Revelation 2:16

2:16 Therefore, ¹  repent! If not, I will come against you quickly and make war against those people ²  with the sword of my mouth.

Revelation 2:21-22

2:21 I ³  have given her time to repent, but ⁴  she is not willing to repent of her sexual immorality. 2:22 Look! I am throwing her onto a bed of violent illness, ⁵  and those who commit adultery with her into terrible suffering, ⁶  unless they repent of her deeds.

[2:16]  ¹ tc The “therefore” (οὖν, oun) is not found in א 2053 2329 2351 Ï^A or the Latin mss. It is, however, included in impressive witnesses such as {A C 046 1006 1611 sy^p,h co}. Though the conjunction looks at first glance like a scribal clarification, its omission may be explained on the basis of its similarity to the last three letters of the verb “repent” (μετανόησον, metanohson; since οὖν is a postpositive conjunction in Greek, the final three letters of the verb [-σον, -son] would have been immediately followed by ουν). A scribe could have simply passed over the conjunction in his copy when he saw the last three letters of the imperative verb. A decision is difficult, however, because of the motivation to add to the text and the quality of witnesses that lack the conjunction.

[2:16]  ² tn Grk “with them”; the referent (those people who follow the teaching of Balaam and the Nicolaitans) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[2:21]  ³ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and contemporary English style.

[2:21]  ⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to bring out the contrast present in this woman’s obstinate refusal to repent.

[2:22]  ⁵ tn Grk “onto a bed,” in this context an idiom for severe illness (L&N 23.152).

[2:22]  ⁶ tn Or “into great distress.” The suffering here is not specified as physical or emotional, and could involve persecution.