Darby Bible
Revelation 2:9
9I know thy tribulation and thy poverty; but thou art rich; and the railing of those who say that they themselves are Jews, and are not, but a synagogue of Satan.
Revelation 2:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
- New International Version (NIV)I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"'I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich); and I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
Context of Revelation 2:9
7He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. To him that overcomes, I will give to him to eat of the tree of life which is in the paradise of God. 8And to the angel of the assembly in Smyrna write: These things says the first and the last, who became dead, and lived: I know thy tribulation and thy poverty; but thou art rich; and the railing of those who say that they themselves are Jews, and are not, but a synagogue of Satan. 10Fear nothing [of] what thou art about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give to thee the crown of life. 11He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies. He that overcomes shall in no wise be injured of the second death.
Read all of Revelation 2Revelation 2:9 word by word
οἶδά σου τὴν θλῖψιν καὶ τὴν πτωχείαν, ἀλλὰ πλούσιος εἶ, καὶ τὴν βλασφημίαν ἐκ τῶν λεγόντων Ἰουδαίους εἶναι ἑαυτοὺς καὶ οὐκ εἰσίν, ἀλλὰ συναγωγὴ τοῦ σατανᾶ.Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Revelation 2:9
- Revelation 2:2I know thy works and [thy] labour, and thine endurance, and that thou canst not bear evil [men]; and thou hast tried them who say that themselves [are] apostles and are not, and hast found them liars;
- Revelation 7:14And I said to him, My lord, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they who come out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
- John 16:33These things have I spoken to you that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye have tribulation; but be of good courage: I have overcome the world.
- Acts 14:22establishing the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to abide in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.
- Romans 5:3And not only [that], but we also boast in tribulations, knowing that tribulation works endurance;
- Romans 8:35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? tribulation or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
- Romans 12:12As regards hope, rejoicing: as regards tribulation, enduring: as regards prayer, persevering:
- 1 Thessalonians 3:4for also, when we were with you, we told you beforehand we are about to be in tribulation, even as also it came to pass, and ye know.)
- 2 Thessalonians 1:6if at least [it is a] righteous thing with God to render tribulation to those that trouble you,
- Luke 4:18[The] Spirit of [the] Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach glad tidings to [the] poor; he has sent me to preach to captives deliverance, and to [the] blind sight, to send forth [the] crushed delivered,
- Luke 6:20And he, lifting up his eyes upon his disciples, said, Blessed [are] ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
- 2 Corinthians 8:2that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty has abounded to the riches of their [free-hearted] liberality.
- James 2:5Hear, my beloved brethren: Has not God chosen the poor as to the world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to them that love him?
- Revelation 3:17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and am grown rich, and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art the wretched and the miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked;
- Luke 12:21Thus is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
- 2 Corinthians 6:10as grieved, but always rejoicing; as poor, but enriching many; as having nothing, and possessing all things.
Commentaries on Revelation 2:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9I know thy works - As he had spoken to the preceding Church, so he speaks to this: I know all that ye have done, and all that ye have suffered. The tribulation here mentioned must mean persecution, either from the Jews, the heathens, or from the heretics, who, because of their flesh-pampering doctrines might have had many partisans at Smyrna. And poverty - Stripped probably of all their temporal possessions, because of their attachment to the Gospel. But…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 9I know thy works - The uniform method of introducing these epistles, implying a most intimate acquaintance with all that pertained to the church. See the notes on Revelation 2:2. And tribulation - This word is of a general signification, and probably includes all that they suffered in any form, whether from persecution, poverty, or the blasphemy of opposers. And poverty - It would seem that this church, at that time, was eminently poor, for this is not…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-11Verses 8-11 Our Lord Jesus is the First, for by him were all things made; he was before all things, with God, and is God himself. He is the Last, for he will be the Judge of all. As this First and Last, who was dead and is alive, is the believer's Brother and Friend, he must be rich in the deepest poverty, honourable amidst the lowest abasement, and happy under the heaviest tribulation, like the church of Smyrna. Many who are rich as to this world, are…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 9Jesus linked material poverty with the blessing of being rich in God's Kingdom (Matthew 5:3, 10–12; Luke 6:20). Jews without faith are criticized for siding with Satan against Christianity (Revelation 3:9; see John 8:44; Acts 14:2–5; 17:13; 18:6; 20:3; Galatians 5:11; 1 Thessalonians 2:14–16). At the Jewish council of Jamnia, Jewish leaders decided that Christians were unholy and should be excluded. John was not speaking against Jewish people as a whole…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. thy works, and--omitted in two oldest manuscripts, Vulgate, and Coptic. Supported by one oldest manuscript. tribulation--owing to persecution. poverty--owing to "the spoiling of their goods." but thou art rich--in grace. Contrast Laodicea, rich in the world's eyes and her own, poor before God. "There are both poor rich-men, and rich poor-men in God's sight" [Trench]. blasphemy of them--blasphemous calumny of thee on the part of (or arising from) them…Read the comment
Topics related to Revelation 2:9
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
Darby Bible — 1889 — Public Domain
Commentaries