Revelation 3:7

To the Church in Philadelphia

3:7 “To ¹  the angel of the church in Philadelphia write the following: ² 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ³  the Holy One, the True One, who holds the key of David, who opens doors ⁴  no one can shut, and shuts doors ⁵  no one can open:

Revelation 9:1

9:1 Then ⁶  the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky ⁷  to the earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the abyss. ⁸ 

Revelation 20:1-2

The Thousand Year Reign

20:1 Then ⁹  I saw an angel descending from heaven, holding ¹⁰  in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain. 20:2 He ¹¹  seized the dragon – the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan – and tied him up for a thousand years.

Revelation 20:14

20:14 Then ¹²  Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death – the lake of fire.

Psalms 68:20

68:20 Our God is a God who delivers;

the Lord, the sovereign Lord, can rescue from death. ¹³ 

Isaiah 22:22

22:22 I will place the key ¹⁴  to the house of David on his shoulder. When he opens the door, no one can close it; when he closes the door, no one can open it.

Matthew 16:19

16:19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you release on earth will have been released in heaven.”

[3:7]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

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

[3:7]  ⁴ 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]  ⁵ tn See the note on the word “door” earlier in this verse.

[9:1]  ⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[9:1]  ⁷ tn Or “from heaven” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).

[9:1]  ⁸ tn On this term BDAG 2 s.v. ἄβυσσος 2 states, “netherworld, abyss, esp. the abode of the dead Ro 10:7 (Ps 106:26) and of demons Lk 8:31; dungeon where the devil is kept Rv 20:3; abode of the θηρίον, the Antichrist 11:7; 17:8; of ᾿Αβαδδών (q.v.), the angel of the underworld 9:11…φρέαρ τῆς ἀ. 9:1f; capable of being sealed 9:1; 20:1, 3.”

[20:1]  ⁹ tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[20:1]  ¹⁰ tn The word “holding” is implied. The two clauses “having the key of the abyss” and “a huge chain in his hand” can be construed in two ways: (1) both are controlled by the participle ἔχοντα (econta) and both are modified by the phrase “in his hand” – “having in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain.” (2) The participle ἔχοντα refers only to the key, and the phrase “in his hand” refers only to the chain – “having the key of the abyss and holding a huge chain in his hand.” Because of the stylistic tendency in Rev to use the verb ἔχω (ecw) to mean “hold (something)” and the phrase “in his hand” forming a “bracket” along with the verb ἔχω around both the phrases in question, the first option is preferred.

[20:2]  ¹¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[20:14]  ¹² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[68:20]  ¹³ tn Heb “and to the Lord, the Lord, to death, goings out.”

[22:22]  ¹⁴ sn This may refer to a literal insignia worn by the chief administrator. Even so, it would still symbolize the administrator’s authority to grant or exclude access to the king. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:422.