ¹⁸ tn Here BDAG 552 s.v. κοινός 2 states, “pert. to being of little value because of being common, common, ordinary, profane…b. specifically, of that which is ceremonially impure: Rv 21:27.”

[21:27]  ¹⁹ tn Or “what is abhorrent”; Grk “who practices abominations.”

[21:27]  ²⁰ tn Grk “practicing abomination or falsehood.” Because of the way βδέλυγμα (bdelugma) has been translated (“does what is detestable”) it was necessary to repeat the idea from the participle ποιῶν (poiwn, “practices”) before the term “falsehood.” On this term, BDAG 1097 s.v. ψεῦδος states, “ποιεῖν ψεῦδος practice (the things that go with) falsehood Rv 21:27; 22:15.” Cf. Rev 3:9.

[21:27]  ²¹ tn Grk “those who are written”; the word “names” is implied.

[22:18]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “written.”