Revelation 2:15

2:15 In the same way, there are also some among you who follow the teaching of the Nicolaitans. ¹ 

Revelation 2:25

2:25 However, hold on to what you have until I come.

Revelation 3:11

3:11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have so that no one can take away ²  your crown. ³ 

Revelation 20:2

20:2 He ⁴  seized the dragon – the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan – and tied him up for a thousand years.

Revelation 2:1

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 2:14

2:14 But I have a few things against you: You have some people there who follow the teaching of Balaam, ¹¹  who instructed Balak to put a stumbling block ¹²  before the people ¹³  of Israel so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality. ¹⁴ 

Revelation 7:1

The Sealing of the 144,000

7:1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth so no wind could blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.

Revelation 2:13

2:13 ‘I know ¹⁵  where you live – where Satan’s throne is. Yet ¹⁶  you continue to cling ¹⁷  to my name and you have not denied your ¹⁸  faith in me, ¹⁹  even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, ²⁰  who was killed in your city ²¹  where Satan lives.

[2:15]  ¹ tn The term ὁμοίως (Jomoiws, “likewise”) is left untranslated because it is quite redundant.

[3:11]  ² tn On the verb λάβῃ (labh) here BDAG 583 s.v. λαμβάνω 2 states, “to take away, remove…with or without the use of force τὰ ἀργύρια take away the silver coins (fr. the temple) Mt 27:6. τὰς ἀσθενείας diseases 8:17. τὸν στέφανον Rv 3:11.”

[3:11]  ³ sn Your crown refers to a wreath consisting either of foliage or of precious metals formed to resemble foliage and worn as a symbol of honor, victory, or as a badge of high office – ‘wreath, crown’ (L&N 6.192).

[20:2]  ³ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[2:1]  ⁴ map For location see JP1 D2; JP2 D2; JP3 D2; JP4 D2.

[2:1]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ 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]  ⁷ 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]  ⁸ sn On seven stars in his right hand see 1:16.

[2:1]  ⁹ tn Grk “lampstands of gold” with the genitive τῶν χρυσῶν (twn cruswn) translated as an attributive genitive.

[2:14]  ⁵ sn See Num 22-24; 31:16.

[2:14]  ⁶ tn That is, a cause for sinning. An alternate translation is “who instructed Balak to cause the people of Israel to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols…”

[2:14]  ⁷ tn Grk “sons,” but the expression υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραήλ (Juioi Israhl) is an idiom for the people of Israel as an ethnic entity (see L&N 11.58).

[2:14]  ⁸ tn Due to the actual events in the OT (Num 22-24; 31:16), πορνεῦσαι (porneusai) is taken to mean “sexual immorality.” BDAG 854 s.v. πορνεύω 1 states, “engage in illicit sex, to fornicate, to whore…W. φαγεῖν εἰδωλόθυτα ‘eat meat offered to idols’ Rv 2:14, 20.”

[2:13]  ⁶ tc The shorter reading adopted here has superior ms support (א A C P 2053 al latt co), while the inclusion of “your works and” (τὰ ἔργα σου καί, ta erga sou kai) before “where you reside” is supported by the Byzantine witnesses and is evidently a secondary attempt to harmonize the passage with 2:2, 19; 3:1, 8, 15.

[2:13]  ⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Yet” to indicate the contrast between their location and their faithful behavior.

[2:13]  ⁸ tn The present indicative verb κρατεῖς (kratei") has been translated as a progressive present.

[2:13]  ⁹ tn Grk “the faith”; here the Greek article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).

[2:13]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “the faith of me” (τὴν πίστιν μου, thn pistin mou) with the genitive “of me” (μου) functioning objectively.

[2:13]  ¹¹ tn Or “martyr.” The Greek word μάρτυς can mean either “witness” or “martyr.”

[2:13]  ¹² tn Grk “killed among you.” The term “city” does not occur in the Greek text of course, but the expression παρ᾿ ὑμῖν, ὅπου ὁ σατανᾶς κατοικεῖ (par’ Jumin, {opou Jo satana" katoikei) seems to indicate that this is what is meant. See G. B. Caird, Revelation (HNTC), 36-38.