Revelation 2:3

2:3 I am also aware ¹  that you have persisted steadfastly, ²  endured much for the sake of my name, and have not grown weary.

Revelation 2:15

2:15 In the same way, there are also some among you who follow the teaching of the Nicolaitans. ³ 

Revelation 3:11

3:11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have so that no one can take away ⁴  your crown. ⁵ 

Revelation 2:6

2:6 But you do have this going for you: ⁶  You hate what the Nicolaitans ⁷  practice ⁸  – practices I also hate.

Revelation 3:4

3:4 But you have a few individuals ⁹  in Sardis who have not stained ¹⁰  their clothes, and they will walk with me dressed ¹¹  in white, because they are worthy.

Revelation 2:14

2:14 But I have a few things against you: You have some people there who follow the teaching of Balaam, ¹²  who instructed Balak to put a stumbling block ¹³  before the people ¹⁴  of Israel so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality. ¹⁵ 

Revelation 3:1

To the Church in Sardis

3:1 “To ¹⁶  the angel of the church in Sardis write the following: ¹⁷ 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ¹⁸  the one who holds ¹⁹  the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a reputation ²⁰  that you are alive, but ²¹  in reality ²²  you are dead.

Revelation 3:8

3:8 ‘I know your deeds. (Look! I have put ²³  in front of you an open door that no one can shut.) ²⁴  I know ²⁵  that you have little strength, ²⁶  but ²⁷  you have obeyed ²⁸  my word and have not denied my name.

[2:3]  ¹ tn Because of the length and complexity of this Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the phrase “I am also aware” to link this English sentence back to “I know” at the beginning of v. 2.

[2:3]  ² tn The Greek word translated “persisted steadfastly” (ὑπομονή, Jupomonh) is the same one translated “steadfast endurance” in v. 2.

[2:15]  ³ tn The term ὁμοίως (Jomoiws, “likewise”) is left untranslated because it is quite redundant.

[3:11]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ 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).

[2:6]  ⁷ tn Grk “But you do have this.” The words “going for you” are supplied to complete the English idiom; other phrases like “in your favor” (NIV) or “to your credit” (NRSV) could also be supplied.

[2:6]  ⁸ sn The Nicolaitans were a sect (sometimes associated with Nicolaus, one of the seven original deacons in the church in Jerusalem according to Acts 6:5) that apparently taught that Christians could engage in immoral behavior with impunity.

[2:6]  ⁹ tn The expression τὰ ἔργα τῶν Νικολαϊτῶν (ta erga twn Nikolaitwn) has been translated as a subjective genitive.

[3:4]  ⁹ tn Grk “a few names”; here ὄνομα (onoma) is used by figurative extension to mean “person” or “people”; according to L&N 9.19 there is “the possible implication of existence or relevance as individuals.”

[3:4]  ¹⁰ tn Or “soiled” (so NAB, NRSV, NIV); NCV “have kept their clothes unstained”; CEV “have not dirtied your clothes with sin.”

[3:4]  ¹¹ tn The word “dressed” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[2:14]  ¹¹ sn See Num 22-24; 31:16.

[2:14]  ¹² 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]  ¹³ 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]  ¹⁴ 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.”

[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.

[3:8]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “I have given.”

[3:8]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “to shut it,” but English would leave the direct object understood in this case.

[3:8]  ¹⁷ tn This translation is based on connecting the ὅτι (Joti) clause with the οἶδα (oida) at the beginning of the verse, giving the content of what is known (see also 3:1, 3:15 for parallels). Because of the intervening clause that is virtually parenthetical (see the note on the word “shut” earlier in this verse), the words “I know that” from the beginning of the verse had to be repeated to make this connection clear for the English reader. However, the ὅτι could be understood as introducing a causal subordinate clause instead and thus translated, “because you have.”

[3:8]  ¹⁸ tn Or “little power.”

[3:8]  ¹⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[3:8]  ²⁰ tn Grk “and having kept.” The participle ἐτήρησας (ethrhsas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. For the translation of τηρέω (threw) as “obey” see L&N 36.19. This is the same word that is used in 3:10 (there translated “kept”) where there is a play on words.