Christian Standard Bible
Revelation 2:4
4But I have this against you: You have abandoned the love you had at first.
Revelation 2:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
- New International Version (NIV)Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
Context of Revelation 2:4
2I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate evil people. You have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and you have found them to be liars. 3I know that you have persevered and endured hardships for the sake of my name, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you: You have abandoned the love you had at first. 5Remember then how far you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6Yet you do have this: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Read all of Revelation 2Revelation 2:4 word by word
ἀλλ᾽ ἔχω κατὰ σοῦ ὅτι τὴν ἀγάπην σου τὴν πρώτην ἀφῆκες.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Revelation 2:4
- Revelation 2:14But I have a few things against you. You have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block in front of the Israelites: to eat meat sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.
- Revelation 3:14“Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea: Thus says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the originator of God’s creation:
- Jeremiah 2:2“Go and announce directly to Jerusalem that this is what the Lord says: I remember the loyalty of your youth, your love as a bride — how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.
- Matthew 24:12Because lawlessness will multiply, the love of many will grow cold.
- Philippians 1:9And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment,
- Philippians 3:13Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead,
- 1 Thessalonians 4:9About brotherly love: You don’t need me to write you because you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.
- 2 Thessalonians 1:3We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, since your faith is flourishing and the love each one of you has for one another is increasing.
- Hebrews 6:10For God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you demonstrated for his name by serving the saints — and by continuing to serve them.
Commentaries on Revelation 2:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee - The clause should be read, according to the Greek, thus: But I have against thee that thou hast left thy first love. They did not retain that strong and ardent affection for God and sacred things which they had when first brought to the knowledge of the truth, and justified by faith in Christ.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee - Notwithstanding this general commendation, there are things which I cannot approve. Because thou hast left thy first love - Thou hast “remitted” ( ̓͂ aphēkas) or let down thy early love; that is, it is less glowing and ardent than it was at first. The love here referred to is evidently love to the Saviour; and the idea is, that, as a church, they had less of this than formerly characterized them. In this…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4You have abandoned your first love: When the church began, their love for Christ and each other was strong. Struggles with false teachers and persecution caused that original love to grow cold. Correct beliefs, action, and even suffering (Revelation 2:2–3) are only an empty form of Christian life if living and active love is missing (1 Corinthians 13).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. somewhat ... because--Translate, "I have against thee (this) that," &c. It is not a mere somewhat"; it is everything. How characteristic of our gracious Lord, that He puts foremost all He can find to approve, and only after this notes the shortcomings! left thy first love--to Christ. Compare 1Ti 5:12, "cast off their first faith." See the Ephesians' first love, Ep 1:15. This epistle was written under Domitian, when thirty years had elapsed since Paul…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 2:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Revelation 2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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